Someday I will write a long-winded post in which I discuss, in detail, why I believe the usage of the “Mandarin” character in this summer’s Iron Man 3 movie to be the stuff of purest genius. But that is not this day! No, this day is another day of import, for the Mandarin and Iron Man both! For this day is San Diego Comic Con 2013 Preview Night, and it is also the evening that the Iron Man 3 Hot Toys Mandarin and Silver Centurion Iron Man figures made their long-awaited debuts!

Tonight at the 2013 SDCC Preview Night, Hot Toys was good enough to unveil not one, but two Iron Man 3 Hot Toys Sixth Scale Movie Masterpiece Series figures that they hadn’t posted teasers for earlier in the week: The Mandarin and the Iron Man Silver Centurion armor!

Now, when Hot Toys first announced the Mandarin Movie Masterpiece Series figure back in April 2013, fans were clamoring for him. That enthusiasm quickly turned ugly as fans saw the “Iron Man 3” film in theaters and rejected the movie’s portrayal of The Mandarin. Me? I loved him–I can honestly say that I never liked the Mandarin–not in the Marvel comics, 90’s animated Iron Man cartoon, or animated movie–up until I saw Iron Man 3. So personally, I could not wait to see if Hot Toys could make a Hot Toy Mandarin figure that would meet my expectations.

The prototype of the Iron Man 3 Hot Toys The Mandarin figure shown at San Diego Comic Con 2013 doesn’t just meet me expectations–it absolutely shatters them and then explodes them into little microscopic particles. I am stunned beyond words by the amazing level of detail and accuracy that went into this figure’s costume and head sculpt–you can very easily look at a photo of this figure and think that you’re looking at the real Ben Kingsley and not a toy of him!

At first I thought the Mandarin Hot Toys figure’s beard was made of real hair, but when you get up close it turns out to be finely sculpted facial hair with incredible paint deco, really making the beard appear real. His glasses are a perfect fit (as you’d expect), and even the Hot Toys Mandarin’s rings are beautifully sculpted and painted. In short, this Hot Toys Iron Man 3 Mandarin figure is gorgeous. He faces some stiff competition, but he will certainly be in my top 10 figures shown at SDCC 2013.

Given how spectacular the Mandarin figure is, I’d have been happy if he was the only Iron Man 3 figure at the show that Hot Toys hadn’t confirmed would be delayed. But he isn’t! We also got out first look at the Silver Centurion Iron Man figure that was previously only announced via an Asian slideshow (no, really–this was the only site to report on said slideshow months ago, and thus we’re feel pretty cocky about it now). I’m not a loyal Iron Man Silver Centurion suit fan, but I know there are going to be thousands of happy, smiling faces out there when they see the much-loved Silver Centurion Iron Man Hot Toys figure for the first time this week!

Marvel Toy News will be reporting on SDCC 2013 all this week and weekend, and you can ‘Like’ Marvel Toy News on Facebook if you want more photos, updates and news sent straight to your Facebook Newsfeed!