Sideshow Collectibles is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with two new limited-edition art prints commemorating the release of the first Iron Man film. They feature stunning concept art by Marvel’s Adi Granov, featuring images that set the tone for the entire production.

In 2017, Sideshow launched a new series of fine art prints celebrating Marvel’s blockbuster films. The first release celebrated a key scene from Thor: Ragnarok, with Andy Park’s art capturing the gladiator battle between Thor and the Hulk. It proved a hit, selling out within a week, and clearly demonstrating the interest and enthusiasm fans have for these products. The second release took place in February, with a sample of Ryan Meinerding’s art for Black Panther; it sold out just as quickly.

In celebration of the MCU’s 10-year anniversary, Sideshow has chosen to go back to concept art for the original Iron Man. They’re releasing two stunning samples of concept art by Adi Granov, both of which were crucial in shaping the nascent Marvel Cinematic Universe.

One of the most famous pieces of Marvel concept art, this gorgeous image shows Tony Stark rocketing through the skies, pursued by fighter jets. As Adi Granovs explained:

You can head to Sideshow to pre-order a copy of this signed fine art print.

“The flying Iron ManMk III image came about from a conversation Jon [Favreau]and I had after he saw a comic cover I did of Iron Man flying with military jets. He thought something like that would make for a cool scene. There was no script at the time, so I just painted a nice shot of Iron Man, and then the whole sequence in the film was written around that. This was printed as a poster to promote the movie at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con. I did a signing of it with Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. and there is a photo floating around of the three of us plus Stan Winston from that con. A great memory.”

Another famous image, this piece shows Iron Man in pitched battle against Obadiah Stane’s Iron Monger. This particular piece of concept art had a massive impact in terms of shaping the MCU. Again, Granov spilled the details:

Again, this can be pre-ordered exclusively from Sideshow.

“The Iron Man vs Iron Monger piece was probably the most important because it set the tone for the entire production. Before I did that piece, Jon Favreau mainly used the comic I illustrated (Iron Man Extremis) as a style guide, but when he saw that painting, it became the image he really centered on. He had a big poster made out of it with “Plausibility” written below it and put it above the door of his office at the old Marvel Studios premises in Beverly Hills. The Iron Man design in it isn’t the finished one, but it was the first time the finalized Iron Monger was painted in a scene. This image was also used as the cover for the Art of Iron Man book.”

The partnership between Marvel Studios and Sideshow Collectibles is a thrilling one, and in this case it’s seeing Sideshow release fine art prints of two pieces of concept art that laid the foundations for the MCU. Grace Bifulco, head of Sideshow’s Art Print division, explained their importance; “These key frame images represent defining moments from Marvel film history,” she noted, “and, in part, the genesis of an incredible big-screen legacy for a hero that a new generation of fans all over the world have come to love.”

Sideshow has yet to reveal official release dates for these two pieces of fine art, but they’re sure to sell out fast. If you want to pre-order, it’s best to check out the RSVP links quickly:

  • RSVP: Iron Man Mk III fine art print RSVP: Iron Man Vs. Iron Monger fine art print

More: Captain Marvel Movie Costume: Artists Posts His Concept Art

Source: Sideshow Collectibles