Excelsior! See Stan Lee Get Immortalized at Hollywood's Chinese Theatre
Stan “The Man” Lee is now the Stan “The Sidewalk” Lee.
Hollywood honored the legendary Marvel maestro Tuesday as Lee entered his hand- and footprints into the courtyard at the legendary Chinese Theatre. In a ceremony emceed by noted fanboy Kevin Smith, Lee was saluted by the likes of actors Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson in Avengers and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, as well as former Spider-Man writer and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. (Watch the full ceremony below.)
Smith called Lee an inspiration. “He did not teach me to dream, but he gave me so many things to dream about. He taught me to be proud of what you make and stand up for it. It’s not enough to just be the artist that makes it, go out and champion it as well. Who will love it, if not you first?”
“He never disappoints,” said Feige. “His creations never disappoint, his imagination doesn’t disappoint.” Lee is credited with co-creating such indelible heroes as Spider-Man, The Hulk, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, The Avengers.
Boseman, the lead in the highly anticipated Black Panther, based on another character created by Lee, also paid tribute. “Stan Lee has taken his words, taken his vision … and placed them inside pictures with fantastic characters with extraordinary abilities and he has made us believe in those universes … and in doing so, we as humans aspire to be better just like those characters.”
As Lee stepped up to the podium, he expressed his thanks by saying, “I’ve been the luckiest man in the world because I’ve had friends, and to have the right friends is everything … I thank you from my whole heart.” Before leaving the stage for the imprints, Lee gave the audience a hearty “Excelsior!” He then etched his name into the wet cement and joked, “This is not easy!” before finally pressing his handprints and footprints.
Lee’s latest honor comes just four days after he was designated a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo.
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