Yahoo Finance Space Force action figures look to take off with Kickstarter
A new space race is underway on Kickstarter as Chris Gawrych, CEO of Amazo Toys, finalizes funding for the United States Space Force Action Figures set.
Amazo Toys is selling a range of figures, including a 4-inch Donald Trump and Barack Obama, looking buffer than in real life and dressed in space uniforms.
Gawrych launched his action figure sets as a project on Kickstarter on March 1. Entrepreneurs on Kickstarter usually have 30 days to raise the necessary funds in an all or nothing situation. The platform is a major destination to help those starting out get their ideas off the ground, but the timing for this campaign, obviously, wasn’t ideal as coronavirus shutdowns have wreaked havoc all across the U.S. economy.
Kickstarter is helping people out by giving additional time for users to raise funds because of the virus. Gawrych got an additional week to fund his project, and for smaller businesses, every little bit helps.
The Space Force figures come with multiple accessories, including guns, and have interchangeable heads. Depending on how much you pledge – options range from $25 to $300 – you can build your own crew to help launch Space Force. You can have Obama and Trump join forces with Uncle Sam or the ghost of Ronald Reagan action figures to go up against Russia’s Space Agency headed by Vladimir Putin, whose head is interchangeable with Gregori Rasputin.
The actual Space Force is a new branch of the military established in December 2019, whose mission is to “organize, train, and equip space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space.”
Big toy makers like Hasbro (HAS) or Mattel (MAT) usually stay away from politically themed toys – which leaves a big opportunity for independent toy developers. “I just wanted to do something that was fun without necessarily taking a political side,” Gawrych said. “There’s a lot of people that are interested in it; especially because of the changeable heads.”
“Going to Kickstarter, instead of a Walmart (WMT), helps smaller businesses,” Gawrych said. “It allows us to show a product and make sales. You support me directly by funding this project. It also gives me the chance in general for virtual shelf space.”
Gawrych said he has so far raised $36,413 out of the $40,000 goal he set for himself.
Nick Monte is a producer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @MontesMayhem
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