So here's the backstory - It's 2004, I'm working as DComms in the PMO and my friend @susan_allan is Books Editor at @OttawaCitizen when a Xmas book by Stan Lee crosses her desk. Knowing my love of his comics, she asks if I'd do the book review....
I melt with excitement. After a torturous number of interactions with the Ethics Counsellors I get the green light (as a public office holder I couldn't accept payment but neither could I do it for free because that would constitute a benefit, I ended up donating it to charity)
So the Citizen plugs me - from my desk in the PMO - into the queue of book reviewers. Basically, I call into a 1800 # and wait for him to finish interview 773, come onto the line so I can be 774. It's like that scene in Notting Hill w/out Julia Roberts or Horse jokes
And then...he comes on the line. Tired from answering the same questions from the same kinds of people, probably in the same order. But HOLY F**K! IT'S STAN THE MAN LEE!! I'm a puddle. But determined to maintain the facade of a professional, seen-it-all, world weary book reviewer
At this point I shld tell you that the book was utter crap. Unreadable. Commercialized dreck. An illustrated kids book about a super hero family who come together to save Christmas - and maybe, just maybe, remember the true meaning of the Yuletide season (GAG!)
But again...HOLY F**K! It's Stan Lee. So, after an obligatory Excelsior crack (didn't see that coming, huh Stan?) I dig in with some questions: Where did the story idea come from? How did he come up with the characters? What really went down with Jack Kirby? (Not really)
And I don't know what exactly I said but I could feel him cooling. Clearly, the great man was detecting a lack of enthusiasm for narrative on my part. He started to ask me questions: Which character did I like the most? (I wanted to say the Silver Surfer but I coughed up the Dad)
I could tell he was really unsatisfied that I wasn't more satisfied. So I started going all fanboy and saying dumb shit - The Mom reminds me a lot of Sue Storm. Strong, but in an understated, doesnt-need-to-prove-herself-to-anyone kind of way. That didn't help
And then...it was over. My ten minutes were up and he was saying Goodbye. I felt a little hollow - like I had missed the chance to be come pals. And I was nagged by the sense that I had disappointed the man. Literally, The Man
I called @susan_allan and talked it over. She was her usual reassuring self. Her husband @scottfeschuk was less consoling "Way to peckerhead, you insulted your boyhood idol. You couldn't just pretend to like the goddamned stupid book?
But...there was a denouement to this tale. Just like with all good yarns - especially the ones with Silver Surfer or his co-creator - the next day when I came into the office. My assistant had emailed me a message saying that Stan Lee had called back. I was thrilled but puzzled
So I flipped the message to @susan_allan and asked her advice. Why had he called back? What did it mean? She didn't know. @scottfeschuk was stunned, "The guy does 1000 interviews and only you are so rude that he's moved to call back. No one ever gets called back."
But now I see the chance to fix things. So I dial up the call-in again, reach some publicist in some publishing house maze and lo and behold, after waiting and getting passed around, onto the line comes - one again - Stan the Man himself!
"Hello Mr Lee," I began. "How can I help you". "Well," he says. "I had originally called because I thought maybe you didn't like the story and we should talk some more. But now I have another question. Why on Earth is the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada reviewing my book?"
And then I TRULY crumbled. "It's cuz I'm such a huge fan. I just wanted to do it. I love Marvel. All your characters. Even Black Bolt - who is ridiculous. And I don't think you stole from Kirby and Ditko. They needed you. But you're right I didn't like your book."
It was gruesome. I was a rambling, speed-talking, fanboy jackass. And then something interesting happened. He went right back at that book. He spent 15 minutes doing his damndest to convince me of its merits. He was working. And working hard.
And I came away thinking, "Man. How about that? Even for that shitty, knocked off piece of crud that they had splashed his name on just for money. He was willing to call back, to take the time and to fight to get me to believe in it. That's it's very own kind of dedicated."
Of course, I still gave it a pretty ugly review - but I reserved great words of respect for Stan Lee. Because that man was an original. And he was indefatigable. Even when it came to talking to some nobody reviewer from the @OttawaCitizen - by way of the PMO
A final note - as an only kid, latchkey kid with a working mom it's impossible to overstate how much Stan Lee's comics meant to me. They were at least half my world. Got me reading. Kept me reading. And Ive never quit reading them. He was an icon #RIPStanLee
