Anthony Le is the Tony Stark of cosplay. He might not be a multi-millionaire playboy, but he is charismatic. He isn’t lightyears ahead of modern R&D, but he does craft armor-plated costumes that far surpass his cosplaying peers. He doesn’t fight crime, but he does use his costume-crafting powers for good.

With his custom-made Iron Man costumes that rival the suits built by professional prop designers, Anthony Le’s craft is extraordinary. We wanted to know more about the man behind the impeccable Iron Man mask, so we asked him to tell us more about his trade. Prepare your jaw now, because it’ll be hitting the floor repeatedly when you see how spot-on these superheroic cosplays are…

Photo credit: eurobeatking

Anthony Le: Ever since I was 10, I’ve always loved art, and the many forms it takes: drawing, sculpting, etc. [Cosplay is an extension of that love for art.]

Pictured: Iron Man Mark IV armor.

AL: Cosplay is just another way of life. Some people--the “normal society” people--see it as geeky/dorky. Well, it is! People can step out of their own world and be a character in a video game or comic book. Cosplay is a wayyyy better scene then the clubbing or bar scene, I might add. The cosplay world is not only fun--there's people out there who go to children's hospitals and visit sick children [in costume] like I do. The way I see it, it’s a good use of one’s time, and sharing what you love with everyone else is incredibly gratifying.

Pictured: War Machine armor.

AL: I love challenges, no matter what form they come in. Art is my anti-drug, and my outlet for creativity. It’s actually a stress reliever. When I’m not cosplaying or creating art, I love to work out and set the bar on how nerds look to the norm. I was actually in [one of those] P90X success stories.

Pictured: Nanosuit from Crysis 3.

AL: I've used so many materials in the past, experimenting with them to see what works for me. The first material I used to build a cosplay was poster/foam board. Granted, I was super cheap back then, and didn’t know what to use. But practice makes perfect, and the endless search for new materials can be fun!

Pictured: Iron Man Mark VI armor.

Photo credit: MorRokko

AL: I do my best to look at all the big and small details of what’s being created. Then I look at the whole picture to gauge the overall size, and reverse engineer the small details from there. It’s a long process that I go through to figure out how I’ll assemble each costume.

AL: My favorite video game, which I discovered as a wee little one, has to be Puzzle Bobble / Bust-a-Move (lol).

Pictured: Guts from Berserk.

AL: So far, many fans/followers call me “the real Tony Stark,” given how many suits I’ve built so far. Some of my friends even brand me as Iron Man. So [that reputation] kind of figures into who I’ll cosplay as. But Iron Man isn’t my only forte; I love building costumes that are difficult to make, and have yet to be attempted.

Pictured: Kestrel Armor from Mass Effect 2.

AL: So far, the most technologically advance suit I've made--and my personal favorite--is the Iron Man Mark VII from 2012’s The Avengers. With each cosplay I create, I like to push my limits and set the bar by adding more electronics while still keeping it more functional. [It’s a balance between giving the costume] more realistic effects while still making it practical to wear. When I say practical, I mean things like making sure to incorporate flexibility for ease of wear. Moveable abdominal plates, plated arm covers, that sort of thing. A recent example comes from that same Mark 7 armor, you’ll know what I mean when you see it in action.

Pictured: Iron Man Mark VII armor.
Photo credit: Seth A. McConnell

AL: Search around, and play with all types of materials, so that you can build up your skill level. Find which [material works for you] and run with it. Always try to free-hand [your designs] and make your costume from scratch. Attention to detail, especially small details, will make your cosplay really pop. (Unless you’re in a cave with a box of scraps, lol.) Also, no matter what cosplay you’re doing, make sure to always have fun.

Pictured: Iron Man / Tron armor mash-up.

AL: So far, my list for future projects includes a Gundam Wing suit. I don’t know which one just yet--there’s too many to choose from. XD

Pictured: Liger from Zoids.

AL: Iron Man!

AL: Here’s my online portfolio, YouTube, and Deviantart pages. I’ll always be making new and harder-to-make cosplays, so be sure to check back!

Pictured: Zombie War Machine from Marvel Zombies.

We literally can’t get enough of Anthony’s armor creations, so we’ve included a few more of our favorite shots. To see the rest of Anthony’s body of work, head on over to his personal site, Twitter, YouTube channel, Deviantart, and Facebook pages. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go work out in the hopes of one day filling out that armor.

For more amazing cosplays, check out the RikkuGrape Cosplay Spotlight and the Crystal Graziano Cosplay Spotlight.

Photo credit: MorRokko

Photo credit: MorRokko

Photo credit: MorRokko

Photo credit: eurobeatking

Photo credit: eurobeatking

Photo credit: eurobeatking

Photo credit: murph18

Photo credit: MorRokko