With Great Power Comes…Stan Lee
Since this comic deals (at least in passing) with superheroes, it’s only fitting that it has a secret origin. And this secret beginning began around 2001 (or 2002) when I met John Romita, Sr. at a comic convention.
I was pleasantly surprised (shocked really) when John told me that he read and enjoyed Last Kiss. Figuring he’d say no–but what the heck–I asked him if he’d be willing to draw a bit of new art for a Last Kiss comic.
After I picked myself off the floor, I realized that John said, “Yes.”
I don’t know if it was the shock or something akin to stage fright, but I didn’t write a script right away. Not my brightest move.
Months passed (Yes, blast it. Months!) before I approached John again and sheepishly mentioned the project. This time–having come to his senses–John politely bowed out. He basically said he was retired and this sounded too much like real work.
Fair enough. But I wasn’t about to let a little thing like that stop me.
After all, Last Kiss is all about taking old art and re-dialoging it. Would John mind if I used some of his old art?
Sure. No problem.
Fortunately, Marvel felt the same way and quickly granted permission to use the art. The strip made it’s web debut in 2002.
SCENE--PANEL 1: Male reporter interviews Stan Lee while a beautiful woman in a skimpy costume crouches on a desk in the background.
REPORTER: I'm here with Stan Lee and one of the many super-
heroes
who...
WOMAN: Me? A superhero?
STAN: Try again, True Believer!
SCENE--PANEL 2: Close up on reporter.
REPORTER: Oh, my! then you
must be a...
(gulp!)...
super villain, right?
SCENE--PANEL 3: We see the reporter, the woman and Stan. Stan is raising his hands, punching the air in celebration.
WOMAN: No! I'm just Stan's secretary! He says all the women who work in comics dress like this!
REPORTER: Sheer genius! And that's why Stan's the man!
STAN: Excelsior!
Art by John Romita, Sr.
