The man in the iron mask
Anthony Le is the Tony Stark of cosplay. He might not be a multi-millionaire playboy, but he is charismatic. He isnt lightyears ahead of modern R&D, but he does craft armor-plated costumes that far surpass his cosplaying peers. He doesnt 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 Les 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 itll be hitting the floor repeatedly when you see how spot-on these superheroic cosplays are
Photo credit: eurobeatking
GR: What does cosplaying mean to you?
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, its a good use of ones time, and sharing what you love with everyone else is incredibly gratifying.
Pictured: War Machine armor.
GR: How much of a time-investment is this? What do you like to do outside of cosplaying?
AL: I love challenges, no matter what form they come in. Art is my anti-drug, and my outlet for creativity. Its actually a stress reliever. When Im 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.
GR: What's the strangest thing (material, prop, etc) you've used to complete a costume?
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 didnt 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
GR: How much do you worry, if at all, about getting the look exactly right, down to the last detail?
AL: I do my best to look at all the big and small details of whats being created. Then I look at the whole picture to gauge the overall size, and reverse engineer the small details from there. Its a long process that I go through to figure out how Ill assemble each costume.
GR: How you do choose which characters to cosplay?
AL: So far, many fans/followers call me the real Tony Stark, given how many suits Ive built so far. Some of my friends even brand me as Iron Man. So [that reputation] kind of figures into who Ill cosplay as. But Iron Man isnt 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.
GR: Whats your favorite costume among the ones youve worn and/or made?
AL: So far, the most technologically advance suit I've made--and my personal favorite--is the Iron Man Mark VII from 2012s 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. [Its 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, youll know what I mean when you see it in action.
Pictured: Iron Man Mark VII armor.
Photo credit: Seth A. McConnell
GR: What tips do you have for entry-level cosplayers?
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 youre in a cave with a box of scraps, lol.) Also, no matter what cosplay youre doing, make sure to always have fun.
Pictured: Iron Man / Tron armor mash-up.
GR: Thanks for your time! Anything else youd like to add?
AL: Heres my online portfolio, YouTube, and Deviantart pages. Ill always be making new and harder-to-make cosplays, so be sure to check back!
Pictured: Zombie War Machine from Marvel Zombies.
He IS Iron Man
We literally cant get enough of Anthonys armor creations, so weve included a few more of our favorite shots. To see the rest of Anthonys body of work, head on over to his personal site, Twitter, YouTube channel, Deviantart, and Facebook pages. Now, if youll excuse us, were 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.
