Ultimate Iron Man Collector- Richard Brian Francisco! « Comicology: The Study of Awesome

Home » Post Item » Ultimate Iron Man Collector- Richard Brian Francisco!

There's no place like Space Sector 2814.

Ultimate Iron Man Collector- Richard Brian Francisco!

October 4, 2009

Tony Stark makes you feel, he’s a cool exec with a heart of steel, indeed. With Iron Man’s well stocked armory, he is a collector’s wet dream. The guy’s got, what, over fifty sets of armor? The clothes really do make the man for Tony, as his powers and abilities stem directly from his brain and are translated to whatever piece of armor he’s wearing. Because of this, we’ve gotten a lot of pretty iconic suits of armor, and a bunch of them have gotten action figure treatment..

Because of his versatility and skyrocketing popularity, he’s been a favorite subject for toy makers, be they Toybiz or Hasbro. There are literally dozens upon dozens of figures even before the movie came out. And ever since it did, the number grew exponentially. It takes a special kind of man to ensure a complete armory- a man with real hair on his chest, and not the ones you usually draw on your offspring for when you dress him up as a Mexican. Enter a man named Richard Brian Francisco, or Zapzuu, as he is known over at the PTK forums.

Now, this guy is actually famous over there for having the most complete Iron Man collection out of all the collectors online. I asked for the guy who has the most impressive Iron Man collection and they all collectively pointed to ZapZuu, like he was the grand master of awesomness. Turns out, he actually is. And, he’s here with us today for a short word.

Comicology: So, Mr. ZapZuu, obvious questions first: Before you started your collection, were you already an Iron Man fan? What initially drew you to Iron Man?

ZapZuu: To tell you the truth, at first, I was not a big fan of Iron Man. It all started with The Avengers and eventually my attention was drawn to Iron Man. I was fascinated with his different sets of armor and one more thing that really boosts up my interest is the Extremis story, which I really like, (adi granov =badass!) and since then I’ve been a big fan of Tony Stark.

C: And what exactly made you want to collect Iron Man memorabilla? Was it the overabundance of extra cash? Pesky cash sometimes gets too damn hard to hide.

Z: One main reason is I’m a big fan of single theme collectors, some of them are at PTK and are really a big inspirations to me. I thought, why not be a single theme collector too? And that’s where it all started. Before I started to be on full blast in Iron Man memorabilla, I made a personal checklist from the hardest to find to easiest to find and how much will it cost me. Actually, cash is really a main issue when collecting. What I did is, at the time, I was still collecting other figure lines and i decided to streamline my collection. To be able to have extra cash, I sold everything non-Iron Man in my collection and mostly I first tried to acquire the Hard–to-find figs and taking it slowly. Patience is a virtue. hehehe

C: How long have you been collecting Iron Man stuff? And I guess, as a follow up to that question, what was your first Iron Man figure?

Z: I’ve been collecting Iron Man collectibles for almost 3 years now, and my first Iron Man is from Marvel Legends series 1.

C: Now, I noticed that a lot of your pictures are beautifully taken. Am I correct to assume that you’re either naturally gifted and I wish I was born in your place or you’re a professional graphic artist/photographer and/or both?

Z: No, I’m not a professional photographer, but i think you can say I’m an artist because in my field, as an architect, I have an idea of photography and composition. One more thing is I really like to pose my figs, especially when it has many points of articulation and at the same time I try my best to take a great pic in a dynamic way. Besides, you have to enjoy your figs, right?

C: When the movie was announced, how excited were you? I bet the prospect of having all new movie-based armories filled you with childish delight.

Z: Yeah, it really made me excited! It’s like a dream come true.

C: Here’s something that bothered me, though. When the movie was buzzing around the Internet, before its release, people were doubting its pulling power because they considered Iron Man a B-lister. Thing is, I’ve never considered him a B-lister. A lower A-list maybe, but never a B-lister. I guess this really isn’t a question, but I’d like to get your opinion on that.

Z: Yeah, me, too. I really don’t consider Iron Man as a B-lister, I’m really not affected by what other people say. I told myself to just wait and see when the movie is out; you will surely see Iron Man in a different perspective. Prepare to be blown away! hehehe..

C: Sorry, we’re going a bit off topic. Anyway, I need to know. How many pieces are in your collection, exactly?

Z: Still looking around if i missed something, but it is safe to say about 300+ pieces.

C: That, good sir, is hardcore. And a rough estimate of the total cost, if you don’t mind, please? I really hate costing toys though. When I add my collection up, I just get extremely depressed.

Z: Hmmmm, it’s better not to answer this question. hehehe

C: Out of your entire collection, if you were to pick the top 5 figures, what would they be? Please rank accordingly.

Z: From 1-5 (1 is the best)
1.Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Mark 3(Ultimate Iron Man Collectible until the Battle Damage version comes out)
2.Sideshow Exclusive Iron Man Comiquette( love the pose and best representation of Adi Granov extremis armor)
3.Toybiz Marvel Vintage Avengers Boxset First Appearance Iron Man Chrome Variant (Shiny Iron Man Figure)
4.Hasbro Marvel Legends 2 Pack Series 2 Iron Man (great sculpt and paint)
5.Art Asylum Wave Marvel Minimates Wave 25 Classic Iron Man (Cool Little fig with articulation)

C: Hot Toys figures cost more than what I make a year. And your least liked 5 figures? I bet the ML Face Off Modular Armor is in that list.

Z:From 1-5(1 is the worst)
1..Hasbro Marvel Legends Ultimate War Machine (useless repaint)
2.Hasbro Marvel Legends Ultimate Iron Man(poor sculpt)
3.Hasbro Concept Series Satellite Armor(looks silly)
4.Hasbro Iron Man Movie Series Mark 3(looks thin)
5.Toybiz Marvel Face Off Modular Armor Iron Man(so small for a Marvel Legends scale, you guessed it! hehehe)

C: Alright, I’m sure you’re getting tired of all my questions, so we’ll end on a high note. Dream Iron Man figure. What would it be, and in what scale?

Z:1/6th Scale Classic Comic Iron Man with removable armor and led lights, hopefully someday Hot Toys will make one..

If they come up with one, I bet it’d cost roughly the same as a second hand luxury car. Well, that does it for our small interview, my man. Thank you very much, Mr. ZapZuu! We here at Comicology salute you, and we envy you and your collection immensely.

I will kidnap you in your sleep.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted by comicology at 1:54 am | permalink

Previous Comments

Very informative! Congratulations guys!

Posted by jhambhitz at October 5, 2009, 6:00 am

awesome interview bim and awesome collection mr.zapzuu! i have to disagree bim, after the movie..i do think he’s no longer B or lower A in terms of pulling power, i think he’s right up there with spider-man and wolverine..

everytime i see an iron man armory it makes me want to collect them too, then i look at my wallet and realize it’ll starve me to death..

Posted by marco at October 5, 2009, 9:07 am

@jhambhitz

Thanks, sir!

@marco
Wait, what? I never thought he was B-list. How could he be B-list when he’s one of Marvel’s Big Three, a founding members of the Avengers, one of the biggest players in the Marvel Universe.

Hank Pym is B-list. Tony Stark is far beyond that.

Posted by comicology at October 5, 2009, 9:12 am

nice interview bim! finally, zap’s collection has some recognition

Posted by deathwish27 at October 5, 2009, 5:52 pm

yeah, but you said maybe a lower a-list..i always viewed him as one of marvel’s best..before the movie i think he was a just a notch below wolverine and spider-man..now as you said, he’s one of the big three…i think lower a-list guys are daredevil, capt. america and hulk..

Posted by marco at October 5, 2009, 9:01 pm

Woah there. Captain America? Lower A-list? He was one of Marvel’s first heroes. He’s a frickin’ symbol, dude.

Spider-Man is Marvel’s poster boy. Wolverine is immensely popular, and yeah, I’d say now he’s at the A list.

As much as I hate to admit it, Daredevil really is more like a upper tier B-list. Hulk is also on the A-list. I mean, who doesn’t know The Hulk?

The way people measure this A-list, B-list hierarchy is by how popular they are to the general population. Cap, Iron Man, Hulk and Thor had cartoons in the 60’s. Cap and Hulk had live action shows in the 70s and 80s. By media mileage alone, Cap wins out on Iron Man by one live action series, and that whole symbol of American freedom thing.

Posted by comicology at October 5, 2009, 10:02 pm

Cripes. Hot Toys Ironmen. Cripes.

Posted by slangards at October 5, 2009, 11:22 pm

congrats on the interview Zapzuu and Bim! was entertained while reading the entire article and looking at the pics!

Congrats and more power Comicology and Zapzuu!

Posted by carlo at October 6, 2009, 1:25 am

i know that, but like you said..they’re being measured through their popularity with the general population..i like captain america, i seriously started liking the guy during civil war..but i guess to others he doesn’t have as much appeal as compared to guys like us who are into this things..maybe if he had a movie it’ll change that.maybe he’s not lower A-list, maybe middle A-list if there is such a thing?

Posted by marco at October 6, 2009, 3:26 am

oh, and i’m speaking based on experience..before i got addicted to comics (then action figures) i really didn’t like cap that much..he seemed to american-y to me..he didn’t have the appeal that spider-man has, or the awesomeness of iron man’s armory or whatever it is that makes wolverine so popular..that experience for me is the reason why i placed him a notch below those three..

Posted by marco at October 6, 2009, 3:37 am

nice!!!

Posted by zik at October 6, 2009, 8:06 am

@marco

Ah, see, you’re basing it off your own personal taste then. If it were up to me, Iron Man would definitely be way up there even before the movie came out.

That isn’t the case. I mean, you’re a fan of Iron Man more than Cap. That doesn’t mean Cap’s less known elsewhere. Cap was created in the 40’s, as part of Marvel’s anti-Nazi campaign and a way for people to buy war bonds, then he evolved to be something greater than just that. he became an icon of Marvel comics, just not as popular as Spidey was in the 70s.

Iron Man came to be in 1963, if I’m not mistaken. If you look beyond the comic book community, you’d see that a lot more people not into comics would know Captain America.

Posted by comicology at October 6, 2009, 10:04 am

yeah, it’s probably the case..afterall i’m not entirely sure..i just think nowadays he’s a little less popular than the 3 with the younger generation, the ones even younger than me..and oh, i like the armory of iron man better than capt. america, but i like cap as a character better.:D

Posted by marco at October 6, 2009, 11:44 am

@marco

I totally agree. With the younger crowd, Iron Man’s got it all over Cap, especially for non-Americans. I personally prefer Iron Man, and I’ll forever be Pro-Reg.

@zik

Thanks, man!

Posted by comicology at October 6, 2009, 3:08 pm

@bim i was against the registration from the start..yeah, i think the popularity of cap with the younger generation would depend on how good his movie and the avengers movie will be..

Posted by marco at October 6, 2009, 6:14 pm

bro ZAp nice collections..ironman is so cool!.! it inspired a lot.more collections to come.god bless!

Posted by spidermanong2 at October 8, 2009, 9:20 am

@marco

PRO-REG FOREVAH!!!

@spidermanong

Thanks for the visit, bro!

Posted by comicology at October 9, 2009, 1:32 pm

Mali ata last name ni pareng richard a..dapat Francisco. =). Awesome interview bro..hanep sa collection zap…

Posted by jlaman at October 13, 2009, 2:27 am

Mali ba? Sorry! Someone should’ve brought this to my attention sooner. I’ll change it now. Thanks!

Posted by comicology at October 13, 2009, 9:36 am

congrats to richard!

congrats to bim for a nice interview!

more power PTK!

Posted by randzdman at October 15, 2009, 7:41 am

Thanks, Randz!

I’m actually happy that a guy like randzman visited Comicology! He’s practically a celebrity over at the PTK forums!

Posted by comicology at October 16, 2009, 10:50 pm

Like the treasure, coach outlet and treasure do not give up.

Posted by coach outlet at December 21, 2010, 9:43 am

You have great blog and this post is good*

Posted by Coach Outlet at December 21, 2010, 10:21 am

*People are always telling you what to do, but what’s right for them may not be right for you.

Posted by Replica Christian Louboutin Heels at December 26, 2010, 9:53 am

Do something to have faith, believe in yourself

Posted by air max shoes at January 3, 2011, 1:44 pm

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing;he freedom to choose his attitude in any given set of circumstances.

Posted by supra shoes at January 10, 2011, 9:57 am

designer handbags purses is hidden Yan expansive light. ” LV that’s love cheap Gucci Belts can be” put on jacket “to protect cheap Chloe fine Italian leather (soft tremendous spring and summer on the 2010 series from replica Louis Vuitton description:” The cheap Dolce Gabbana bags weight of leather jeans, by the effect), or “off creating a unique nostalgia tablets Dolce Gabbana bags “, display a doubling personality graved lave irrigate discussion, surface and inner beauty business. Versace replica handbags reproduction purses purses grips pocketbook or wood Wanshou buckle series meticulous workmanship, each Prada Wallet has the perfect structure, and then decorated with lace over the Boston refined leather swallow pattern printing, cheap Gucci linen will swallow the cheap Hermes bags organization engineering science. Know-how excellence and impeccable graphic design balenciaga inspiration to good example the broadcast of the summer out of doors the stitching quality, real wood cheap Burberry bags for the fine details of the transfer perfectly Gucci Wallet replica Fatto a set of replica Thomas Wylde bags, and decorated with lace and beaded embroidery needle. Or ideas to find inspiration, new cheap Christian Dior handbags, surface embroidery replica Marc Jacobs handbags constitutes Chloe replica, and intricate decoration and precision technology itself is the core of cultural goods cheap Versace bags, a double-dyed couple. Cloth testament follow a great success, with the strange Burberry 11754500 combination of bizarre romanticist ingenuousness, when the interminable enchantment. Extremities to the replica Givenchy to swallow brooch decorated with unique miu miu 2010 spring are emphatically uncommon tending to shavers who are to the full of spring flavor.

Posted by 1005 at May 6, 2011, 12:43 pm

Mulberry Sale always been Italy and France brand world, other countries in the midst of a branding seats is never easy, British Mulberry Bags successful examples are a minority. Brand from a few years ago after birth, double success salted fish deep supermodel eventually, wet person this season in recent brand more popularity explodes the lamp of British It Girl for inspiration, Chung Mulberry Alexa Bag launch new Bag, become today season Alexa handbag bounded most topic works. since Mulberry Bags Salethen become the easiest Hero brand. Quarterly brand will release different Bayswater, or new Mulberry Handbags design improvement will evolve into another style, Today season brand with Hill chief Emma popularity in recent years the Mulberry Sale UK It Girl blasting lamp for inspiration, Chung Alexa Bayswater Bag deductioned afresh into new Mulberry Alexa Bags. Emma is said to one day see Mulberry Factory Shop men carrying a briefcase Elkington old photos, think of a type to impending, then this as the inspiration of the masculine by his briefcase, then draw the lines Bayswater advantage, "left to right next to the Bag that Alexa. Mulberry Outlet By Alexa classical and soft water cowhide make, difference is bag with metal buckles cable belt surface with a long aglet and, will be a big hot long side in recent years Cheap Mulberry Purses. Equipped with two sizes, by classic brown, blue, and black, to grab an eye the pink leopard grain, or summer taste pale pink has taken.

Posted by Mulberry Sale ,Mulberry Bags at May 11, 2011, 10:13 am

Considering the selection of raw material Timberland Boots UK factors, the current is still the best natural Timberland Boots Sale leather shoe materials. Use the most convenient and most economical Mens Timberland Chukka Boots means to design new style, marketable, so that consumers most popular Timberland Chukka Boots UK.

Posted by Mens Timberland Chukka Boots at July 12, 2011, 10:56 am

Posted by nikefree at July 25, 2011, 4:20 pm

Nuffnang Ads

Cerebra Search

October 2009
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Sep		Nov »
	1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Make Contact!

comicology@i.ph
0922-8157452

S.H.I.E.L.D. file

Here at comicology, we aim to bring your our unwanted and totally unnecessary opinions about all things comic-related around the Philippines and other places not as crowded, polluted or fun.

We got comic reviews, story line reviews, features, interviews, toy reviews, movie reviews and all that plus the bag of chips people like us call our best friend. Basically, if there's a guy in tights in there somewhere, we're all over it.