The Adventures of Starman

What The Adventures of Starman does

The Adventures of Starman is a private direct-to-consumer e-commerce and publishing company founded in 2018 that builds branded merchandise and original narrative content around the Starman character popularized by SpaceX's 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight. Its product portfolio includes an in-house graphic novel series (titles such as "The Adventures of Starman Begins," "Operation Darkstone Part 1 & 2," and "Big Oil Strikes Back!"), signed art prints by artist Dash Martin, CGC-certified collectible comics, 3D-printed helmets, apparel, patches, and related memorabilia. The company operates a standard Shopify-style storefront with no proprietary platform technology, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, relying instead on conventional email, social, and community channels to reach a self-reported base of more than 20,000 "space explorers."

The business model is straightforward unit-level DTC retail: products are sold individually at prices ranging from approximately $8.95 for patches to $775 for limited 3D-printed helmets, with scarcity mechanics (serial-numbered editions, signed prints, CGC grading) used to support pricing on higher-end SKUs. Distribution is shipping-based, with fulfillment disclosed for the United States and Canada. Customer acquisition appears to rely on organic interest in SpaceX/spaceflight fandom, supplemented by social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X) and an email newsletter, with no evidence of paid enterprise channels, wholesale partnerships, or licensing relationships with SpaceX itself.

Operationally, the company is a small lifestyle/IP-merchandising venture. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no public management roster, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no headcount figures. There is no proprietary technology stack beyond a standard e-commerce front end, and the underlying "moat" rests on association with the Starman cultural moment, original comic IP, and a niche but engaged fan community rather than on technology, scale economics, or regulated assets.

Name

The Adventures of Starman

Legal name

The Adventures of Starman

Website

https://theadventuresofstarman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Adventures of Starman is a 2018-founded DTC e-commerce and publishing company that sells SpaceX Starman-themed graphic novels, apparel, collectibles, and signed art prints directly to a community of more than 20,000 space enthusiasts, shipping primarily within the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space-themed Merchandise and Publishing

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Comic Books & Graphic Novel Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entertainment Memorabilia Retail (Film/TV/Music) (CRALAGAJ)

Keywords

• Space themed merchandise
• Graphic novel publishing
• Collectible apparel
• Space memorabilia
• Fan merchandise ecommerce

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of physical merchandise including graphic novels, apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats, suits), gifts (mugs, towels, patches), art prints, and collectibles. Revenue generated through direct e-commerce transactions with no subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Adventures of Starman publishes an original graphic novel series and sells themed merchandise inspired by SpaceX's Starman character from the 2018 Falcon Heavy demo launch. The product portfolio includes limited edition graphic novels, astronaut apparel and costumes, collectibles (including a 3D printed helmet and CGC certified comics), apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats), gifts (mugs, towels, patches), and art prints and posters. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through an owned ecommerce storefront.

Product overview

The Adventures of Starman is a merchandise and publishing company centered around SpaceX's Starman character from the historic 2018 Falcon Heavy demo launch. The product portfolio consists of graphic novels/comics (The Adventures of Starman series including Operation Darkstone Part 1 & 2, Big Oil Strikes Back!, and The Adventures of Starman Begins), astronaut apparel (Kids and Adult Starman Suits, astronaut costume), collectibles (3D Printed Starman Helmet, CGC certified comics, coloring books, coins, patches), apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats, towels), and art (posters, prints). The core products are the graphic novels that tell original stories blending real space exploration events with science fiction. Apparel and collectibles are themed around the Starman/SpaceX aesthetic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Entertainment Earth: Entertainment Earth is an online retailer specializing in action figures, collectibles, gifts, and novelties tied to entertainment franchises. Directly comparable as a DTC collectibles/gifts e-commerce operator serving enthusiast collectors.
• Super7: Super7 produces retro-style toys, apparel, and collectibles sold DTC with a strong limited-edition and pop-culture aesthetic. Directly comparable as a small-batch collectibles + apparel brand serving enthusiast communities.
• Mondo: Mondo is a collectibles, art-print, and apparel brand known for limited-edition vinyl figures, screen-printed posters, and pop-culture merchandise sold DTC. Closely comparable to The Adventures of Starman in combining limited-run art/collectibles with fan-driven DTC e-commerce and premium price points.

Broad incumbents

• BoxLunch: BoxLunch is a pop-culture retail chain selling apparel, gifts, and collectibles tied to entertainment franchises. Comparable on product mix and fandom-led merchandising, though operates physical and online at much larger scale.
• Hot Topic: Hot Topic is a specialty retailer of pop-culture apparel, accessories, and collectibles based on music, gaming, and entertainment IP. Comparable as a fandom-merchandise retailer with overlapping customer demographics.
• Image Comics: Image Comics is a major independent comics publisher producing creator-owned graphic novels and serialized series. Comparable as an indie graphic-novel publisher; broader portfolio and trade distribution differentiate it from a single-IP DTC operator.
• Funko: Funko produces pop-culture collectibles (figures, vinyl, plush) based on entertainment IP across a much larger portfolio and global retail footprint. Comparable as a pop-culture collectibles retailer using licensed IP, though at vastly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Heavy Metal Magazine: Heavy Metal is a sci-fi and fantasy comic magazine and merchandise brand with collectible covers, art prints, and apparel. Comparable as a sci-fi-themed comics + collectibles brand with similar indie scale and aesthetic.
• Boom! Studios: Boom! Studios is an independent comic book publisher with original IP and licensed series, often with strong limited-edition and variant-cover collectible programs. Comparable as an indie publisher building serialized graphic novel content tied to fan engagement.
• Titan Comics: Titan Comics publishes graphic novels and licensed comic series tied to film, TV, and gaming franchises. Comparable as a graphic-novel publisher in the fan/collectibles space, though distribution is primarily wholesale rather than DTC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/advofstarman
• Facebookfacebook.com/adventuresofstarman
• Instagraminstagram.com/adventuresofstarman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-adventures-of-starman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Adventures of Starman