When I first saw Iron Man in 2008, I left the theater enraptured and amazed by the film I’d just seen. I imagine most audiences felt similar enthusiasm; after all, for more than ten years, Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark served as the foundation upon which the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the most lucrative film franchise in history—was built. In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, as we had to say goodbye to this character, it truly felt like the end of an era.

After seeing Endgame, I wanted to create a brick-built homage to Iron Man. However, rather than opting to build the nano-tech suit that comprised the hero’s final iteration, I chose to recreate the form in which this character captured the imagination of the world eleven years ago. I’ve assembled Iron Man in his first and—I’d argue—most iconic form: Tony’s Mark III Armor, the first suit to sport his signature gold and “hot-rod red” color scheme.

Read on to learn more about the design of this 10” (25cm) figurine.