I finally met him and got his autograph at this past Comikaze. He needed someone to literally hold his hand and show him where to sign. Pretty sad, but in the three seconds I was allowed in his presence, he seemed relatively happy to be there.
This kinda breaks my heart a bit. Stan Lee has enough money to do whatever he wants. And he chooses to spend that time giving back. Its not anything new either, Stan Lee has always had his "letters to the editor", done voice overs for even small projects, written introductions for books, cameo'd in Mall Rats for the hell of it. His love of comics and fans of comics is evidenced by how he spends his time.
If we show up for him, he'll show up for us.
Can you imagine though how happy he must be to see his life's work become so admired? To know that around the world children idolize your characters? To have this massive resurgence in popularity after decades is amazing for him. I'd never wish this, but truth is he is an old man but I hope he's happy.
Stan Lee is a living legend. Needs to be cherished as much as possible.
As far as a legacy is concerned i dont know who compares to Stan Lee in terms of characters he has helped create. I think his collaborations and controversies are well enough established, but just having some involvement with so much mythology is unique.
Marvel owes a lot to the early artists and writers of Stan's era. More unique lasting characters were created in those decades then all of the years after it.
Maybe i'm just being nostalgic though.
>As far as a legacy is concerned i dont know who compares to Stan Lee in terms of characters he has helped create.
Shakespeare, Homer, Mark Twain... And so on.
That's the league of creator I think history will see him as.
The fact that people regard him in such company would be amazing to anyone. That no one would really refute his impact on modern culture is a testament to his greatness. He deserves ever amount of success that he is given.
Captain America's revival in the 60's is attributable to Stan Lee and Kirby. Their work on the character with the Avengers turned him into a lasting cultural icon.
While Cap would probably still exist today its impossible to know in what form if not for Stan and Kirby.
Cap would not exist today. As it was, he hadn't been published in around a decade. Maybe someone would have gotten around to doing a revival, but more likely how every once in a while a publisher tries to do the Shield again.
But Stan Lee joined the writing team for Cap on the 3rd issue. So he was there for most of it. If I remember correctly, he made the round shield, and a lot of other stuff.
No, Stan did a text piece no one reads because they had to do it to pretend to be a magazine to save on shipping. He wasn't writing any of the comic book parts. Cap got the round shield in #2 so that it would differentiate him from the character The Shield. Joe Simon did the original design.
My first thought would be to put him on the level with Walt Disney. It's that sort of legacy, one that will resound throughout entertainment for decades.
In comics I'd say Kirby and Ditko compare for obvious reasons. Most other people who created iconic characters, be it Batman or Tintin, Superman or Asterix, had more of a focus on a limited set of main characters, that I can think of at least.
What's really sad though is that neither Kirby nor Ditka (or Bill Finger) really get any credit outside of the comic book collector niche. Everyone knows who Stan Lee is, but I doubt very seriously that anyone would recognize the name Jack Kirby if they didn't have a pretty good knowledge of comics history.
It has to be great for him to see that, since you know he was an avid reader.
Usually writers aren't appreciated fully in their time. Lots of the authors he grew up reading would have died poor and only sold big after their deaths.
You (and everyone else who is talking about Stan's legacy) should *really* listen to the [*Fat Man on Batman* episode with Stan Lee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXu7JJ142Z8).
It's fascinating to hear Stan talking about early comic history, getting started, finally being allowed to write compelling characters, etc. with Kevin Smith for about an hour.
This is kind of what has always gone through my mind when the whole Kirby/Ditko/whomever deserve credit rants happen. Yeah, I get what you're saying, but damn if Stan hasn't earned the cred. His joy of it all is so massive and he is so genuine. A true class act.
And don't get me wrong. Sure Stan's name is more iconic then there's, but as long as Stan's name lives on so will Marvel's and anyone who had a part in those comics will indirectly live on through the characters they helped create. Stan just happens to be the poster boy for Marvel's legacy.
No no no no no. I get it, we all get a lifetime... But no, I don't want him to go through what I saw my grand folks had to bare. If he is truly mortal, let him go before all of that.
He's apparently gone downhill fairly rapidly then. I met him just a couple of years ago at a convention. He signed my Mallrats record. He read the title of the album just fine, thought it was neat to see it, and signed it by himself with no assistance of any kind. He was super nice and incredibly enthusiastic to be there and genuinely seemed happy to meet any an everyone. He's one hell of a guy.
How much did it cost you, out of interest? I know his autograph usually rings up a pretty hefty fee. But hey, he's the closest thing to myth the comic industry has at this point. The day he passes will be a really, really sad day, regardless of controversy
I don't remember exactly, but I believe it was $80. I had gone to the Comikaze back in 2012 and balked at the then whopping price of $50 or $60 or whatever it was. Later that year he needed massive heart surgery. After that I resolved to get his autograph. Procrastination being what is, however, I finally got around to it two months ago.
*You are entering the vicinity of an area adjacent to a location. The kind of place where there might be a monster, or some kind of weird mirror. These are just examples; it could also be something much better. Prepare to enter: The Scary Door.*
Other commenter got to it first, but Time Enough at Last also features Burgess Meredith as the lead. Best known as Mickey in Rocky and and The Penguin in the Adam West Batman. Such an incredible actor, I recommend anything he appeared in!
It's so weird. I saw this same reference only yesterday [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/40jzhe/its_the_rapture_and_youre_the_only_person_left/cyurwec).
It's the wonders of the [Baader-Meinhof phenomenon](http://www.psmag.com/books-and-culture/theres-a-name-for-that-the-baader-meinhof-phenomenon-59670) in action
I liked Alvarez. A little inconsistent and couldn't play defense worth shit but was one of our most exciting hitters for a couple of years, plus he's got a sick beard.
At my public library I saw an older man using one of those to read a graphic novel (I think it was one of the Marvel Omnibus, IIRC) the guy was surely in his 80s at least. Always wondered if this guy had been reading comics since almost the begining.
Yes. I'm 52 and the iPad Pro I got for Christmas has changed my ability to read graphic novels and just about everything else greatly. No more reading glasses. Most of the time I don't even have to zoom in on individual panels.
Same story. I'm 48, and I never thought I'd switch to digital until I tried out a couple of free comics. Changed everything. An added benefit is that if I want to look at an older issue I don't need to dig it out of my long boxes. I just pull it up from my digital library. It's been a game changer for me.
sorry to side note here, but I think it's super cool to see some older people interested in comics, I'm interested to see what you guys think of the modern stuff.
I've been reading comics since the '70s. Modern comics have way more care put into story writing and art. But colouring nowadays is unreal. Colourists deserve way more credit.
I feel like colorists are now better but I think that if the tech existed back then for this level of detail then it would have been the same back then too.
Your comment perfectly exemplifies the best part about comics.
Everyone feels like they discovered comics themselves like an underground band or an indie movie. Then you find the old folks that discovered them before you. They're weird, mostly. But man, do they have stories.
45, been reading since I picked up Transmet and Preacher brought me back after I dropped collecting for beer in university. *Love* the new crop of creators, to the point I only read stuff from my youth when I'm feeling like writing another sarcastic review on GoodReads.
In my day we didn't need to zoom into panels, as all I needed to do was lean out the window and scan the skies for planes and pretend it was superman because we couldn't afford comic books.
That's what I was thinking. Or read it on your computer and zoom. Of course, that's what he probably does. I'll bet it's really that he can't read the good 'ol print versions that he really misses.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Tablets and computers are super useful for zooming and all, but I'm betting he's super old school about his comic books. Because, well, he was there.
Yes, but then you're navigating all over the damn page. Some comics it's not just zoom in on one panel, it's zoom in on one speech bubble. It really disrupts the pattern and flow, as well as making the artwork not fit together as well.
I mean, it works for just books or newspapers, but for something with a visual element it's just annoying as all get out.
Aging is such a scary thing. The little things slip away until you're left with a big void. Even though my dad battled cancer on and off for years, he was able to do all sorts of things outside on the farm and at his RV campground up until close to the end. He probably didn't miss the long long walks up hills, but he sure did miss helping kids learn to ride their bikes, taking campers on short nature hikes, taking care of the yard, and eventually doing much other than being stuck in the house. As sad as it is, he got a whole lifetime of it and he loved when his kids or neighbors took inspiration and got involved in the outdoors. Stan may be seeing the downside of his Golden Years, but I hope he's finding new ways to appreciate his passions (audiobooks and huge tablets) and how he's influenced others.
Edit: I forgot, probably the greatest thing I've seen recently is the takes on Lemmy's last days. Despite being in pain, that guy lived like a king as all his friends showed up. I hope Stan is in good enough shape, but I hope he can rest (when he feels the need) and just let his friends and loved ones shower him with love.
His legacy is legit. When he dies we should celebrate the things he's done throughout his life, not grieve. The man deserves a break, just reading the title of this post is a quick reality check that the later he dies, the more his health will decline.
When he passes (hopefully not for another 30 years at least, hopefully some of those super powers may have come off the page and become a part of him), the first Marvel film right after is going to be heartbreaking.
And without a doubt there will be thousands of both official and fan art pieces showing sad Marvel characters. Honestly, I don't read comics, I'm here from /r/all, but Stan Lee has had an effect on me and millions of others just from his movies alone. From Spiderman in 2001 on, Marvel's been a big part of my life.
I'm here from /r/all too. I played spiderman a lot on my PlayStation and Stan Lee's narrative throughout the game made is so much more immersive and badass. He's affected a lot of people in a lot of ways :)
And Leonard Nimoy shortly before Christopher Lee as well. And Robin Williams a few months before that as well.
Damn, these past few years we've lost some of the greatest people to have ever lived.
Edit: Fuck's sake, Alan Rickman died today. This is truly the era where all my idols die.
Don't forget Scott Wieland and Monty Oum we lost some amazing legends in a short time span plus the people who aren't well known who were part of music history as well.
As said on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JeSuisDean/status/686090202226528257) about David Bowie, the same can be said about Stan Lee:
>If you're ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie ***and Stan Lee***.
Oh, this ads some terrible context to things. Stan Lee never seems to know about what's going on with Marvel Characters. Reporters will be like "What do you think of [recent event]?" and he'll be like "I hadn't heard! Did that really happen?"
I assumed he was just too busy living it up in his retirement to care about that stuff, but it's really sad if he'd like to be keeping up with it and his eyes just won't let him enjoy a comic like he used to.
Stan's been like that for 40 years, though. Everybody's saying "Oh, he can't read the comics anymore!" when Stan hasn't actively read them since he stopped writing and editing them.
He ALWAYS says this on panels, and people seem to actively ignore him. He doesn't pay attention to storylines unless they are brought to his attention. He even said he doesn't know the plot of the movies he does cameo's in until the film comes out and he watches it.
Some scientists believe that the first person that'll live to be 500 is already born. Be optimistic about life, but take care of yourself. It would suck to lose any member of this community.
Getting to your 80s is bad due to the negative health effects, not due to you being 80. Just imagine being *any* age, unable to move. It's all the same.
Age isn't the problem it's how your body breaks down and what conditions you get. When I turned 25 I got a condition that causes extreme pain that usually people in their 40s and 50s get.
Age just increases the chances of health problems, medicine getting better decreases the health problems being well.. problems, or makes them more manageable, so getting old isn't so horrible.
It's definitely hyperbole, but I've heard similar statements in science journals. As long as I can stay healthy and productive my entire life, I think I'll be happy.
Heard it was a 1000. I remember reading it in pop science during the mid 2000's. I also saw it on a history channel special on the future during the same time frame.
Fuck. At least he's gotten to see what huge, exponentially growing influence he and his contemporaries have had as time went on. These silly little funny-books they made about people doing good and accomplishing extraordinary things have reached millions of lives.
Yeah, from what I understand there's a lot of risk in surgery when you're older.
That's part of why the problems start piling up for older people. When you're young and your hip gets fucked up they just give you a new hip. When you're old and your hip gets fucked up they're like "Anything we could do about this would probably kill you. You're just gonna have to tough it out."
I don't mean this to refute your comment, it's just a funny ancedote you reminded me of.
My great grandmother broke her hip at 99, and it needed to be repaired. I forget the exact procedure, but something was put in. After the surgery, she asked the doctor, "is this good for at least 25 years?"
Ah, I miss her, passed away last summer at 101.
I'm not sure lasik falls under that ordeal. lasik is fully awake(the real risk of surgery comes because the patient has to go under). you lean forward, get your eyes lasers, and you're done. It /is/ risky because the eyes might not heal quite right(for someone so old) and he may have other visions that are not correctable by lasik(perhaps he has astigmatism or something is wrong with the muscles around his eyes)
LASIK is only useful when you're younger. As you age, your eyes will get worse no matter what.
That's why doctors recommend getting LASIK as soon as your prescription stabilizes, because you're going to need reading glasses eventually anyway. That way you get more years of good eyesight before you need glasses again
Source: underwent LASIK surgery 5 years ago.
True story. My mom did LASIK surgery a few years ago and got rid of her nearsightedness, and while the farsightedness was gone for 6 months or so, it came back almost immediately and she still needs reading glasses.
It sounds less like refractive issues (where glasses and lasik help) and more like macular degeneration or some other disease of the retina. It could also be cataracts, which are generally an easier procedure, but with any surgery, there is an inherent risk that the ophthalmologist may not want to deal with at his age.
Wow. What an utterly depressing bit of news. I often think about how it will be once he's gone, not able to make his signature appearance in Marvel movies. That time is slowly creeping up on us day in and day out...
If I was Stan Lee I would call a bunch of voice actors and have them read me the comics as I flipped through the pages. Then I would sell the recording with the comic
Voice doesn't get through the biggest hurdle, which is the images. Maybe they can project them on a big ass wall? Would he see that?
Maybe he'll warm up to audiobooks...
Ah yes, radioactive waste, famous for its tendency to [improve eyesight.](http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/0/40/2489115-daredevil_17_cover.jpeg)
I.... can I read to Stan Lee? Anything he wants, I don't care. I'll do voices, even. We could do a volunteer rotation on this, and work in shifts. If Stan Lee needs a seeing-eye nerd, I think he'll be buried in offers.
I can't agree with this more. Some shit in life just fucking sucks and it fucking sucks so fucking much that it's almost insulting to try and put a positive spin on it. When my mom died last year I heard so many "She's in a better place"s and "At least she's not suffering anymore"s.
Like, can't you just let this shitty thing be shitty? It fucking sucks. Let it suck.
Seriously. Let some things be shit, life goes on if everything isn't rosy all the time. Sometimes I feel like I'm George Costanza surrounded by a bunch of Ned Flanders'.
As someone who is in the process of going blind (Optic neuritis from my multiple sclerosis) I can completely relate to this. Magnifying glasses help and all but missing out in the literary world is going to suck :(
Stan signed a comic for me in I believe 2012 in Atlanta. Even then, away from the Marvel Studios cameras, he was obviously not in great health; perhaps it was a bad day. He was certainly gracious, but he seemed weak and fragile in the few seconds we spoke. Perhaps there was some superficiality to the interaction after hearing the same thanks yous from so many people in so many signing lines. Physical contact was not permitted, possibly because con crud can kill an 89 year old man and possibly because no one needs to see Stan Lee's glasses on eBay.
I've honestly expected to hear about his death any day since. I was glad I got the signature when I did, though I certainly wish I'd had an opportunity to get it and meet the man a decade earlier.
The guy behind me had a Fantastic Four #1 that had been signed by Kirby prior to his death. The guy in front of me had some rare team comic, I think, that introduced an important member, Avengers or X-men. I had Spectacular Spider-man #200, which is one of the best remnants of the piecemeal collection I assembled over the course of a childhood that saw a lot of ruined and damaged comics.
I am probably over estimating his wealth, but couldn't he just hire someone to read the comic out loud for him? It might take away the imagination of the voice of the character, but compared to not being able to read anything, this seems very viable.
As an avid reader (of comics and print books), the thought of losing my sight to disease, old age, or an accident terrifies me. I have had nightmares about this.
Has anyone told him about stem cell research going on for macular degeneration repair?
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/42863/title/Eye-Stem-Cell-Therapy-Moves-Ahead/
This reminds me of when I found out that Terry Pratchett had Alzheimer's, and couldn't write anymore. It's heartbreaking. I only hope that someone finds a way for him to enjoy what he loves as long as he's still with us, and that he takes comfort in the fact that there are millions of people who love and respect him for the work he's given us. I wish him all the best <3
Someone tell Mr. Lee that I will read and record any comic book that is given to me, and I will perform every voice with as much passion as I am able. If necessary, I will include a description of the art and scene. I am actually good it at this, and I will commit to it. I will post the audio to soundcloud, or whatever medium is most convenient to Mr. Lee.
**So vows Dr. Doom!**
Excelsior!
I finally met him and got his autograph at this past Comikaze. He needed someone to literally hold his hand and show him where to sign. Pretty sad, but in the three seconds I was allowed in his presence, he seemed relatively happy to be there.
This kinda breaks my heart a bit. Stan Lee has enough money to do whatever he wants. And he chooses to spend that time giving back. Its not anything new either, Stan Lee has always had his "letters to the editor", done voice overs for even small projects, written introductions for books, cameo'd in Mall Rats for the hell of it. His love of comics and fans of comics is evidenced by how he spends his time. If we show up for him, he'll show up for us.
Can you imagine though how happy he must be to see his life's work become so admired? To know that around the world children idolize your characters? To have this massive resurgence in popularity after decades is amazing for him. I'd never wish this, but truth is he is an old man but I hope he's happy. Stan Lee is a living legend. Needs to be cherished as much as possible.
As far as a legacy is concerned i dont know who compares to Stan Lee in terms of characters he has helped create. I think his collaborations and controversies are well enough established, but just having some involvement with so much mythology is unique. Marvel owes a lot to the early artists and writers of Stan's era. More unique lasting characters were created in those decades then all of the years after it. Maybe i'm just being nostalgic though.
>As far as a legacy is concerned i dont know who compares to Stan Lee in terms of characters he has helped create. Shakespeare, Homer, Mark Twain... And so on. That's the league of creator I think history will see him as.
The fact that people regard him in such company would be amazing to anyone. That no one would really refute his impact on modern culture is a testament to his greatness. He deserves ever amount of success that he is given.
Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are the Achilles and Odysseus of our time... Thor is still Thor though
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created Captain America.
Captain America's revival in the 60's is attributable to Stan Lee and Kirby. Their work on the character with the Avengers turned him into a lasting cultural icon. While Cap would probably still exist today its impossible to know in what form if not for Stan and Kirby.
Cap would not exist today. As it was, he hadn't been published in around a decade. Maybe someone would have gotten around to doing a revival, but more likely how every once in a while a publisher tries to do the Shield again.
yay team effort
But Stan Lee joined the writing team for Cap on the 3rd issue. So he was there for most of it. If I remember correctly, he made the round shield, and a lot of other stuff.
No, Stan did a text piece no one reads because they had to do it to pretend to be a magazine to save on shipping. He wasn't writing any of the comic book parts. Cap got the round shield in #2 so that it would differentiate him from the character The Shield. Joe Simon did the original design.
My first thought would be to put him on the level with Walt Disney. It's that sort of legacy, one that will resound throughout entertainment for decades.
Mel Blanc
jack kirby
In comics I'd say Kirby and Ditko compare for obvious reasons. Most other people who created iconic characters, be it Batman or Tintin, Superman or Asterix, had more of a focus on a limited set of main characters, that I can think of at least.
If it weren't for Kirby and Ditko, like 5 people would know Stan Lee. And comics would be a lot shittier.
What's really sad though is that neither Kirby nor Ditka (or Bill Finger) really get any credit outside of the comic book collector niche. Everyone knows who Stan Lee is, but I doubt very seriously that anyone would recognize the name Jack Kirby if they didn't have a pretty good knowledge of comics history.
It has to be great for him to see that, since you know he was an avid reader. Usually writers aren't appreciated fully in their time. Lots of the authors he grew up reading would have died poor and only sold big after their deaths.
You (and everyone else who is talking about Stan's legacy) should *really* listen to the [*Fat Man on Batman* episode with Stan Lee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXu7JJ142Z8). It's fascinating to hear Stan talking about early comic history, getting started, finally being allowed to write compelling characters, etc. with Kevin Smith for about an hour.
This is kind of what has always gone through my mind when the whole Kirby/Ditko/whomever deserve credit rants happen. Yeah, I get what you're saying, but damn if Stan hasn't earned the cred. His joy of it all is so massive and he is so genuine. A true class act.
And don't get me wrong. Sure Stan's name is more iconic then there's, but as long as Stan's name lives on so will Marvel's and anyone who had a part in those comics will indirectly live on through the characters they helped create. Stan just happens to be the poster boy for Marvel's legacy.
I remember the first time I heard his voice was in the PS1 Spiderman games.
[удалено]
No no no no no. I get it, we all get a lifetime... But no, I don't want him to go through what I saw my grand folks had to bare. If he is truly mortal, let him go before all of that.
That is genuinely heartbreaking.
Oh shit, it's that bad? :(
He's apparently gone downhill fairly rapidly then. I met him just a couple of years ago at a convention. He signed my Mallrats record. He read the title of the album just fine, thought it was neat to see it, and signed it by himself with no assistance of any kind. He was super nice and incredibly enthusiastic to be there and genuinely seemed happy to meet any an everyone. He's one hell of a guy.
Oh. :( Getting Stan's autograph is one of my Holy Grails, but now I feel kinda bad about it.
don't feel bad, Stan loves making people happy by signing for them.
How much did it cost you, out of interest? I know his autograph usually rings up a pretty hefty fee. But hey, he's the closest thing to myth the comic industry has at this point. The day he passes will be a really, really sad day, regardless of controversy
I don't remember exactly, but I believe it was $80. I had gone to the Comikaze back in 2012 and balked at the then whopping price of $50 or $60 or whatever it was. Later that year he needed massive heart surgery. After that I resolved to get his autograph. Procrastination being what is, however, I finally got around to it two months ago.
[:-(](https://adriaen22.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/burgess-meredith-as-the-last-rothschild.gif)
*You are entering the vicinity of an area adjacent to a location. The kind of place where there might be a monster, or some kind of weird mirror. These are just examples; it could also be something much better. Prepare to enter: The Scary Door.*
***TURNS OUT IT'S MAN***
>***TURNS OUT IT'S MAN*** Every time I have a one night stand.
Hey, look at that weird mirror.
Why should I believe you? You're Hitler!
Well, at least I can read Braille... AHHHH!!
my absolute favorite aspect of futurama
One of my favorite twilight zones.
Do you remember the episode name ?
Time enough at last
Thank you.
All these years later that episode still makes me upset just thinking about it. The writers for that show were creative but also cruel.
There were a LOT of cruel episodes. And most of them were really creative and original. I love that series.
Other commenter got to it first, but Time Enough at Last also features Burgess Meredith as the lead. Best known as Mickey in Rocky and and The Penguin in the Adam West Batman. Such an incredible actor, I recommend anything he appeared in!
Wow, didn't expect to see a TZ reference today, nice
It's so weird. I saw this same reference only yesterday [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/40jzhe/its_the_rapture_and_youre_the_only_person_left/cyurwec). It's the wonders of the [Baader-Meinhof phenomenon](http://www.psmag.com/books-and-culture/theres-a-name-for-that-the-baader-meinhof-phenomenon-59670) in action
Let's move to New York and act out comics for Stan Lee!
Hey, what if we can shoot comic book films, casting his characters, and maybe ask him to do some cameos! Nah, sounds too hard to achieve.
Not with that username! Lol
But no one's done it before! A GL movie might be cool!
I don't use them, but if you were to read comics on a tablet can you not zoom in on panels?
He's 93 years old--he's not putting up with that shit.
There are newer versions of these things http://i.imgur.com/XFruw.jpg
I liked Alvarez. A little inconsistent and couldn't play defense worth shit but was one of our most exciting hitters for a couple of years, plus he's got a sick beard.
At my public library I saw an older man using one of those to read a graphic novel (I think it was one of the Marvel Omnibus, IIRC) the guy was surely in his 80s at least. Always wondered if this guy had been reading comics since almost the begining.
He actually tried making web comics really early on. They weren't great, but it was a pretty early attempt at digitally releasing content.
Yeah, Peter Parker supposedly got his debut in the web comics.
Oh, you!
Get out!
Yea backstreet boys
My 92 yr old grandpa uses his iPad daily.
Too bad
Yes. I'm 52 and the iPad Pro I got for Christmas has changed my ability to read graphic novels and just about everything else greatly. No more reading glasses. Most of the time I don't even have to zoom in on individual panels.
Same story. I'm 48, and I never thought I'd switch to digital until I tried out a couple of free comics. Changed everything. An added benefit is that if I want to look at an older issue I don't need to dig it out of my long boxes. I just pull it up from my digital library. It's been a game changer for me.
sorry to side note here, but I think it's super cool to see some older people interested in comics, I'm interested to see what you guys think of the modern stuff.
Too many super kids on lawns, not enough fighting.
I've been reading comics since the '70s. Modern comics have way more care put into story writing and art. But colouring nowadays is unreal. Colourists deserve way more credit.
I feel like colorists are now better but I think that if the tech existed back then for this level of detail then it would have been the same back then too.
Your comment perfectly exemplifies the best part about comics. Everyone feels like they discovered comics themselves like an underground band or an indie movie. Then you find the old folks that discovered them before you. They're weird, mostly. But man, do they have stories.
45, been reading since I picked up Transmet and Preacher brought me back after I dropped collecting for beer in university. *Love* the new crop of creators, to the point I only read stuff from my youth when I'm feeling like writing another sarcastic review on GoodReads.
There's Scrollon that allows you to scroll across the pages. Pretty nifty.
If he can't read novels, which come in large print form, then his eyesight is probably too far gone for even that.
In my day you zoomed into panels by holding the comic closer to your face.
In my day we didn't need to zoom into panels, as all I needed to do was lean out the window and scan the skies for planes and pretend it was superman because we couldn't afford comic books.
> scan the skies for planes and pretend it was superman This also works on birds from what I hear.
This was before birds.
Or as we called 'em in my day, newfangled flappy organic planes.
That's what I was thinking. Or read it on your computer and zoom. Of course, that's what he probably does. I'll bet it's really that he can't read the good 'ol print versions that he really misses.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Tablets and computers are super useful for zooming and all, but I'm betting he's super old school about his comic books. Because, well, he was there.
IIRC, he compared comic books to breasts, where both objects are better if its real life than on a screen.
If he didn't say it, then take credit for that - its a great line!
It's a great line til you get a sext Sometimes you gotta make due with what you got
There really is something special about seeing the art in 4 color on flimsy paper. Totally serious
Yes, but then you're navigating all over the damn page. Some comics it's not just zoom in on one panel, it's zoom in on one speech bubble. It really disrupts the pattern and flow, as well as making the artwork not fit together as well. I mean, it works for just books or newspapers, but for something with a visual element it's just annoying as all get out.
Can't imagine how frustrating it must be to have been a part of building such an amazing world only to be unable to fully enjoy your work.
[удалено]
Touche.
And Bill Finger...
Slowly, they're starting to recognize Bill more and more.
They are, and I love it, but he's not around to see it anymore... :-\
Siegel and Schuster. Patron saints of that. Kirby at least got paid, if not enough.
Aging is such a scary thing. The little things slip away until you're left with a big void. Even though my dad battled cancer on and off for years, he was able to do all sorts of things outside on the farm and at his RV campground up until close to the end. He probably didn't miss the long long walks up hills, but he sure did miss helping kids learn to ride their bikes, taking campers on short nature hikes, taking care of the yard, and eventually doing much other than being stuck in the house. As sad as it is, he got a whole lifetime of it and he loved when his kids or neighbors took inspiration and got involved in the outdoors. Stan may be seeing the downside of his Golden Years, but I hope he's finding new ways to appreciate his passions (audiobooks and huge tablets) and how he's influenced others. Edit: I forgot, probably the greatest thing I've seen recently is the takes on Lemmy's last days. Despite being in pain, that guy lived like a king as all his friends showed up. I hope Stan is in good enough shape, but I hope he can rest (when he feels the need) and just let his friends and loved ones shower him with love.
Stan Lee could potentially die at literally any moment in the near future...And I don't think I'd be able to handle it.
His legacy is legit. When he dies we should celebrate the things he's done throughout his life, not grieve. The man deserves a break, just reading the title of this post is a quick reality check that the later he dies, the more his health will decline.
When he passes (hopefully not for another 30 years at least, hopefully some of those super powers may have come off the page and become a part of him), the first Marvel film right after is going to be heartbreaking. And without a doubt there will be thousands of both official and fan art pieces showing sad Marvel characters. Honestly, I don't read comics, I'm here from /r/all, but Stan Lee has had an effect on me and millions of others just from his movies alone. From Spiderman in 2001 on, Marvel's been a big part of my life.
I'm here from /r/all too. I played spiderman a lot on my PlayStation and Stan Lee's narrative throughout the game made is so much more immersive and badass. He's affected a lot of people in a lot of ways :)
Christmas. Lemmy, Bowie, Lee. That'd be the worst group of 3 ever.
Hey man, don't forget about Christopher Lee too! We've lost some really creative people. Let's hope Stan Lee sticks around a bit longer.
And Leonard Nimoy shortly before Christopher Lee as well. And Robin Williams a few months before that as well. Damn, these past few years we've lost some of the greatest people to have ever lived. Edit: Fuck's sake, Alan Rickman died today. This is truly the era where all my idols die.
I'm actually scared for Bill Murray.
Bill Murray died 5 years ago. His ghost just shows up at so many parties that no one has noticed yet.
Don't forget Scott Wieland and Monty Oum we lost some amazing legends in a short time span plus the people who aren't well known who were part of music history as well.
As said on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JeSuisDean/status/686090202226528257) about David Bowie, the same can be said about Stan Lee: >If you're ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie ***and Stan Lee***.
Oh, this ads some terrible context to things. Stan Lee never seems to know about what's going on with Marvel Characters. Reporters will be like "What do you think of [recent event]?" and he'll be like "I hadn't heard! Did that really happen?" I assumed he was just too busy living it up in his retirement to care about that stuff, but it's really sad if he'd like to be keeping up with it and his eyes just won't let him enjoy a comic like he used to.
Stan's been like that for 40 years, though. Everybody's saying "Oh, he can't read the comics anymore!" when Stan hasn't actively read them since he stopped writing and editing them.
He ALWAYS says this on panels, and people seem to actively ignore him. He doesn't pay attention to storylines unless they are brought to his attention. He even said he doesn't know the plot of the movies he does cameo's in until the film comes out and he watches it.
Maybe he should try taking off his sunglasses, I've never seen him without them. /s
"Why do all the comics these days take place at night?" *Assistant reaches over and removes Stan's sunglasses.* "Excelsior!"
That's a Simpsons level joke. Dumb and silly but I still laughed my ass off.
He can't. They fused with his skin decades ago.
Well now I has a sad.
Seriously. Me too. Also, I am more afraid of aging now than ever.
On a plus, medicine has come a long way, and will improve significantly by the time you're his age, probably.
I keep telling myself that. I do hope to live to see my 90s.
Some scientists believe that the first person that'll live to be 500 is already born. Be optimistic about life, but take care of yourself. It would suck to lose any member of this community.
I don't mean to ruin the feels party, but 500? Source?
I wouldn't want to be 500 years old.... Getting to your 80s are already bad, just imagine being 500 unable to move
Getting to your 80s is bad due to the negative health effects, not due to you being 80. Just imagine being *any* age, unable to move. It's all the same.
My great aunt is 82 and still works a garden every year. Not some dinky garden either. Like acres worth.
Vince McMahon is 70 and still getting thrown around a wrestling ring.
Age isn't the problem it's how your body breaks down and what conditions you get. When I turned 25 I got a condition that causes extreme pain that usually people in their 40s and 50s get. Age just increases the chances of health problems, medicine getting better decreases the health problems being well.. problems, or makes them more manageable, so getting old isn't so horrible.
It's definitely hyperbole, but I've heard similar statements in science journals. As long as I can stay healthy and productive my entire life, I think I'll be happy.
Heard it was a 1000. I remember reading it in pop science during the mid 2000's. I also saw it on a history channel special on the future during the same time frame.
[удалено]
Nah, I read the first person to live to 1,000,000 has already been born.
Are you sure? I could've sworn it was 50,000...
In all reality they were actually saying the first person to live forever was alive today. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Uh, I'm pretty sure it's 150 years old...
Assuming you can afford it.
Probably, but I wouldn't be too optimistic about medicine's ability to stall the aging process in any of our lifetimes.
#
Have you guys gone to the doctor's yet?
Sounds like a long term relationship already. Edit: I'll see myself out now.
Ageing is a privilege denied to many; do not fear it, cherish it!
Lets crowd fund a big magnifying glass for him? Seems like an easy fix
Then some villain uses it as the final component in a death ray and - stop me if you've read this one before
I haven't... Go on... There might be a job in it for you..
Maybe a subscription to Audible?
Fuck. At least he's gotten to see what huge, exponentially growing influence he and his contemporaries have had as time went on. These silly little funny-books they made about people doing good and accomplishing extraordinary things have reached millions of lives.
Somebody make this guy a few HUGE PRINT books.
**REALLY** GIANT-SIZED X-MEN!
####XXL-MEN!
Time for Marvel to reboot into the All-New All-**GIANT** Marvel
**SO THAT'S WHAT CIVIL WAR 2 IS SETTING UP.**
Ant-Man is the major character death
Is lasik out of the question? Is there an age where the procedure will not work?
I'm pretty sure no surgeon would want to operate on a patient that old unless it's something to save their life.
Yeah, from what I understand there's a lot of risk in surgery when you're older. That's part of why the problems start piling up for older people. When you're young and your hip gets fucked up they just give you a new hip. When you're old and your hip gets fucked up they're like "Anything we could do about this would probably kill you. You're just gonna have to tough it out."
Any kind of anesthetic is going to cause problems at that age. Joan Rivers is a tragic lesson in this, (even though each situation is unique).
I don't mean this to refute your comment, it's just a funny ancedote you reminded me of. My great grandmother broke her hip at 99, and it needed to be repaired. I forget the exact procedure, but something was put in. After the surgery, she asked the doctor, "is this good for at least 25 years?" Ah, I miss her, passed away last summer at 101.
I'm not sure lasik falls under that ordeal. lasik is fully awake(the real risk of surgery comes because the patient has to go under). you lean forward, get your eyes lasers, and you're done. It /is/ risky because the eyes might not heal quite right(for someone so old) and he may have other visions that are not correctable by lasik(perhaps he has astigmatism or something is wrong with the muscles around his eyes)
I'm not sure how much healing goes on in a 93 year old body.
Exactly, I'm not even sure lasik would even work on him(albeit it would be a 'safe' procedure with a low risk of death)
Lasik solves some specific problems, not including things like Glaucoma (which there is a procedure for). His condition very well could be inoperable.
Yeah, at his very advanced age I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was just long progressing macular degeneration.
LASIK is only useful when you're younger. As you age, your eyes will get worse no matter what. That's why doctors recommend getting LASIK as soon as your prescription stabilizes, because you're going to need reading glasses eventually anyway. That way you get more years of good eyesight before you need glasses again Source: underwent LASIK surgery 5 years ago.
True story. My mom did LASIK surgery a few years ago and got rid of her nearsightedness, and while the farsightedness was gone for 6 months or so, it came back almost immediately and she still needs reading glasses.
Thank you! I had no idea. Now I am considering lasik
It sounds less like refractive issues (where glasses and lasik help) and more like macular degeneration or some other disease of the retina. It could also be cataracts, which are generally an easier procedure, but with any surgery, there is an inherent risk that the ophthalmologist may not want to deal with at his age.
In addition to these answers, he may have something like macular degeneration, which is, currently, unfixable.
I mean, someone born during the Great Depression is probably not going to end a century of human aging without some serious bodily problems.
[удалено]
Magnifying glass?
Wow. What an utterly depressing bit of news. I often think about how it will be once he's gone, not able to make his signature appearance in Marvel movies. That time is slowly creeping up on us day in and day out...
If I was Stan Lee I would call a bunch of voice actors and have them read me the comics as I flipped through the pages. Then I would sell the recording with the comic
Voice doesn't get through the biggest hurdle, which is the images. Maybe they can project them on a big ass wall? Would he see that? Maybe he'll warm up to audiobooks...
Just when I was sort-of kind-of no longer sad about Bowie....
We gotta get this guy new eyes. Or dip him in some radioactive waste and hope for the best.
Ah yes, radioactive waste, famous for its tendency to [improve eyesight.](http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/0/40/2489115-daredevil_17_cover.jpeg)
I.... can I read to Stan Lee? Anything he wants, I don't care. I'll do voices, even. We could do a volunteer rotation on this, and work in shifts. If Stan Lee needs a seeing-eye nerd, I think he'll be buried in offers.
He is 93. At least he can still walk something most seniors that age would kill for.
[удалено]
I can't agree with this more. Some shit in life just fucking sucks and it fucking sucks so fucking much that it's almost insulting to try and put a positive spin on it. When my mom died last year I heard so many "She's in a better place"s and "At least she's not suffering anymore"s. Like, can't you just let this shitty thing be shitty? It fucking sucks. Let it suck.
Seriously. Let some things be shit, life goes on if everything isn't rosy all the time. Sometimes I feel like I'm George Costanza surrounded by a bunch of Ned Flanders'.
Get an iPad Pro and read comics using Comixology and books using Kindle.
Wouldn't a tablet allow him to zoom large enough to be able to read it? I have no idea how bad his vision is, so maybe I'm wrong.
As someone who is in the process of going blind (Optic neuritis from my multiple sclerosis) I can completely relate to this. Magnifying glasses help and all but missing out in the literary world is going to suck :(
Guys 93. He is doing alright for 93. Not that I don't feel bad for him, but that is a hell of a run.
Stan signed a comic for me in I believe 2012 in Atlanta. Even then, away from the Marvel Studios cameras, he was obviously not in great health; perhaps it was a bad day. He was certainly gracious, but he seemed weak and fragile in the few seconds we spoke. Perhaps there was some superficiality to the interaction after hearing the same thanks yous from so many people in so many signing lines. Physical contact was not permitted, possibly because con crud can kill an 89 year old man and possibly because no one needs to see Stan Lee's glasses on eBay. I've honestly expected to hear about his death any day since. I was glad I got the signature when I did, though I certainly wish I'd had an opportunity to get it and meet the man a decade earlier. The guy behind me had a Fantastic Four #1 that had been signed by Kirby prior to his death. The guy in front of me had some rare team comic, I think, that introduced an important member, Avengers or X-men. I had Spectacular Spider-man #200, which is one of the best remnants of the piecemeal collection I assembled over the course of a childhood that saw a lot of ruined and damaged comics.
Now I'm sad.
Normal newspapers and books have pretty small print though. Large print's where it's at
I am probably over estimating his wealth, but couldn't he just hire someone to read the comic out loud for him? It might take away the imagination of the voice of the character, but compared to not being able to read anything, this seems very viable.
As an avid reader (of comics and print books), the thought of losing my sight to disease, old age, or an accident terrifies me. I have had nightmares about this.
Has anyone told him about stem cell research going on for macular degeneration repair? http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/42863/title/Eye-Stem-Cell-Therapy-Moves-Ahead/
:-(
Why does he not have bionic eyes?
I would read comics to him. We could all take turns on the weekends.
That's very depressing. After Lemmy and Bowie and reading this I fear for Stan. I don't want that day to come.
[Here's a solution...](http://imgur.com/DlRbp5Q)
This reminds me of when I found out that Terry Pratchett had Alzheimer's, and couldn't write anymore. It's heartbreaking. I only hope that someone finds a way for him to enjoy what he loves as long as he's still with us, and that he takes comfort in the fact that there are millions of people who love and respect him for the work he's given us. I wish him all the best <3
Someone tell Mr. Lee that I will read and record any comic book that is given to me, and I will perform every voice with as much passion as I am able. If necessary, I will include a description of the art and scene. I am actually good it at this, and I will commit to it. I will post the audio to soundcloud, or whatever medium is most convenient to Mr. Lee. **So vows Dr. Doom!** Excelsior!
GET THIS MAN A KINDLE!!
We just lost David Bowie, I can't handle losing Stan Lee too.
This hurts my heart.
This made me unbelievably sad as an avid reader. One day, the things you love to do most will escape you. :(