Stan Lee at the London Film and Comic Con 2014 (Credit: Amanda Keats)
Stan Lee is a legend in the world of comic books and rightly so. At 91, the man behind many of Marvel’s best superheroes is still doing his best to meet fans – and this weekend was no exception. Lee was at the London Film and Comic Con and we caught up with him at the press conference.
Before the interview had even really begun, Stan Lee had something important to say: ‘Rule Britannia!’ Once he’d got that out of his system, it was time to pick his brain and see what he had to say on handing over his baby and taking a step back, his cameos and a bizarre birthday request for his wife.
(Credit: Amanda Keats)
When asked how it felt to leave Marvel in the hands of others, Lee explained that ‘we have the best staff in the world‘ though he did say it was hard, adding ‘I miss being in the office, being with the [staff].‘ He went on to say that he continued touring and promoting Marvel so, though they called him ‘publisher’, he ;aughed that he was ‘really just a glorified press agent!‘
It was certainly difficult for Lee to pick a favourite too. ‘The problem is,’ he said, ‘I’m my biggest fan! They were all my favourites!’ He is clearly a fan of the film, though, stating that ‘the movies have been great. We’ve been so lucky. We’ve got the best directors, the best special effects people, wonderful actors.’
He then started to praise Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor. Lee told us that he was with Hemsworth earlier this week to film the cameo for the new Avengers film AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. What can we look forward to in the cameo? He couldn’t say. Though he did say: ‘The one I did yesterday – I can’t tell you what it is – what was that for? The Avengers? – it really was good. Go see The Avengers!’
‘The problem is . . . I’m my biggest fan! They were all my favourites!’- Stan Lee on picking a favourite character
When we asked which of his cameos were his favourites he said: ‘My cameos are like my characters. I love them all!’ Though two did spring to mind. ‘The one I did where I was the librarian and I’m playing music while Spiderman is having a life and death battle with the Lizard, the time they wouldn’t let me in to the Fantastic Four wedding because I didn’t believe I was who I was…’ He cheekily added: ‘I keep thinking DC could probably make a lot more money with Superman and Batman if they announced that I had a cameo!’
Lee is delighted that the films are sending people to the comics. ‘There are people now reading Marvel comic books,’ he said, ‘who never would have thought to.’
‘I keep thinking DC could probably make a lot more money with Superman and Batman if they announced that I had a cameo!’
‘I think it would be nice if I were made a knight . . . Then I could go home and say to my wife “you’re now a dame!”’ (Credit: Amanda Keats)
Lee was asked about the potential for numerous more standalone films and he laughed that ‘I’d like to see a standalone EVERY movie and we will eventually. They’re working on a Doctor Strange, they’re working on Ant-Man…’ He also added that ‘Spider-man on TV would would sensational!’ In short, Lee told us with a smile that ‘Marvel is very greedy. If there’s a way of making an extra buck, believe me they’ll follow it through.’
Though for many, Marvel is all about the films nowadays, Lee clearly is still so passionate about the comics. ‘There is nothing in art that is as close to being 50/50 as comics,’ he explained. ‘The artist, I think, is 50% as valuable as the writer.’
As Lee was leaving he realised there was something he’d forgotten to ask us all. ‘I think it would be nice if I were made a knight,’ he said. ‘Then I could go home and say to my wife “you’re now a dame!”’ So remember Marvel fans, Stan Lee wants to become Sir Stan Lee. Get on it…!
