The Next Generation chess set that uses characters from the series as its chessmen. A Captain Picard figurine was the obvious choice for king, with Doctor Crusher as his queen. The roles of rook, knight and bishop were played by depictions of Data, Riker and Worf respectively. Enterprise took the place of the pawns. The Rhode Island Novelty Company makes alien-themed merchandise out of almost anything they can paint green.
Aliens are just the beginning.
In addition to superballs, whoopee cushions and drinking birds, the company's catalog offers space shuttle play kits, electronic laser sword key chains, UFO disco lights and laser guns. Some companies seemed almost embarrassed by their space content. Applause produced the Star Wars Episode One toys given out with KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell kids' meals, but a sales rep at its booth avoided commenting on their involvement with the highest grossing space film of the year. Aiming for the stars Space also stimulated entrepreneurial spirits. Marris from Mars, Nelson from Neptune, and all their friends throughout our solar system came with basic information about their planet of origin and the space missions that have visited or will someday visit them.