Diamond Select Toys Iron Man and Star-Lord Collectable Sculptures Bring the Avengers Home And Let You Inspect Their Tech Up Close
Diamond Select Toys (or DST) is a premier manufacturer of comic book and genre-inspired toys and collectibles. They have been around since 1999. With recent acquisitions, they now include Art Asylum and Gentle Giant Ltd.
I meet with the Diamond Select Toys team yearly at San Diego Comic-Con to see their latest busts, sculptures and action figures. As part of my new series that ties the San Diego Comic-Con panel I managed titled “The Science of Science Fiction,” DST sent me a couple of Iron Man and Star-Lord busts to inspect their detailed treatment of the masks for the commentary below.
But first, let me say that the sculptures are exquisite art pieces. Just admire and enjoy them. Not everyone will share my desire to inspect the details of their fictional technology. Although the sculptures are made from various plastics and hardened resins, they exude movement.
For instance, the Guardians of the Galaxy – Star-Lord Mini-Bust appears in the throws of battle, his worn red leather jacket flying open, his t-shirt twisting as his body exerts tremendous force against the fabric. The design by Nelson X. Asencio and sculptor by Juan Ramos conjures an iconic Avenger Endgame moment as the heroes thwart Thanos.
Along with the Star-Lord Mini-Bust, I was also privileged to inspect an Iron Man Min-Bust, as well as larger busts of Iron Man and Star-Lord.
Diamond Select Toys Iron Man and Star-Lord Collectable Sculptures
Note: Although these Diamond Select Toys Iron Man and Star-Lord Collectable Sculptures are currently available on Amazon, remember they are limited editions; they may sell out anytime. Except for the Star-Lord Mini-Bust, the other figures are no longer available directly from DST’s website at the time of publication.
All of the sculptures are limited editions, as attested to by the accompanying card that provides each item’s exact place in the limited run. The figures arrive well-protected in a custom box with imagery and product details. I would love to see DST move toward more sustainable packaging around the sculptures.
My thank you, and appreciation goes to the team at Diamond Select Toys for supporting this editorial exploration of popular culture and technology. The Diamond Select Toys Iron Man and Star-Lord Collectable Sculptures provided a close-up inspection of technology we would not have otherwise been able to examine. I hope we can continue to explore more science of science fiction in 2025 through new releases like those associated with the Fantastic Four. Follow the DST blog to track their releases.
The Science of Science Fiction: Could the Iron Man or Star-Lord Masks Really Work?
The Iron Man Mask
Iron Man’s mask, particularly in its nanotechnology-based iterations, defies modern physics and engineering principles. Its ability to materialize instantly from nanoparticles stored in a chest piece requires materials with negligible volume and the capacity to self-assemble at impossible speeds. The helmet’s durability, capable of withstanding extreme impacts, radiation, and space conditions, contradicts the lightweight and compact design. Current materials like graphene or titanium alloys fall short of combining such properties.
Additionally, the seamless vacuum sealing, pressure regulation, and absence of visible oxygen systems challenge the feasibility of providing life support in hostile environments like space or underwater.
The helmet’s advanced HUD and onboard AI deliver real-time data, targeting, and facial recognition, demanding immense processing power without generating excessive heat. Coupled with the energy needs of its nanotechnology and environmental protections, this would require a power source far beyond even the fictional Arc Reactor’s capabilities.
Heat management, radiation shielding, and the integration of these systems into a thin, lightweight helmet remain implausible with current technology, making the Iron Man mask a marvel of speculative science fiction rather than practical engineering.
The mask also includes features for self-propulsion and self-assembly, which further tug at the design’s credibility, though it should inspire people to think about how small propulsion systems and sensors might make for the automation of assemblies at more reasonable scales (and how nanotechnology might move something like Tony’s mask into position, albeit without the jets of fire or the ability to traverse long distances in short amounts of time as was shown in Iron Man 3).
The Star-Lord Mask
Star-Lord’s mask in the MCU defies physics with its compactness and functionality. It deploys instantaneously from a small, behind-the-ear device, which is implausible for housing advanced systems like oxygen supply, filtration, HUDs, and a power source. In space, it provides breathable air without a visible oxygen source or recycling systems and lacks the insulation or mechanisms required to protect against extreme temperatures.
One can also challenge the absence of visible vacuum seals for use in space, but that assumes the acceptance first of a physics that allows the nano-materials almost instantaneously to conform to the contours of Star-Lord’s head. Then, there is the mass problem (discussed below) that asks how the mass of the mask was contained inside the little buttony thing.
Additionally, the mask’s holographic HUD and structural durability raise questions. Projecting clear, undistorted visuals in a compact design requires advanced optics and processing far beyond current capabilities. Its resistance to impacts and space radiation, combined with its lightweight and thin profile, would necessitate exotic materials that don’t exist.
Masking Systems Integration
Having worked in manufacturing for many years, including in aerospace, the effort required to integrate systems, let alone test them, makes the instantaneous appearance of complex systems impossible.
The Mass Problem
Science Fiction often involves the mass problem, or more accurately, the “where the hell did the mass come from?” problem. Tony Stark’s Iron Man mask does not have a mass problem when installed (although the mass of various features would make it impractical to fit within the confines of any given mask. In its original incarnation, the mask is just worked iron. It exists as an object and does not change its mass, though it may change its size or shape depending on how much of a beating it takes at any given moment.
Star-Lord’s mask and Tony Stark’s nano technology mask (and suit) share the mass problem. Anything that emerges from a small object it must maintain its original mass. That means you can’t store a mask, let alone an entire Iron Man suit, in a small container. We have the same issue with Hulk, who would be a fluffy marshmallow man if Bruce Banner transformed into Hulk’s stature. In this instance, Bruch Banner is the small container.
Even if the mask relied on advanced materials like nanotechnology, the laws of conservation of mass dictate that the total material cannot simply vanish when not in use. Storing such a mass-dense object in such a compact form would require either impossible material compression or outright violation of physical laws. The mask appears to have substantial mass and volume when deployed, yet there’s no indication of where or how this mass is stored when retracted. So, it’s not just a question of where the mass originates but where it goes when retracted.
Just Enjoy
I am writing these posts to engage imaginations with the underlying science of science fiction, even if that “science” doesn’t work out so well in real-world applications. My analysis isn’t intended to stop people from enjoying the imaginations of artists or writers but to inspire them to explore other levels of knowledge and experience beyond the narratives and spectacle.
Diamond Select Toys (DST) provided the Iron Man and Star-Lord busts for review. Images courtesy of Diamond Select Toys (DST) unless otherwise noted.
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