China Marvel Craze: Meet the fans who are recreating superhero gear

World
Europe

03:04

As 'Avengers: Infinity War' SWEEPS box offices across China, let's meet a group of die-hard young Marvel fans who are taking matters into their own hands by making their own gears inspired by the movies. Tao Yuan has their story.

For some die-hard Marvel fans, watching the movies just isn't enough.

One group in China is making their own Marvel movie gear - Dr. Strange's magic circle, Thanos's Infinity Gauntlet, with Gems that light up with a push of a button, or Wolverine's retractable claws, a ferocious weapon, for peeling potatoes.

Flaunting their Guardians of the Galaxy shirt, these twenty-somethings call themselves Makerbeta, a do-it-yourself science and technology workshop based in the northwestern city of Xi'an.

WANG HAIQIANG MAKERBETA "These superheroes are so cool. And we want to have their superpowers."

TIAN CHUNCHUN MAKERBETA "Invincible in heaven and on earth."

WANG HAIQIANG MAKERBETA "Thunder blasts all the way."

Reclaiming their inner child.

Whether it's glitter and paint for the looks, or the technology behind the mechanics, these young geeky entrepreneurs are living the thrill of creating.

WANG HAIQIANG MAKERBETA "When I'm creating stuff, I put on my headphones and turn up the heavy metal. I'm half crazy. I turn into a different person."

28-year-old founder of Makerbeta, Qi Lei, admits the group has been influenced by a growing makers movement in the West - wacky engineers sharing their ideas and creations on YouTube.

Qi wants Makerbeta to become a leader in China.

QI LEI, FOUNDER MAKERBETA "It seems as though China's culture right now is to consume and not produce. But that wasn't always the case. Historically, we had great inventors. Chinese makers now are bringing back that culture, and I think they deserve a chance to be heard."

The group has already raked in a whopping 250-million views online.

But so far, the clicks haven't translated into profit.

WANG HAIQIANG MAKERBETA "It's about what you like."

TIAN CHUNCHUN MAKERBETA "It's about living the dream."

And not just the Marvel dream. Their killer weapon - the flame-throwing guitar from Mad Max: Fury Road, raising hell, for chicken wings.

QI LEI, FOUNDER MAKERBETA "If we can inspire more young people to love science, that'd be great."

Gotta say, I already do. TY, CGTN, Xi'an.