Saturday at MegaCon 2015 my gorgeous girlfriend was nice enough to buy me a ticket to get my picture taken with Stan "The Man" Lee. I was really hoping to just run into him at Red Robbin, but that just didn't seem to be happening. I thought this was an opportunity to actually meet and greet Stan, so I started freaking out about giving him something. The man is partially responsible for most of my childhood joy. Also most of the things that have entertained and inspired me for my entire life. I felt obliged to give the man something. I couldn't just give him a print. Stan deserves original art, so I drew this, that morning.
I was literally crying while I drew this. Stan is really important to my life and the culture I associate myself with. Plus he's SO DAMN OLD! recently on April 1st some ASS HAT posted that Stan had died and I just about fell out of my chair. He is a national treasure and he could go any moment. The man is 92! (His super power is longevity.) My point is he's important to me and giving this to him and expressing that importance was also... IMPORTANT!
I made him a bit younger. I have this vivid memory of him from the 90s wearing a purple shirt. He still had a touch of brown to his hair. Plus why not a Spider-Man tie. I thought he'd like that. I signed it "Thank you for more than I could ever say."
I'm sappy as hell, but @#$% YOU he's STAN LEE!
So after the tears, I did the line work and coloring. I was ready. my wonderful, talented, smart and beautiful girlfriend came to watch my stuff, so I could leave my artist alley table and get in line to see Stan. (I'm sucking up as a thank you for the overpriced picture.)
That is when all my delusions of getting to have a "MOMENT" with Stan lee faded into the ether. This guy is very popular. The line of people to see him was BADA-BIG! I was able to work my way to the 4th place in the regular line by pretending to be lost. Then I walked up to the front were the guy running everything was. When he called for us to move, I just merged in. (Sneaky and underhanded, but it worked.) There was an entire VIP line in front of that though. It all moved very fast once Stan was ready.
When one gets to Stan: one literally walks into a room, puts ones stuff on a table, steps next to Stan (Who looked exhausted.), smile, take the picture, grabs ones shit and gits da fudge out! I didn't want to hold up the line, but I really wanted to give Stan my drawing. I ended up giving it to his Handler. He promised me he would get it, but I still walked away all teary eyed. I hope he got it and liked it. I got my Stan Lee experience and the picture at the top of this post. I really want to meet him again, but if that never happens at least I have this odd story and this picture with him. He was very polite, but you could tell he was tired. The guy must get so much attention all the time. If you have a Stan Lee moment you want to share, a question about mine or just want to yell at me for cutting in line, please do so in the comments below.
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