To the mailbox and beyond!
The universe's most famous space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, will add another notch in his popularity belt as the United States Postal Service honors the galactic hero with his own Forever postage stamps this month in a special edition titled "Go Beyond."
It's perfect timing as the Disney/Pixar animated "Toy Story" spinoff, "Lightyear," has concluded its theatrical run and is now available to watch on Disney+ and other online digital platform. The time-traveling sci-fi adventure will also arrive on Blu-ray/DVD and 4K Ultra HD beginning on September 13, 2022, crammed with deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews, and bonus features.
Following an official dedication ceremony held on Wednesday (Aug. 3) at the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, these colorful First-Class stamps were unveiled to commemorate the cocky Star Command astronaut that was introduced to fans back in 1995's "Toy Story."
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"Buzz Lightyear captured our hearts and imaginations in the first "Toy Story" movie," said Isaac Cronkhite, the Postal Service’s chief logistics and processing operations officer and executive vice president at the event. "He taught us about heroism, loyalty and perseverance. And now he is the star of his own feature film — 'Lightyear."'
Besides starring in four "Toy Story" feature films and multiple TV shorts and seasonal specials over the years, an actual Buzz Lightyear action figure was launched aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008. Buzz's fun mission logs were filed during his 15-month orbit on the ISS and supported NASA's ongoing educational efforts in the STEM fields.
"Go Beyond" is a $12 pane of 20 stamps arranged in four horizontal rows of five stamps, all showcasing the iconic image of Buzz Lightyear. Greg Breeding was the art director for this sci-fi project using authentic character illustrations from Pixar Animation Studios.
Each full collectible sheet features the full-body image of Buzz Lightyear set against a green, gray, and blue graphic background accompanied by the slogan "From Infinity to Forever." Rows present the same four designs shuffled in different orders with the phrase “GO BEYOND."
Among the images and poses included are a right-facing, close-up profile of Buzz in his old-fashioned bubble helmet; a full-body profile detailing Buzz’s slick white and green spacesuit; Buzz sprinting in a three-quarter rightward view with his helmet fully retracted; and a head-and-torso image of the daring hero courageously facing dangerous missions to come.
"Just like Buzz, the Postal Service has also looked to the stars for inspiration," Cronkhite added. "We have many stamps honoring NASA's accomplishments, including the space shuttle, and the Apollo program that took us to the moon. And then there are our STEM Education stamps that emphasize the importance of science, technology, engineering and math. The Postal Service takes great pride in honoring the very best of the nation through our stamp program. And Buzz Lightyear certainly fits that description. The Postal Service is proud to have worked with Disney and Pixar to bring the 'Go Beyond' Forever stamp to both customers and Buzz fans."
Space-loving philatelists and loyal Buzz Lightyear fans can buy these "Go Beyond" stamps at Post Office locations nationwide, via the official Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, or by calling (+1) 844-737-7826.
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