Detroiters Finally Get a Glimpse of RoboCop's Face - Almost
It's been nearly 15 years since the idea of erecting a statue of RoboCop in Detroit first took shape on Twitter. The notion, born out of a tongue-in-cheek comparison between Philadelphia's iconic Rocky statue and a proposed tribute to the cybernetic lawman, never seemed destined for reality - or so it was thought.
In 2011, a user with the handle @MT tweeted at then-Mayor Dave Bing suggesting that Detroit should have a statue in RoboCop's honor. The tweet was laced with humor, stating, "He’s a GREAT ambassador for Detroit." However, Bing responded by saying there were no plans to build such a statue.
Despite this initial dismissal, the idea of a RoboCop statue continued to gain traction. A crowdfunding campaign launched by Brandon Walley eventually raised over $60,000, securing funding for a bronze sculpture commissioned by Venus Bronze Works. Yet, the project was plagued with delays and bureaucratic red tape.
On Wednesday, however, the wait finally came to an end as the long-awaited RoboCop statue was unveiled in Eastern Market. The 8-foot-tall bronze figure now stands outside of 3434 Russell St., a beacon for fans of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 sci-fi classic set in Detroit.
While it's unclear if the statue meets everyone's expectations, one thing is certain - RoboCop has finally arrived in Detroit to represent its city on the national stage.
It's been nearly 15 years since the idea of erecting a statue of RoboCop in Detroit first took shape on Twitter. The notion, born out of a tongue-in-cheek comparison between Philadelphia's iconic Rocky statue and a proposed tribute to the cybernetic lawman, never seemed destined for reality - or so it was thought.
In 2011, a user with the handle @MT tweeted at then-Mayor Dave Bing suggesting that Detroit should have a statue in RoboCop's honor. The tweet was laced with humor, stating, "He’s a GREAT ambassador for Detroit." However, Bing responded by saying there were no plans to build such a statue.
Despite this initial dismissal, the idea of a RoboCop statue continued to gain traction. A crowdfunding campaign launched by Brandon Walley eventually raised over $60,000, securing funding for a bronze sculpture commissioned by Venus Bronze Works. Yet, the project was plagued with delays and bureaucratic red tape.
On Wednesday, however, the wait finally came to an end as the long-awaited RoboCop statue was unveiled in Eastern Market. The 8-foot-tall bronze figure now stands outside of 3434 Russell St., a beacon for fans of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 sci-fi classic set in Detroit.
While it's unclear if the statue meets everyone's expectations, one thing is certain - RoboCop has finally arrived in Detroit to represent its city on the national stage.
. I mean, it's been ages since people were hyped about this statue and now it's finally here. The fact that it took 15 years for it to happen is crazy, but at least the wait was worth it, right? I'm not sure how the actual statue looks yet, but I'm curious - will it be exactly like in the movie or more of a modern interpretation? Either way, RoboCop's presence in Detroit is gonna bring some serious cool vibes to the city 
. It's awesome that people stuck by this idea even when it seemed far-fetched back then 
. Can't wait to see how fans and locals react to it!
. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to put a 8ft bronze statue of a fake cop in Eastern Market? It's gonna be one of those overpriced photo ops for Instagram wannabes 
. I swear, Detroit's just trolling us at this point, trying to cash in on its gritty reputation 
The whole thing with the crowdfunding campaign and all the delays kinda makes me think that maybe RoboCop was meant to be more than just a meme after all... 
I mean, the statue looks pretty epic, even if it's not exactly what we were expecting. Almost as cool as almost being able to see his face, haha! 
The city of Detroit is totally giving itself a superhero makeover, and I am HERE for it! 
I'm kinda sad that we're only getting a glimpse of RoboCop's face and not the full, iconic suit... like, what's the point of having a statue if you can't see the whole thing? 
It's been a long wait, but I think it'll be pretty cool to see this iconic character standing tall in our city. And hey, it's not like it's just some random tribute – it's actually rooted in the city's history and culture. Detroit's got a rich past, and RoboCop is definitely a piece of that. Can't wait to see how people react to it when they finally get a good look at his face 
I'm just glad it's finally here and that Detroit can show off its connection to this iconic character 
. Maybe we'll see more of these retro-themed tributes pop up around the city now? 
I mean, can you imagine walking past that 8-foot-tall bronze figure every day and just being like "oh yeah, we're iconic" 
. Now, who's ready to take some awesome pics in front of our new RoboCop friend? 
. I was following this story from like 2012 and people were saying it would never happen lol 
. But Detroiters are all about the grit and determination, you know? It's awesome to see RoboCop as a symbol of their city's resilience & strength 
