“Excelsior! A Celebration of the Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible & Uncanny Life of Stan Lee” takes place January 30th at Los Angeles’ Chinese Theatre
Kevin Smith, the RZA and Mark Hamill will pay tribute to comic book legend Stan Lee at a Los Angeles event later this month. The co-creator of Spider-Man and other beloved comics died November 12th at the age of 95. “Excelsior! A Celebration of the Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible & Uncanny Life of Stan Lee” takes place January 30th at Hollywood’s famed Chinese Theatre, with all proceeds from the event benefitting the Hero Initiative, a non-profit that helps comic book artists in need.
The public portion of the event will feature “fan-favorite speakers, an art exhibit celebrating Stan’s legacy by famed pop-culture artist Rob Prior, select costumes and props from Stan’s cameos and creations, a musical performance and a special moment of remembrance centered around Stan Lee’s hand and foot imprint.”
Inside the theatre at a ticketed event, Smith will host and moderate conversations with the RZA, Hamill, Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld, actor Vincent D’Onofrio and other comic book giants about Lee’s impact, as well as share personal anecdotes about the Marvel legend. The evening also boasts video tributes and live performances of Lee’s favorite music and poetry.
Smith said in a statement, “Thank you, Stan, for making me not only the boy I was but also the man I am today. You had great power and you always used it responsibly, fostering billions of dreamers who all know your name – a name written in the stars for all time. You were not just the literary titan of comic books, you were our modern-day Mark Twain.”
Tickets for the “official” Lee tribute – which is being produced by Legion M and Agents of Mayhem in partnership with Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment – are available beginning January 9th at 5 p.m. PST at the Legion M site.
POW! Entertainment’s Gill Champion, a longtime friend of Lee’s, added in a statement, “Stan was a unique and unforgettable human being, truly adored worldwide. He loved coming to work and creating endless new ideas and stories and in spite of his genius he was a relatable and kind man that his admirers could relate to with ease. He will be dearly missed and his legacy will live on now and for many more generations to come.”