Marvel Mastermind Stan Lee for WMB 3D
The Amazing Stan Lee and Spider-Man
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve photographed my share of beautiful women throughout my career, but it’s not everyday that you get to work with your heroes. When I reached out to Marvel co-creator Stan Lee to kick off our “Legends” section in WMB 3D, I clearly underestimated the level of excitement I would experience when he said yes.
Mr. Lee is every bit as gracious, self-deprecating and funny as his reputation would suggest, rivaled only by his equally awesome office. As if the Spider-man pinball machine and Silver-Surfer hallway mural weren’t fantastic enough, his office walls were lined with pictures of him and Ronald Reagan, Steven Spielberg, Bill Clinton, and Michael Jackson, just to name a few. A heartfelt thanks go out to Mr. Lee and his team at POW! Entertainment, who allowed us to take over their offices for our 3D shoot. Here is an excerpt from Stan Lee: The Mind of a Genius, featured in Issue 2 of WMB 3D!
“I was 17 and I needed a job. I heard there was an opening at a publishing house so I went down and applied. I thought it was for the magazine department, but it turned out they needed someone in comic books. I never expected to be a comic book writer, but the work was interesting, and I did well. They kept promoting me and then I was sort of stuck.”
That Lee all-but-stumbled into a field he would soon transform is both serendipitous and fascinating, but perhaps even more interesting is just how easily the ideas for characters and storylines come to him. “I don’t even know how I come up with them. I didn’t think [these characters] were anything special at the time. The publisher would say to me, ‘Stan, we need another title,’ and I would say ‘OK.’ I just hoped the books would sell so I could pay my rent.” Lee casually adds, “I didn’t realize that someday I’d be doing interviews about these things.”
Surprisingly, Lee claims he’s never been struck by inspiration. “I’m not a guy who walks down the street and thinks, ‘Wow, I just had a great idea.’ I’m usually thinking about what my wife is making for dinner or whether it will rain. Superheroes are the last thing I’m thinking about when I’m not working.” Then, as if to prevent me from persisting with a follow-up question, he asserts, “You dream up an idea and you write it down. That’s all there is to it. What I do is easy.”
In January 2011, at 88 years-old, Lee received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When asked if this moment offered him any sort of validation, Lee responds, “I wish I were richer. I would hire someone 24 hours a day to make sure no one steps on my star.” He modestly continues, “I was so surprised. I got my star on the same block as Paul Newman and Sophia Loren, but I still don’t know why they gave it to me. I think they think I am somebody else, but I’m not going to tell them.”
CREDITS:
Photo by Nick Saglimbeni
Interview by Katie Pegler
What a great story Nick. Looking forward to the photos. He seems like such a Humble guy for being who he is. You don’t see that too often in this Business.
Thanks