By Ofelia Saenz, Staff Writer
Visitors from a galaxy far, far away stepped into post offices throughout Long Beach last Friday to commemorate Star Wars’ 30th anniversary and to celebrate the U.S. Postal Service’s issuance of 15 new 41-cent stamps featuring characters and graphics from the Star Wars series. Fans got to shake hands and have their pictures taken with Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett and a storm trooper while waiting in line to get the long-anticipated stamps.
In weeks leading up to the event, the Postal Service also transformed a number of collection boxes across the country into R2-D2 look-a-likes, including one box located in front of the Queen Mary in downtown Long Beach.
“I think [the Star Wars movies] are popular because they speak to any age group,” said David Nolasco who made a special trip to the post office that day to purchase the stamps. The pictures he got to take with Darth Vader and Yoda while he was there were an added bonus for the lifetime Star Wars enthusiast.
Postal worker Tracye Allen, who has been a fan since she was a child, was one of the first to buy the stamps at the Bixby Knolls post office and plans to share some of the six sheets she purchased with her 12-year-old daughter who is also a fan.
“It’s a classic story–that’s what keeps people coming back after all these years,” she said.
The sheets of collectible stamps, which are available in post offices nationwide, include the Star Wars logo and background images of a space battle, TIE fighters, X-wing fighters and the second Death Star under construction as seen in “The Return of the Jedi.”
The background also includes the light saber-wielding form of Darth Vader, whose helmet comprises the largest of the 15 stamps.
The back of the stamp sheet includes extensive text describing the dramatic roles each featured character or vehicle plays in the Star Wars saga.
In addition to the stamps, express mail flat-rate envelopes are available for a limited time featuring graphics celebrating Star Wars’ 30th anniversary. Three separate versions of the Star Wars graphic are printed directly on the envelopes and are available in three-packs only at www.usps/shop.
Fans also played a part in choosing which characters would be represented, as they voted through online ballots to elect Yoda as their favorite Star Wars series character. A special Yoda stamp will be issued by itself later this summer.
