THE DAY STAN LEE CALLED ME A FOOL...

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.

During the course of events, I asked Stan to sign a few books I'd taken along for the purpose.  Not one, but a few, so there's no doubt I was chancing my arm.  As Stan signed away, I apologised for being so greedy.  "Not at all... I love it, I love it, you fool!", he said in the most affable manner imaginable, with a twinkle in his eye and a broad grin upon his beaming countenance.

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.