CNC milling would give you perfect models, but it's pretty expensive. To be cost effective you need to produce quite a lot of figures, I suppose the breakeven point is well above 100 units. I don't know how many times you can use one of this thermoformed molds, so you must consider this cost too.
I would go with the 3D printer route. There are tons of ready-made models on online libraries, you just need to find a geek kid with good computer skills willing to help. You would cut all your learning curve time, considering how busy you are I suppose you have 98439843 better ways to spend your time than nerding with a CAD program.
This would help the geek computer skilled kid in his social life, since he could brag with his friends showing some chocolate figures and saying "I made the models for these chocolates and now we're going in full production!" (chocolate is always a nice way to impress some chicks, much much better than saying "I drawed this 3D model with my PC"). This would be good advertising for you too, all his contacts would see that it's possible to create chocolate figures of whatever shape they want, so it's much probable you'll find someone interested in doing business. Win-win for both sides.
There is the problem that the surface of 3D printed models is not completely smooth. You solve this problem just using a "polishing brush", don't know how it is called in English, I mean stuff like this, which is used for polishing copper and so on. Use that while wearing hardware gloves and protective glasses, of course. After polishing you get a perfectly smooth surface. Only downside is that all the sharp edges get rounded, which is really not a problem with molded chocolate (I'd say it's a desired feature).
But this is the MOST IMPORTANT thing: now you can make a video of you thermoforming a Han Solo action figure while screaming "I SHOT FIRST BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!". I'm eagerly waiting for this.
Teo
