November 15th, 1991. A day I remember as if it were yesterday. Better than yesterday in fact, because I can't actually recall what I did a mere 24 hours ago. But that's by-the-by. That day, more than 20 years ago, is etched in my memory because it's the day I met the legendary STAN LEE. Who could forget a day like that?
I prepared in advance. I made sure there was film in my trusty RICOH MIRAI, and I mic'd up with a SONY recording WALKMAN before setting off to meet the great man. I not only have photos of the momentous moment, but also an audio recording of the interchange between Mr. MARVEL and myself. I wanted to preserve the encounter for posterity.
It's excruciating to listen to because of the simpering, snivelling, grovelling, crawling, ingratiating, manner in which I engage with Stan. It's the most embarrassing example of 'brown-nosing' you'd ever hear - if I was prepared to let you hear it. All I can say in my defence is that, hey - it was Stan Lee. You'd have been the same.
We chatted about other things - about SAM ROSEN and ART SIMEK, some new mags that MARVEL U.K. were going to publish, and mainly how thrilled I was to actually meet him. But I was never so thrilled as when Stan (The Man) Lee called me a fool in such a friendly fashion as to make it seem like a compliment.
And you know what? From him it was.
