Fanhome is finally delivering two subscription services to the US that were once exclusive to overseas markets. Now fans of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe can build their own R2-D2 or Iron Man. New instructions and parts arrive by mail each month, allowing you to build highly detailed and feature-filled models.

The Iron Man kit, when finished, stands at 24″ tall. R2-D2 is listed as a 1:2 scale model and is controlled via an app. Aside from his typical astromech features, he also has a hidden lightsaber and a projector with two pre-loaded videos from ANH and RotJ.

If you’ve been on Facebook at all … ever … then you know that the platform likes throwing ads at you for anything and everything you’re interested in. Over the past month, I’ve seen ads for a couple of subscription services similar to what Eaglemoss does with the BTTF Delorean and Ghostbuster’s Ecto-1.

The gist is you pay a monthly fee, and theoretically, each month, you’ll receive parts to whatever model you’re building. For example, I pay $55 each month with the Delorean and am sent four issues of a magazine and four boxes of parts to build the kit. So far, I am on issue #95. It’s a slow process, especially for a model builder like myself.

The truth is that these services are a gamble. Over the past twelve months, there have been gaps in the one I’m subscribed to. Sometimes parts don’t ship for months, or I somehow end up with duplicates of issues. However, the end product is amazing. My Delorean is around 75% complete and looks amazing.

From what I’ve seen on The World of Wayne’s channel, the R2-D2 model turns out to be a great piece of Star Wars merch. The end product is a droid that can do several things above and beyond what you’d build at the Droid Depot in Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge.

This R2, when fully built, has the following features:

• Rotating metal dome with built-in camera.
• Two modes of operation: user-directed through an app or ‘AI’ mode with independent movement.
• Includes speakers and microphones to respond to verbal orders and communicate using chirps, whistles, and even lights.
• Camera capable of capturing and storing photos and videos.
• Projector that can emit messages featuring Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.
• Capable of moving and turning like the real droid, with a third support leg for stability.
• Extendable and foldable arms
• Hidden spring-activated lightsaber inside the body and sensors to avoid obstacles.

Iron Man, on the other hand, I’m not too sure about. The kit started as a test run, but I’ve yet to see a 100% finished model. When it was first announced some time ago, the kit was being issued as a preview or demo that could end at any time. The most I’ve seen built was the helmet, an arm, and a leg.

This is the Mark III armor, which seems a weird choice when every suit that came out afterward was far more eye-appealing and streamlined.  Now, if this were War Machine or the Iron Patriot, I’d sign up in a heartbeat.