Detroit Finally Gets Its RoboCop Statue After Years of Delays, Vindication for a Fan's Viral Tweet
It's been nearly 15 years since a tweet sparked the idea of bringing Detroit a statue of its beloved sci-fi icon, RoboCop. The eponymous cybernetic lawman, created by Paul Verhoeven in 1987, was set to become an official ambassador for Motor City after a fan, Brandon Walley, proposed the idea.
A crowdfunding campaign, launched in 2011 and backed by over $60,000 from fans, eventually saw RoboCop come to life. However, the journey wasn't without its setbacks and bureaucratic hurdles. A statue was commissioned, but it took years of delays before it could finally materialize.
Fast forward to Wednesday when, at long last, RoboCop stands tall in Eastern Market. Its bronze figure, crafted by George Gikas of Venus Bronze Works, has become a symbol of the city's perseverance and dedication to its most iconic residents.
The idea gained traction after then-Mayor Dave Bing responded to Walley's initial tweet with skepticism. Yet, his dismissal only fueled the fire of determination among RoboCop fans. As Bing tweeted: "There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion."
Despite the mayor's rejection, the idea wouldn't die. And now, as we look at the newly installed statue outside 3434 Russell St., it's clear that Detroit has finally secured its place in the hearts – and museum walls – of sci-fi enthusiasts worldwide.
Detroit's RoboCop Statue: A Symbol of the City's Unyielding Spirit
It's been nearly 15 years since a tweet sparked the idea of bringing Detroit a statue of its beloved sci-fi icon, RoboCop. The eponymous cybernetic lawman, created by Paul Verhoeven in 1987, was set to become an official ambassador for Motor City after a fan, Brandon Walley, proposed the idea.
A crowdfunding campaign, launched in 2011 and backed by over $60,000 from fans, eventually saw RoboCop come to life. However, the journey wasn't without its setbacks and bureaucratic hurdles. A statue was commissioned, but it took years of delays before it could finally materialize.
Fast forward to Wednesday when, at long last, RoboCop stands tall in Eastern Market. Its bronze figure, crafted by George Gikas of Venus Bronze Works, has become a symbol of the city's perseverance and dedication to its most iconic residents.
The idea gained traction after then-Mayor Dave Bing responded to Walley's initial tweet with skepticism. Yet, his dismissal only fueled the fire of determination among RoboCop fans. As Bing tweeted: "There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion."
Despite the mayor's rejection, the idea wouldn't die. And now, as we look at the newly installed statue outside 3434 Russell St., it's clear that Detroit has finally secured its place in the hearts – and museum walls – of sci-fi enthusiasts worldwide.
Detroit's RoboCop Statue: A Symbol of the City's Unyielding Spirit
! I've been following this project for years, and it's amazing to see how dedicated everyone was to making this happen 
. Brandon Walley's tweet back in 2010 sparked something special, and it's so cool that it brought the community together 
. The statue is stunning btw, George Gikas' work is incredible 
! It's a beautiful representation of Detroit's spirit and perseverance 
. I'm so glad this iconic character is finally in our city 
. Can't wait to see more of these kinds of projects come to life 
It's like, totally awesome that they got their RoboCop statue after all these years! I mean, it's a testament to how determination & perseverance can lead to something truly EPIC! 
The city's spirit is INSPIRED, and we should totes be cheering them on! 
Let's give a big shoutout to Brandon Walley for sparking this movement with that viral tweet back in 2011! 
Ugh, can you believe they had to go through all those delays? I mean, come on, a fan just wants to see his favorite character immortalized and it takes years... that's so frustrating. And what with the whole "not plans to erect a statue" thing from the mayor, lol, like that just fueled the fire or what? 
Anyway, glad it's finally done, but next time, can we just get something online ASAP, no need for all the fuss? 
I mean, can you even believe it took 15 years to get that statue up?! 
. It's awesome to see how Brandon Walley's persistence paid off, and now Detroit can proudly call RoboCop its own 
! It's crazy how one tweet can spark something like this and people just kept pushing forward with their passion. The fact that they didn't give up even after being told no by Mayor Bing says a lot about Detroit's community spirit 
!
And to Brandon Walley, I say thanks for never giving up on your idea! It's an amazing example of perseverance 
anyway, congrats to brandon walley for starting this whole thing & to detroit for finally getting its due recognition! 
and btw, its pretty cool that the city persevered despite the initial setbacks 
. anywayz, its official: detroit has got robocop 
anyway, i guess it's cool that they finally got their way after all these years... now can we move on to something new and interesting? 
. The fact that it was a fan who initially sparked the idea is everything - proof that we need more fans like Brandon advocating for their passions 
. btw, i'm still waiting for them to make a statue of Blaxploitation Jackalope... that's some real iconic Detroit history right there 
. Now I'm gonna go take some pics in front of it and pretend I was there from the start 
I'm just saying, maybe this whole RoboCop statue thing was more than just a fan's passion project...