I have friends in the business who knew Stan Lee well and spent lots of time with him, but I only encountered him face to face on a couple of occasions. In 1980, when I’d just started working for Marvel, Stan was still occasionally in the office. One day I was making copies of some Gil Kane Conan art when Stan ambled up with some papers he needed to copy. Like a loyal courtier I allowed the king to use the machine first—and I wouldn’t be surprised if I bowed as I humbly backed away!
Years later—I think it was 1997—when I was working with producer Chris Columbus and director Carlo Carlei on an early incarnation of the Daredevil movie, I came home to find a message from Stan, telling me, with great enthusiasm, that he’d read my treatment and thought it was the best filmic interpretation of a Marvel character he’d ever seen. I was, as the British say, gobsmacked and quickly called him back. I’d like to say I was more confident than I’d been all those years before, but I was still intimidated by this man I’d adored since I was twelve years old and barely grunted out my words of thanks. But when I was in Los Angeles a few months later, I called Stan and he invited me to have lunch with him at the fabled Friar’s Club. This time I was able to actually form coherent, reasonably intelligent sentences and we had a lovely meal. But the whole time there was a star-struck kid in my head screaming: "Holy crap! It’s Stan Lee! I’m having lunch with Stan Lee!!”
Years later—I think it was 1997—when I was working with producer Chris Columbus and director Carlo Carlei on an early incarnation of the Daredevil movie, I came home to find a message from Stan, telling me, with great enthusiasm, that he’d read my treatment and thought it was the best filmic interpretation of a Marvel character he’d ever seen. I was, as the British say, gobsmacked and quickly called him back. I’d like to say I was more confident than I’d been all those years before, but I was still intimidated by this man I’d adored since I was twelve years old and barely grunted out my words of thanks. But when I was in Los Angeles a few months later, I called Stan and he invited me to have lunch with him at the fabled Friar’s Club. This time I was able to actually form coherent, reasonably intelligent sentences and we had a lovely meal. But the whole time there was a star-struck kid in my head screaming: "Holy crap! It’s Stan Lee! I’m having lunch with Stan Lee!!”
That star-struck kid is incredibly sad today.
And so am I.
And so am I.
There is no such thing as too much Stan on a GOOD day. Certainly a dark day like this deserves even more:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N9TIvIEnpA
look up him in the movie Jugular Wine (alongside Frank Miller) sometime. It is weird.
Jack
What a GREAT clip. I've never seen it. Thanks so much for that, Jack. And Joan Lee as Madame Web? Perfect!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story, JMD. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI saw Stan once, at a comic convention, and though I didn't have any close personal interaction with him he struck me as a warm, generous soul with infectious enthusiasm. You could tell he genuinely loved people and building positive connections with them.
--David
He maintained a passion for people, for creativity, for the joys of life, into his nineties. A great example and reminder for all of us that, although we inevitably get chronologically older, we can remain young.
DeleteI wonder if it would be appropriate to tell my story of meeting Stan Lee.
ReplyDeleteJack
Why not?
ReplyDeleteWell, it does have multiple parts, for starters.
DeleteFeel free to share. And if you think it's too long...condense!
Delete