Devastated upon hearing of the passing of the immortal @therealstanlee . He created worlds of fun, excitement, fantasy, creativity, charisma, promise, positivity, truth, honesty & perhaps most..hope. The characters he gave us weren't just heroes in a make believe world, they were guiding examples that we could bring the good out in all of us. My first comic hero was Spider-Man. From the cartoons of the 60s, to the campy but fun Spidey of the Electric Company, the forgettable 70s TV series, of course the comics & the entertaining and awesome movies I had waited my entire life for, Spidey was it. But Stan created so many more. And to a character, each one possessed, not just a power we could dream of, but they also gave us a sense of purpose. Even though we can't climb walls, we can stand up and be a hero in our own world. Sadly, I never got to meet him. The closest was snapping pix at Cons, but I never saw him w/o a smile. He never had a negative thing to say. Always upbeat & positive. Encouraging. Gracious, thankful for the millions of fans who had come to love & respect him. He lived as full a life as anyone. He's up there, smiling down upon us, wishing us all well in our endeavors. He may be gone, but his legacy will carry on eternally. This picture is from the last time I got to see him, FCBD 2016. He wanted to take a picture with all of the Cosplayers at the @ComicBug. The energy & excitement once the word got out that Stan wanted all the Cosplayers to gather for a photo, was as electric as I've ever felt. Even as just a photographer having the chance to be a part of it, had me buzzing inside. The smiles on my friends faces as he walked up made it as special a moment as any I've ever been a part of in the Cosplay community. And to have him smile right through your lens over and over..well I honestly don't know how I got any shots not ruined by shaken excitement. This is one of my faves, with a number of my favorite Cosplayers. In the end, you brought us all together Stan, for without you, there would be no Cosplay community, certainly not as vibrant & special as it is today. Thank you Stan. RIP #Excelsior! #StanLee #RIP #SpiderMan #Legend (at The Comic Bug) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqG_xiFgynW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mb3jepb5lw50
