When it comes to things the city of Detroit needs, there’s undoubtely a pretty long list. And if there is an official version of such a list, I’m pretty sure that a statue of RoboCop isn’t on it. But that’s dumb. It totally should be. And that’s exactly why God invented the Internet.
How is this tech-related? First of all, RoboCop is tech. He’s probably the most badass tech ever created in a fictional Detroit future. Secondly, there is actually a campaign underway right now on the crowdsource funding startup Kickstarter to get this statue built.
Yes, it may be the best Kickstarter project yet. It easily surpasses the iPod nano watch with raised a mere $940,000+ from over 13,000 backers this past December. I mean, iPod nano watches are cool and all — but freakin RoboCop!
So far, over 250 people have committed just under $6,000 to the project. They hope to raise $50,000 and they’re definitely going to get there as they still have 43 days to go. And when they do, the RoboCop statue go into product to eventually reside on a piece of property on Roosevelt Park facing Michigan Central Station in Detroit.
The backstory for all of this is arguably the best part. Apparently it’s all because some random guy in Massachusetts tweeted to Detroit’s Mayor Bing that the city should have a RoboCop statue similar to the Rocky one that Philadelphia has. And Mayor Bing actually responded, saying, “There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion.”
And so off to the Internet it was.
A Facebook event popped up (with over 4,500 people RSVP’d), Reddit had some fun, and then everyone got down to actual business — on Kickstarter.
Let’s get this RoboCop statue funded! Detroit absolutely needs a RoboCop statue. And RoboCop would totally kick Rocky’s butt.
http://twitter.com/#!/MT/status/34702937087418368
http://twitter.com/#!/mayordavebing/status/34698788601860096