Stan Lee's Shtick

I know Stan Lee is 92 years old and one of the most successful men in the world, but if he really is that full of himself, it kind of spoils fot me anything he has to say.

Aw, in Stan's defense, you might've missed the point here? Being full of himself is Lee's shtick. (Warning: Original Merry Marvel Marching Society member)

Bombast and self-promotion are Stan's thing, and have been since the earliest days of the Marvel age and his "Stan's Soapbox" columns. Someone said, of all the characters he's created and written for, "Stan Lee" is his best creation. Face of Marvel. Cameos in almost all the movies.

I think he knows he's "just" a comic book writer.

But I may be prejudiced. I've always liked Stan, especially for what he did for comic books, in my yout'. I always appreciated his P.T. Barnum barker act, too, theatrically and commercially.

Decades ago, Milady and I and our three kids were walking out of the Chicago ComiCon by a side door far from the action, just as Stan Lee was walking in. He was clearly on his way to something, but he stopped to chat with us briefly. Relaxed, funny. Quite personable, but, most assuredly Stan Lee. Definitely on my short list of "meetings with great men."