No doubt, Stan Lee was an ingenious storyteller. Much as scores of comic book fans around the globe I am passionate about comic superheroes too, and none other than the “friendly, neighborhood” Spiderman impressed me with his web-slinging skills growing up as a kid. Having no sense of what the effort behind making a comic book meant, who the creators were, I was left enamoured by the colourful illustrations combined with the nail-biting tale, pages after pages. For me, this vibrant world of heroes with superpowers opened tremendous possibilities in escaping the childhood drudgery of teachers & homework finding solace in the creative imagery and dramatic action. If my memory doesn’t fail me it was the storytelling of Spiderman left beaten up by the Green Goblin that left a lasting impression on my mind. It was penned by Stan Lee.
This is a tribute to those more than a hundred characters that Stan Lee has left with us through his illustrious 95-year lifespan, its narrative leaving an impact through a mix of colossal duels and raging plotlines of planets in danger from the ever-so wicked villains. Talking of which, I also discovered Stan through his movie cameos that influenced me in much the same way as the glimmer of his creativity through his artworks. But I must sadly confess, that as a youngster when I was munching on the stories & the characters Stan Lee’s storytelling hardly mattered to me and I didn’t recognize his contribution in this mystical imaginativeness that kept me glued to my book, I chose to ignore him. But perhaps, it was his imaginative artworks and his unbounded flights of fancy that encouraged me to take my artistic skills from a hobby into a career in a bid to explore the creative ingenuity within me, in blending the content with colour for communication much like Stan Lee’s stupendous milestones.
So, thank you, Stan Lee. I know you are in a distant galaxy far far away now but your aesthetic imagination, your flamboyance and your unflailing smile, will persist upon millions of fans just like me. We will miss you forever!
