Friday, December 14, 2018

excelsior, stan lee

The man has been dead for almost a month, but I've seen him - in various forms - three times in the past nine days.
The first time sighting was a week ago Wednesday. That's when I watched my favorite Disney princess for the third time, Stan Lee was on the silver screen as a familiarly bespectacled avatar walking along in the virtual area dominated by the pink castle.
Then, on Tuesday of this week, I saw him again. This time, he appeared as himself in an extended segment post-credits. The movie? "Once Upon A Deadpool", the reincarnation of "Deadpool 2" as a romantic superhero, minus the crass and coarse of the summer release. (Hallelujah! And my thanks to Kevin for seeing this PG-13 version with me!)
The third sighting of Stan Lee was tonight. I'd gone to the Regal here in Ormond Beach, to use my free Regal Crown ticket (it being rendered null and void in Savannah now). I'd used the free ticket to see the new Clint Eastwood film - marvelous, in the same vein as "Gran Torino", then stayed for a double-header. I chose the new animated film, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" - not Marvel, but not exactly un-Marvel, either. And who should appear in animated form as a a salesman in a comic bookstore but Stan Lee, spectacles, white hair, and an admonition that the spider-suit "always fits, eventually".
I expect to also see him this coming week in "Aquaman". Yes, that superhero is from the DC universe... but Stan Lee was always a fan of diversity and of embracing all who do battle to decrease suck in the world. (I'm sure he would have been a nerdfighter like me if he had known of this group at Kiva. Please feel free to join me there!)
I'll continue to look for him in the movies.
Even if he does not appear in person, his beliefs will be all over the screen.
i thank You, God, for that trailblazer.
As much as I will miss him here, I'm glad he's again with his beloved Joan.

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