I've been reading comic books on a regular basis since 2002. So, as you can imagine, I've wanted to meet Stan "The Man" Lee for a very long time. While it may sound a little melodramatic, I have him to thank for changing my life. Not only did he create arguably the greatest fictional characters ever, but without him there would more than likely be no CBM (and I wouldn't currently be doing an English and Journalism degree as a result of writing for this site). When it was announced that he would return to a UK for his first comic book convention in nearly 40 years, I knew I had to be there to meet the living legend. Thanks to the organisers of the first annual London Super Comic Convention, I got that chance, as did thousands of others.
However, before I get to that, I think it's fair to say that the show itself was a rousing success. Taking place at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London, the decision to focus solely on comic books really paid off. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend both days due to a minor car accident on the way back on Saturday, but the one day I was there for was more than enough to convince me that it will be worth going to this event every year for the foreseeable future. The decision to place ALL of the writers and artists in attendance in an area where fans could meet them - without queuing up for hours - was a welcome addition. These included everyone from Kieron Gillen (a genuinely nice guy who was kind enough to both sign my copy of
Uncanny X-Men #544 and talk to fans for considerable more than just the few seconds you might expect) to Jim Cheung, George Perez, Phil Jiminez, Fred Van Lente, Bob Layton and far too many more to mention. Unfortunately, I was too late to get a sketch from any of the artists as the demand was obviously huge, but everyone I spoke to (Cheung in particular) were still extremely hospitable.
When Stan Lee was first brought out for the signings, he was met with rapturous applause and rousing cheers. Despite the thousands of people in attendance hoping for a signature, he still took the time to say at least something to everyone who gave him an item to sign. I was particularly envious of the friend who I had given a copy of
The Amazing Spider-Man: Spidey Sunday Spectacularto get signed , as the creator made a point of saying, "Haha, I remember this one!" I'm sure he must have seen dozens of copies of my
The Amazing Spider-Man #39 throughout the morning! The signature, and early access to the show, was achieved through the slightly more expensive "Tier 2" ticket, but completely worth it.
For an additional £25, we were then able to get a photo taken with "The Man" to which he joked, "Ah, two for one!" as we both entered the booth. It may not seem like much, but getting to say hello to him and to shake his hand as I left really made the day all the more of an amazing experience (simply saying how great it was to meet him may not seem like much, but its to the credit of both Stan and the organisers that they allowed fans at least a few seconds despite the thousands in attendance all wanting to do the same thing despite the limited amount of time). Seeing Stan Lee at one point walk through the middle of the crowded convention floor surrounded by an entourage of fans, posing for pictures, shaking hands and cementing his status as the biggest star of the comic book world, helped distinguish this particular event from the rest by allowing for this type of interaction. There was then a good few hours before the start of the panel, meaning that there was plenty of time to meet the creators listed above as well as having a good look at the many stalls which were offering up a huge range of collectables, comics and much more.
The panel itself, "Stan Lee: Living The Dream - From 1940 To Present Day" was a fantastic opportunity to hear him talk in person about his long and fascinating career. Something which never fails to bother me is the impression that many people have that he has never properly credited the artists he worked with while creating the likes of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and The Hulk to name but a few. Well, he spent a great deal of time talking openly collaborating with the likes of Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, fully detailing their roles in bringing such iconic superheroes and villains to life in the pages of the comic books he wrote. As the 45 minute panel continued, Lee also discussed everything from the humorous creation of Spider-Man to his cameos in the past, present and future Marvel movies as well as much more. Directly addressing the audience, it was a lighthearted and fun affair which ended with a series of memorable moments which included him thanking the audience and recieving a copy of a "Bananaman" comic in a very humourous exchange with one lucky winner of a couple of prizes they gave away. However, there was one moment in particular which made the day perhaps one of my greatest ever. His hearty cry of "Excelsior!" at the very end of the panel!
The London Super Comic Con gave myself and thousands of other UK fans a once in a lifetime oppurtuinty to meet an industry legend. While some believe they may find it hard to find a guest as prolific as Stan Lee next year, the fact that they've created such a wonderfully comic-centric show which allowa fans a whole new level of interaction makes it an event which will most definitely be worth returning to year after year. A special shout out goes to the wonderfully helpful staff for helping to create such a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. See you in 2013!
Thanks for reading! If you were at the event, please feel free to share your stories and photos below. Even of you weren't, I'd still love to hear whether you've had any experiences meeting Stan "The Man" Lee. Thanks again to the organisers of the London Super Comic Convention for a great weekend.