Here are the best cameos Stan Lee ever delivered, 'nuff said
'He's able to have fun with it, and mock himself, really'
If you're a true Marvel comics fan, you probably already have these lines memorized.
But for those who aren't die-hard fans of superheroes like Spiderman and The Avengers, these Stan Lee cameos might be the hidden easter eggs you missed at the theatre.
Father of the Marvel Universe, Lee died Monday at age 95. The comic book visionary leaves behind a legacy of comic books and films that have spanned generations, and offered a posthumous message to his beloved fans.
So many wonderful moments with Stan came spontaneously. As we were setting up the camera one day, he casually started talking about his fans. We know how much Stan meant to you, and we thought it would be nice for you to hear how much your support meant to him. <a href="https://t.co/WTX8U1afLm">pic.twitter.com/WTX8U1afLm</a>
—@TheRealStanLeeHe also filmed a couple more cameos — the creator will make appearances in both Captain Marvel and Avengers 4.
Before those hit movie theatres next spring, we asked superfan Lindsey Addawoo to run down her top three cameos.
Spiderman 3
In New York City's Times Square, Peter Parker stops to read a billboard headline about Spiderman, his alter-ego, receiving the key to the city.
Lee approaches him and says, "You know, I guess one person can make a difference."
He punctuates it with his trademark catchphrase, "'Nuff said."
"Stan strongly believed in the power of individual acts as opposed to grand gestures," Addawoo, a Toronto writer and film director, told Day 6.
"Even when it seems like it's just you against the world, you can make a difference and that you are responsible for your individual actions and how you choose respond to the negativity around you," she added.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Lee was has a well-known history of political activism, especially his anti-oppression stance.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Lee attends a party with Captain America and Thor, played by Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth, respectively.
Thor pours a shot for himself and the Captain, telling others in the crowd that the liquor was "aged for a thousand years," and that it's not meant for "mortal men."
"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie," Lee retorts. "Stop trying to scare us." Moments later, he leaves the scene noticeably drunk.
Omaha Beach was a codename for an Allied invasion of German-occupied Normandy, France in during the Second World War.
"This plays into Stan's ideas of pro-civil rights, pro-peace, anti-racism, anti-sexism and, of course, being Jewish himself, anti-Nazi," Addawoo said.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Not all of Lee's cameos were meant to offer encouragement or a political statement. Sometimes, he simply showed up for some comic relief.
In another Avengers film, Lee mocks the idea of his own creations on a news broadcast.
"Superheroes in New York?" he asks the anchor. "Give me a break."
"It's like you are the whole reason that they are there," said Addawoo. "For comic book fans that's something that we essentially love about him: that he's able to have fun with it and mock himself, really."
In Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, a tuxedoed Lee shows up to the wedding of Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic.
A bouncer stops him, and despite assurances he's "on the list," no one believes he is in fact Mr. Stan Lee. "Nice try, buddy," the bouncer replies.
"The guy's like 'no, goodbye,'" Addawood added with a chuckle.
"It was frigging awesome."
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