For those who collect movie memorabilia and/or figurines, the cinematic universes created by DC and Marvel over the years has been a virtual paradise. Comic book heroes have proven themselves big business – both on screen and off, just as conventions that cater to hobbyists of all calibers continue to grow and establish themselves in different locations all around the world.
While collectors have what is arguably the largest selection of figurines and assorted memorabilia to choose from to date, some collectibles have gone beyond the sort that can simply be stored on a shelf or in a display case. As we’ve seen over the years, the sky is often the limit. Just last summer, for example, there was a series of custom made Marvel motorbikes, the likes of which had to be won to own.
Thanks to a report from CBR, we have our first look at Chinese toy company Toys Asia’s life-sized, robotic Iron Man suit. As you can see in the video below, the suit doesn’t allow for its owner to slip inside, but instead puts on a rather elaborate transformation in which a decent look behind the armor and mask can be had. The over the top comic book collectible can be bought - but at $360,000, its price tag runs a little steeper than your average Yoda or Captain America statue.
The inner workings of the Iron Man statue are made up of a massive network of 567 individual parts. Toys Asia is currently accepting pre-orders for the life-sized collector’s dream come true - and aside from the statue itself, buyers can rest assured that their $360,000 purchase includes its own display stand. To date there are no reports as to how many of these suits have been sold (or if any have at all), but it likely won’t be long before a serious Marvel fan with the funds to match snaps one up. With the possibility of a fourth entry in the Iron Man movie franchise still unconfirmed, this suit can help keep a sizeable piece of the hero’s presence alive and well for some wealthy collectors.
But of course, purchasing such a thing offers a host of questions. Beyond the obvious one of why anyone would drop the financial equivalent of a house on a statue of a comic book hero, there are also the practical matters. For example, who does one call when the mechanical innards get bunged up after being sprayed with champagne during a house party? And what happens if even one of the 567 individual parts breaks? Does Iron Man have to be shipped off to China for every little repair? Would he need a passport?
In all seriousness, this is an especially detailed and quite frankly amazing piece of memorabilia. There is no shortage of those who’ve paid even more for the privilege of owning a work of art, which is then displayed in their home. In its own mechanized way, Toys Asia’s Iron Man statue is indeed a work of art – but one that most of us won’t be purchasing any time soon.
