I do love Ironman - loved all the films, and the second I saw this set was being released. I knew I’d have to have it.
What’s in the Box
Inside the box, there are 11 numbered ‘Paper’ bags (Most with smaller ones inside also) - the glossy manual - and notably - NO DECAL SHEET!! - Hurrah!!! Printed bricks only!!
The Build Experience
I was more than a little confused, as to why the set was 18+ ?? now that it’s built, I still am! Whilst I accept, I’m no novice to set building, I don’t think the average 12+ year old would have any difficulty building this at all - there is no ‘Adult Sponsorship’ or overly difficult methods involved, so I can only assume it’s aimed at adults due to it being only a ‘Display Piece’ - rather than a ‘Toy’?
I was expecting a fair bit of ‘repetition’ as I incorrectly assumed the model was symmetrical - it almost is, but there are very small differences in the arms which keep the repetition at bay.
Design & Detail
The overall design is very good - throughout construction, it’s never fragile or flimsy, even when the legs are mounted on their own. There ARE gaps at the joints, which are not too imposing - although I think the detail ‘Could’ have been improved with a little more thought… I.e. there are studs visible on the sides of his head? Not necessary - and the inner body at the top of the torso is Dark Grey and therefore stands out - I feel Dark Red or even black, would’ve been a better option - but these are small gripes.
Posing & Playability
Not much… The joints ARE movable, but not so much as you could pose him in other ways than the box depicts. The arms/hands are the most posable - which of course limits playability. Just remember, it’s a ‘Display Piece’ - Not a toy.
NB: As I write this, a ‘MOC’ has just been released on Rebrickable - Free to download! (MOC No 252349 by Lloyd23333)
The MOC is 100% alternative, so no extra parts required, and it provides instructions to build the model from scratch again into Ironman’s ‘Landing Pose’ - it looks awesome!
Value UK
At £119.99 for 1297pcs, I think value is fair - ok, so Gizmo was a lot cheaper for an almost exact number of parts - and of course licensing - but the metallic gold & printed parts in this set I would assume are the reason. I don’t think you’d be disappointed with it, that’s for sure.
Final Verdict
As long as you know before you buy, that this is a Display Only model, fans of Ironman will not be left wanting with this set - the finished build is impressive, and looks fabulous on display. I certainly enjoyed building it, and I can see it being on display for a very long time.
