A Story About When I Met Stan Lee
In honor of his recent passing, I thought I'd give a record of when I met Stan Lee.
It was at Planet Comic Con May of 2016. The specific day was May 22.
I had gotten the announcement like everyone else, Stan Lee, the legendary Stan the Man, was going to attend Planet Comic Con and he would be doing autographs and a Q&A. Now, the timing of this was slightly unfortunate, as I was also attending San Diego Comic Con in July, and didn't have the extra money to go to the Q&A with a VIP ticket. However, I did have the money to get an autograph from him. Without a second thought, I bought a ticket. That was it. I was meeting Stan Lee.
I didn't hesitate at the chance, because I had a few things I wanted to say to him. Stan had gifted me a great many things and I wanted to tell him face to face thank you for it. The Avengers holds a very near and dear place in my heart and it was pivotal to my life and my career. This was an opportunity I wouldn't miss.
Every convention I go to I cosplay but on this particular convention, I was in a pinch because the costume I was making for SDCC was still in it's beginning fazes and I didn't want to go in my other costumes because it was unbearable hot and I didn't want to meet Stan in a pool of sweat. So I went with an airier, and more simple costume of the creepypasta Jeff the Killer. This is important to note because my entire face was completely hidden under prosthetics and makeup and my hair was teased on end. I don't think Stan would have recognized me on the street to save his life.
So I went about my day and waited. My timing is my everything and while I was willing to wait 2 hours to meet Stan, I didn't want to and knew I didn't have to. Towards the end of the day, I walked to his booth and there was barely a 10-15 minute wait to meet him (he had it set up in time chunks. So roughly about every 2 hours he would go to the booth and sign things. I think in between were Q&A sessions but don't quote me on that). In my bag was my book of inspiration, a notebook I had been given after graduating high school that I had turned into a beacon of creativity. Inside this book would go signatures from people that inspired me or influenced me in some way, and the outlines and ideas for my books.
I had it open to a blank page, all ready for Stan and a letter I had written to give to him. As I got closer to him, I gave the person my notebook for him to sign and showed him my ticket, and he saw my letter and asked if it was for Stan. I said yes and he said he'd put it with the others. There was a legitimate wheelbarrow behind Stan full of letters from fans. I never got a response (not surprising) but I do hope that before his passing he read it.
The nearer I got to him, the more I realized the weight of all he had given me. I had just graduated high school, a feat I wasn't' sure I was going to accomplish, had spent hours upon hours reading Marvel comics, even earned myself a nickname after a character, and here was the man that had created that. The one who gifted me all those years of enjoyment and fun, given me characters complex and hopeful, given the outcasts like me a world of comfort. He who constantly sung about the importance of entertainment, and who's creations flowed into almost everything I created. Who's characters had moved people to create, just as he had, copious amounts of fanfiction, drawings, costumes. This was the man.
And then it was my turn. And what I said will stay between Stan and I, but I will never forget it as long as I live. He only said one sentence to me, and it's a sentence that carried the world on it.
It was a brief meeting that left me in tears, but I got his signature and still hold it to this day. From the little interaction I had with Stan and just waiting in line, I could see that he was a genuinely good person with a mind soaked with creativity. He had a great sense of humor and the best kind of ego, answering a comment about how much someone loved his comics by responding, "Well you should. I wrote them!"
I left that convention a richer person. The memory is still bright in my mind. So when I received the news, everything kind of stopped for a second. This person who I had never known yet had influenced me greatly since childhood, practically my grandfather of creativity, was gone. And even now I get choked up thinking about it. I've cried for a couple days now. I didn't know him, but I was affected by him, and I like to think that maybe, just maybe, he remembers and even told people about the fan who looked absolutely wild and covered in makeup and fake blood. And maybe he laughed, maybe he smiled, maybe he cringed, but that he remembered what I said, and how much I meant it.
But I know that just because we can't see him, doesn't mean he isn't there, and knowing Stan, he's just waiting to make another cameo. He's just waiting for the opportune time to pass by us fans when we're least expecting it.
I'm glad he waited until the Avengers 4 to part, at least he got to see the pinnacle of his work and know that he created something revolutionary. I make it a motto to carry his values with me and remember all his lessons. But no matter what, I'm still going to bawl like a baby when I see those words at the end of that movie.
Until we meet again Stan,
Excelsior.
It was at Planet Comic Con May of 2016. The specific day was May 22.
I had gotten the announcement like everyone else, Stan Lee, the legendary Stan the Man, was going to attend Planet Comic Con and he would be doing autographs and a Q&A. Now, the timing of this was slightly unfortunate, as I was also attending San Diego Comic Con in July, and didn't have the extra money to go to the Q&A with a VIP ticket. However, I did have the money to get an autograph from him. Without a second thought, I bought a ticket. That was it. I was meeting Stan Lee.
I didn't hesitate at the chance, because I had a few things I wanted to say to him. Stan had gifted me a great many things and I wanted to tell him face to face thank you for it. The Avengers holds a very near and dear place in my heart and it was pivotal to my life and my career. This was an opportunity I wouldn't miss.
Every convention I go to I cosplay but on this particular convention, I was in a pinch because the costume I was making for SDCC was still in it's beginning fazes and I didn't want to go in my other costumes because it was unbearable hot and I didn't want to meet Stan in a pool of sweat. So I went with an airier, and more simple costume of the creepypasta Jeff the Killer. This is important to note because my entire face was completely hidden under prosthetics and makeup and my hair was teased on end. I don't think Stan would have recognized me on the street to save his life.
So I went about my day and waited. My timing is my everything and while I was willing to wait 2 hours to meet Stan, I didn't want to and knew I didn't have to. Towards the end of the day, I walked to his booth and there was barely a 10-15 minute wait to meet him (he had it set up in time chunks. So roughly about every 2 hours he would go to the booth and sign things. I think in between were Q&A sessions but don't quote me on that). In my bag was my book of inspiration, a notebook I had been given after graduating high school that I had turned into a beacon of creativity. Inside this book would go signatures from people that inspired me or influenced me in some way, and the outlines and ideas for my books.
I had it open to a blank page, all ready for Stan and a letter I had written to give to him. As I got closer to him, I gave the person my notebook for him to sign and showed him my ticket, and he saw my letter and asked if it was for Stan. I said yes and he said he'd put it with the others. There was a legitimate wheelbarrow behind Stan full of letters from fans. I never got a response (not surprising) but I do hope that before his passing he read it.
The nearer I got to him, the more I realized the weight of all he had given me. I had just graduated high school, a feat I wasn't' sure I was going to accomplish, had spent hours upon hours reading Marvel comics, even earned myself a nickname after a character, and here was the man that had created that. The one who gifted me all those years of enjoyment and fun, given me characters complex and hopeful, given the outcasts like me a world of comfort. He who constantly sung about the importance of entertainment, and who's creations flowed into almost everything I created. Who's characters had moved people to create, just as he had, copious amounts of fanfiction, drawings, costumes. This was the man.
And then it was my turn. And what I said will stay between Stan and I, but I will never forget it as long as I live. He only said one sentence to me, and it's a sentence that carried the world on it.
It was a brief meeting that left me in tears, but I got his signature and still hold it to this day. From the little interaction I had with Stan and just waiting in line, I could see that he was a genuinely good person with a mind soaked with creativity. He had a great sense of humor and the best kind of ego, answering a comment about how much someone loved his comics by responding, "Well you should. I wrote them!"
I left that convention a richer person. The memory is still bright in my mind. So when I received the news, everything kind of stopped for a second. This person who I had never known yet had influenced me greatly since childhood, practically my grandfather of creativity, was gone. And even now I get choked up thinking about it. I've cried for a couple days now. I didn't know him, but I was affected by him, and I like to think that maybe, just maybe, he remembers and even told people about the fan who looked absolutely wild and covered in makeup and fake blood. And maybe he laughed, maybe he smiled, maybe he cringed, but that he remembered what I said, and how much I meant it.
But I know that just because we can't see him, doesn't mean he isn't there, and knowing Stan, he's just waiting to make another cameo. He's just waiting for the opportune time to pass by us fans when we're least expecting it.
I'm glad he waited until the Avengers 4 to part, at least he got to see the pinnacle of his work and know that he created something revolutionary. I make it a motto to carry his values with me and remember all his lessons. But no matter what, I'm still going to bawl like a baby when I see those words at the end of that movie.
Until we meet again Stan,
Excelsior.
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