They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire.
I respectfully disagree.
I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far.
I present to you the newest in Stark Industries' Freedom line.
Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee, the bad guys won't even wanna come out of their caves.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration... the Jericho.
- Tony Stark; Iron Man movie
Hi guys,
first of all I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year! I sincerely hope 2015 will turn into the best and most enjoyable year you have had so far; may this year for all of us be filled with love, friendship, good health, success and good furtune! Let's make 2015 rock, guys!
A while ago I have been able to add the Hydro and Neo Classic statues of Iron Man to my collection and I have been deeply impressed by these statues ever since. It's strange since I am not the biggest Iron Man around but when I got a chance to add these two modern day knights to my collection I just could not resist.
And letr me tell you these statues look great in pictures but even better in real life every time you walk into your collection room.
What I like about both statues is that they clearly demonstrate the engineering genius of Tony Stark as well as heroic determination to protect and save the world no matter the odds stacked against him.
The world may not always appreciate Tony but the world does need a hero to fight for it when times get rough and Tony is the man to do that in style.
The great thing about Iron Man is that he does not have any special powers. Tony is not a mutant, he was not bombarded by cosmic rays or bitten by a radioactive spider just like he was also never injected with a special serum to increase his physique to peak human levels.
No, Tony is an alcoholic, a somewhat lonely and eccentric billionnaire with a piece of shrapnel inside his body threatening to tear his heart apart. That does not sound like the kind of stuff heroes are made of and yet Tony manages to pull it off by relying on his genius like intellect and engineering skills. This is a man ready to beat the odds and do the impossible when the going gets tough.
When you look at the incredibly powerful and versatile Iron Man armors which Tony has designed in time and realize that he is one of the most powerful Avengers, it becomes clear that Mr. Stark is the kind of hero you absolutely do not want to mess with.
You cross the line and Iron Man's shiny armor may be the last thing you see before you are knocked out cold. You decide to threaten the world or cause trouble on a cosmic scale and his repulsor ray may be the last thing you feel before you are going down the hard and ugly way.
Iron Man is a modern day knight trying to protect the world the best way he can and as such he is just as much an icon as for example Captain America or Thor even without special powers or having Odin as your father. Tony Stark is without a doubt the greatest engineer the world has ever seen and that's really all he needs to serve and protect and be one of the most prominent Avengers.
I guess Tony never fails to make me realize that what counts is the heart and not the powers of the man in the suit.
Before I move over to my comments about these statues, I would like to give a big '
THUMBS UP!' to
Danielle for allowing me to add these two amazing statues to my collection. Thanks a lot Danielle; it was a pleasure meeting you and I am truly happy with these statues!
My verdict
A "cool exec with a heart of steel," Tony Stark is the invincible Iron Man, fighting for justice as a modern day knight in high-tech armor.
I will compare both statues with each other for each of the four criteria and in every case I will mention one winner. I will do my best to explain why in my opinion the statue in question outranks the other statue on that specific criteria but feel free to let me know if you have a different opinion!
Sculpt:
Iron Man Hydro Statue
What I like about the Iron Man Hydro Statue is that there is a hidden dynamic present in the sculpt. At first sight it looks like Iron Man is depicted in a static museum pose but a second look shows that this is not the case. The bent left arm, the clenched fists on both arms and the fact that Tony’s head is turned slightly to the left, add to the illusion that Tony is standing on the bottom of the sea miles below the surface trying to decide what his best option is to deal with threat at hand.
We see Tony busy at work doing what he does best which is making sure the world will survive another day to tell the tale of yet another disaster which has been successfully averted.
Compared to the Hydro Armor statue the Neo-Classic statue looks less dynamic and action oriented. When I looked at the statue for the first time I was not sure if Tony was really inside the armor or if I was looking at the empty armor stored in Iron Man’s Hall or Armors. It does pay off however to have a closer look at the statue since this statue is a little gem in its very own right. Iron Man’s stance is heroic and defiant and without sayuing a word he is sending out a clear message to every villain in the Marvel Universe: You shall not pass! The clenched fists show Iron Man is ready to take it out on anyone foolishly enough to pose a threat and you can almost feel his particle beam locking on to you when you look at the statue.
Iron Man is standing still but it’s easy to imagine that within a blink of a second he can jump into action and cause some really devastating damage to anyone or anything standing in his way.
Both statues have their own merits and are beautifully scuklpted in their very own way. Still, there can only be one winner and for me that is the Hydro Armor statue since it is more dynamic and as such more of an eye-catcher in my collection.
Paint & Mixed Media:
Draw
Let me start by saying that the paintjob on both statues is absolutely outstanding.
I like the gold coloured armor of the Hydro Armor statue and think it looks amazing. You would perhaps expect that with the statue being painted in one colour could easily be boring or lead to a flat looking statue, but such an assumption could not be farther away from the truth. You can see a darker coloured gold finish to create shading on several places on the statue while at the same time you can see the surroundings reflected a little bit by the shiny finish of Iron Man’s armor. What’s also good is the white painted chest armor since the difference in color attracts attention. These factors cause the paintjob to be far from boring and they make the statue beautiful to look at.
But the goodies do not stop there. Iron Man’s clear bubble helmet is very cool and it’s a very impressive part of Iron Man’s aquatic armor. The bubble helmet can be taken off so if you would like to display the statue without it, it’s perfectly possible.
Compared to the Hydro armor, the Neo-Classic armor at first looks to have less to offer. But in this case appearances definitely are deceiving. The red-and-gold armor is beautifully painted and it almost makes the armor come ‘alive’ if you know what I mean. The armor is painted in much more matte colours than the Hydro armor but in its own way it looks just as impressive. Red and gold are the classic colours of Iron Man’s armor and I find the paintjob on the Neo-Classic armor to be exemplary.
The Neo-Classic armor statue does not have any mixed media like the Hydro armor but with a paintjob this impressive, the statue does not need that at all to shine.
Design:
Iron Man Hydro statue
I like both of these statues since they each in their own right bring something good to the table.
Both statues are deigned very well but there can only be one winner. To me that is the Iron Man Hydro statue because of the many details in the design of Iron Man’s armor (look for example at the level of detail in Iron Man’s kneecaps, the fins on his boots, the pouches on his belt and of course the large oxygen tank on his back). Of course there is also the fact that the bubble helmet can be taken off which increases your display option with this statue. It’s all there and it’s all good making this statue really shine. Furthermore I like the blue coloured base since it adds to the illusion of Iron Man being underwater.
The Neo-Classic armor is more basic looking and it shows less detail than the Hydro armor. You are aware that the armor must be very sophisticated but whereas the Hydro armor makes it easy to see why that is, the Neo-Classic armor hides its secrets much better.
I do not think Iron Man will mind that one bit since any foe silly enough to believe Iron Man came to face him or her empty handed, is about to get the most shocking surpise of their life. The Neo-Classic armor packs a mean punch but its technological advancement is much less obvious when compared to the Hydro armor.
I like the dark purple coloured based of the Neo-Classic armor a lot since it complements the red and gold colors of Iron Man’s armor and gives the statue a high-tech and advanced look and feel.
Production & Build Quality:
Draw
The Hydro armor statue is the heavier statue and this is a very solid statue. The Neo-Classic armor statue is much lighter but I have no doubt that with a bit of care this statue will be a proud part of your collection for just as many moons as the Hydro armor statue.
One word of advice with regards to the Hydro armor: when you decide to move it I would advise you to take the bubble helmet off first and to hold the statue with both hands. The weight may catch you offguard and due to the fact that the bubble helmet is not securely attached to the statue it could either fall off or move around and possible scratch the statue.
The Neo-Classic armor statue does not have these problems and as such it is the more ‘care-free’statue. It’s less solid but also more of a ‘plug and play’statue and I think that is worth something as well.
Both statues are built well enough and unless they are droppped or bumped into something, you do not have to worry about them since they will last you a lifetime.
Overall rating: Both statues are true winners and great additions to the collection of any fan and collector. You cannot go wrong with either statue but if you can only add one statue to your collection I would recommend to pick up the Hydro Armor statue first. It's a real eye-catcher, feels very solid and robust, has a great level of details and offers multiple display options with or without helmet. Overall that would make it my first pick even though the Neo=Classic Armor statue is a close and proud runner-up!
Iron Man Hydro Statue
Release Date: August 2011 (Phase IV)
Statue number: 718/750
Height: 14 inches tall
Sculptor: The Kucharek Brothers
Painter: Dan Cope
Box Design: Jeremy Perkins
Art Direction: Randy Bowen
Iron Man Neo-Classic Statue
Release Date: May 2013 (Phase V)
Statue number: 245/600
Height: 14 inches tall
Sculptor: Avinash Hedge (digital sculpt)
Painter: Dan Cope
Box Design: Jeremy Perkins
Art Direction: Randy Bowen
Background Information
Real Name: Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark
Citizenship: U.S.A.
Place of Birth: Long Island, New York
Occupation: Adventurer, president emeritus of Stark Industries, founder of Maria Stark Foundation; formerly director of S.H.I.E.L.D., CEO of Stark Industries, Stark Solutions, Stark Enterprises, Circuits Maximus & Stark International, US Secretary of Defense, computer technician
Group Affiliation: Formerly Avengers, Initiative, Hellfire Club (outer circle), S.H.I.E.L.D., Illuminati, Thunderbolts, Force Works, Queen's Vengeance, Alcoholics Anonymous
Education: Ph.D.s in physics and electrical engineering
Physical Attributes:
Height: 6'1"; (in armor) 6'6"
Weight: 225 lbs.; (in armor) 425 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
Powers: None; Tony's body had been enhanced by the modified techno-organic virus, Extremis, but it is currently inaccessible and inoperable.
Abilities: Tony has a genius level intellect that allows him to invent a wide range of sophisticated devices, specializing in advanced weapons and armor.
He possesses a keen business mind.
Weapons: The Iron Man armor includes Tony’s primary energy weapon, repulsor rays, a powerful particle beam which is standard equipment in the palms of his armor;
the repulsor ray can repel physical and energy-based attacks, traveling as either a single stream or as a wide-field dispersal.
The armor has also been outfitted with pulse bolts (extremely powerful plasma discharges which grow in strength as they seek their target),
sonic generators, explosive shell projectiles, mini-missiles, magnetic field generators and a laser torch built into the finger of Tony’s gauntlet.
The armor’s surface can generate an electric charge to dispel attackers.
Paraphernalia: Tony’s most recent armor is protected by an energy-draining shield which expands from the gauntlets, as well as a personal deflector shield.
The armor grants Tony superhuman strength (lifting 100 tons at maximum power). Its Jet boots enable flight at Mach 8; he can also hover utilizing a localized gravity field.
The armor’s internal air supply lasts more than one hour and can be sealed for travel through low oxygen, underwater or outer space environments.
The armor also features a chronometer, radar, sonar, a magnometer, an atom-force microscope, photon, heat, motion and other sensor instruments.
The armor contains a subspace/satellite radio communications array which receives local radio and video signals; the armor can also jam transmissions.
The chest plate features the unibeam, a powerful searchlight that can project beams in virtually every light spectrum (visible, infrared and ultraviolet);
it also features a laser beam projector, an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) generator which can shut down electronic devices within a 50-yard radius,
a scanning device that travels along energy waves emitted from the unibeam and a holographic generator
The Man Inside The Armor
Anthony "Tony" Stark was born to Howard Anthony Stark and Maria Collins Carbonell Stark, owners of the prominent US firm, Stark Industries.
As a boy, Tony was fascinated with building and controlling machines.
At the age of 15 Tony entered the undergraduate electrical engineering program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),
and graduated with two master’s degrees by age 19.
Tony went to work for Stark Industries, but showed more interest in living a reckless playboy lifestyle than using his engineering skills.
At the age of 21, Tony inherited Stark Enterprises when his parents were killed in a car accident secretly orchestrated by rival corporation Republic Oil (later ROXXON).
Still lacking in business acumen, Tony promoted secretary Virginia "Pepper" Potts to be his executive assistant and left the majority of his workload on her so that he could avoid what he saw as a burden.
Tony personally attended a field test of his military hardware at one of his international plants; however, soon after his arrival Stark’s party was attacked by a gang of terrorists led by the Sin-Cong
revolutionary Wong Chu. During the skirmish, a land mine went off and lodged a piece of shrapnel near Tony’s heart.
Taken back to Wong-Chu’s camp, Tony shared a cell with Professor Ho Yinsen, a world-famous physicist.
Wong-Chu demanded that the two scientists develop advanced weaponry for his forces. Knowing that he could not live long with the shrapnel so close to his heart,
Tony proposed that he and Yinsen devote their gifts to creating one of the battlesuits he had been developing, equipped with a magnetic field generator to prevent the shrapnel from reaching his heart.
The armor they created became the first true Iron Man armor and was equipped with crude magnetic weaponry for defense. While the armor’s battery was being powered, some of Wong-Chu’s men attempted to break in on the proceedings.
Yinsen went to create a diversion and was shot to death by Wong-Chu’s men. When the battery had finished charging, Tony went into battle as Iron Man and tore Wong-Chu’s camp apart.
He eventually returned to the USA with the aid of US Marine James "Rhodey" Rhodes.
At first, Tony found his new life a torment; his armor’s chest plate had to be worn constantly and required frequent recharging.
He kept the armor a secret from everyone, and began to heavily drink to forget his problems. Encouraged by his girlfriend Tony came out of his depression and began to use his armor as a super hero.
Tony worked to improve the Iron Man armor and claimed Iron Man was Tony Stark's personal bodyguard to disguise his identity.
Tony played a dual-role with the formation of the Avengers both as the sponsor and, as Iron Man, as a founding member along with Thor, Ant-Man (Henry Pym), the Wasp (Janet van Dyne), and the Hulk.
While pursuing Namor the Sub-Mariner, Iron Man came across the comatose body of Captain America (Steve Rogers) Rogers), the famous World War II super hero, preserved on ice.
Revived, Captain America joined the Avengers and became an important teammate and friend to Tony.
Besides being a founding member of the Avengers, Tony also helped to establish the international super-spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. to combat terrorist threats.
Rainer
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Nothing can stop The Juggernaut... NOTHING!
