USPS Announces Star Wars Stamp Set

morpheus83 writes "After R2D2 letter boxes, the USPS continues the saga, as it unveiled 15 new stamps featuring Star Wars characters at Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood where the original Star Wars movie opened 30 years ago. The 41 cent stamps will be released on May 25, and all the 15 stamps will be issued on a single sheet resembling a movie poster."

Reason: Money

[Anonymous Coward]

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is just trying to get some cash from saps -- like the saps who will buy these Star Wars stamps. The USPS knows that nostalgia has a price tag. Moreover, the USPS is encountering some revenue problems. So, this stamp fixes the revenue problem.

I just bought a whole box of these stamps. So, I suppose that I am the biggest sap of all.

"Be a jedi or be not a jedi. There is no sap!" exclaims Yoda.

I wonder if this has deeper significance?

[Dzimas]

I was discussing the Star Wars post boxes with someone a few days ago. We both think they're extremely clever, but they're also a rather strange bit of corporate advertising by the United States Postal Service. It didn't take long before one of us wondered if this is yet another sign that things have slipped a bit too far in favor of the service sector as far as the US economy goes. After all, the post office really doesn't have any reason to promote a film franchise (yes, I know it's an anniversary celebration and all... but it still leaves a strange taste in my mouth)

too bad there aren't any quotes on the stamps

[Tumbleweed]

Han's should read, "It's not my fault!"

Luke's, "I was going into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!"

Leia, "Will somebody get this walking carpet out of my way?!"

Chewie, "Mraaaawwwwrrrr!"

Vader, "I find your lack of faith ... disturbing."

Obi-Wan, "We'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements."

R2D2, *beep* *beep* *whistle* *beep* *splat*

C3PO, "I didn't know I had it in me."

For the Falcon, just the tagline: The fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy!

I haven't done any research on it...

[attemptedgoalie]

But I'd be interested to find out who is funding this. 100% of the production cost, distribution, etc. should be borne by Lucas.

Is this why stamps go up in price? To keep the marketing budget in line?

I can't get a box from Omaha to Denver in under two weeks by USPS, but they sure have purty stamps.

They're a monopoly, and should not be allowed to advertise at all. No commercials, no ads, fund from the stamps and add some value.

Darth Maul!?!

[coug_]

Okay, so... there's a Darth Maul stamp, but no Lando Calrissian stamp? How about a Jabba the Hut stamp? He certainly played a much bigger role in the series than Darth Maul did. Darth Maul, as cool as he may have looked, was almost completely insignificant to the story.

Actors Are Still Alive

[Bender0x7D1]

I thought there was a rule that no living person could be on a stamp, so how can there be characters on the stamps when the actors are still alive? I found this site [govspot.com] that seems to agree with the "no living person" rule, but it isn't an official USPS site. Has this rule been changed or is it OK since they are fictional characters?

Re:I haven't done any research on it...

[TooMuchToDo]

1) They're not a monopoly (Fedex, UPS, DHL, without even bringing up freight carriers)

2) They operate in the black (and work hard to do so)

3) I've gotten boxes cross-country with USPS in 4 days

I mean, seriously, how can you complain about the postal service? I can get a letter across the country for the price of a candy bar. I can get a light envelope to the most remote parts of the world for the price of a gallon of gas or two.

Lets face it, the price of stamps goes up to deal with the cost of running a distribution network that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (you don't get mail on Sunday, but they're moving and processing it).

Quit whinning.

Re:I haven't done any research on it...

[SkyDude]

No, not true. You open an account with UPS, pay for your shipments with a credit card and they will come to your house and pick up anything you care to ship. Minimum cost for letters is now around $18 for a letter not exceeding 8 oz.
Of course, it makes no economic sense, so no one will send you your mail that way either. It makes sense to use the USPS for lightweight first class mail. But, there is a choice. It's just not a realistic one.

You may be surprised to learn that Fedex, UPS and DHL all have arrangements to pick up lightweight mail parcels from businesses and deliver them to the Postal Service who ultimately delivers the parcels to residentail customers. The USPS offers a service called Parcel Select. A carrier or business that generates thousands of small parcels can participate in it. A shipper routes a quantity of small parcels via this service, and the carrier picks up the parcels and delivers them to a Postal delivery unit near the recipient's address. The USPS then sorts the parcel into the regular mail delivery. Very cost effective and further blurs the distinction between the old Post Office and private industry.