Let’s start with one of Stan Lee’s earliest cameos in The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) as a jury foreman who was startled at the Hulk’s transformation. This of course starred Bill Bixby as David Banner and of course Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk who were the leads in The Incredible Hulk (1977-1982) tv series developed by Kenneth Johnson. The character of The Hulk was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962). He was next a hot dog vendor in X-Men (2000) as he watches the mutated Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison) walk onto the beach. The Stan Lee and Jack Kirby creative team created The X-Men in The X-Men #1 (1963). The original team consisted of Angel, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey). Next in Spider-Man (2002), Stan was Man in Fair who witnesses the explosion caused by the Green Goblin and saves a little girl. Spider-Man of course first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. He was next the Old Man at Crossing in Daredevil (2003). Young Matt Murdock (Scott Terra) uses his cane to stop him from walking into the street while reading a newspaper. Daredevil was created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett in Daredevil #1 (1964). In the Ang Lee directed Hulk (2000), Stan had his first speaking part as a Security Guard talking to Lou Ferrigno’s security guard.
In Fantastic Four (2005), Stan played his first comic book character, as Willie Lumpkin greeting Reed Richards in the Baxter Building. The Fantastic Four begun the Marvel Age with Fantastic Four #1 (1961). Lumpkin first appeared in Fantastic Four #11 (1963). Stan had one of his best cameos in Spider-Man 3 (2007) as Man in Times Square saying to Peter Parker looking at the message of Spider-Man being honored, “You know, I guess one person can make a difference. `Nuff said.” He played himself trying to crash the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm in Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). This mirrors Stan Lee and Jack Kirby trying to crash the wedding in Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965). Stan’s first Marvel Cinematic Universe was in the first Iron Man (2008) movie where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) mistakes him for Hugh Hefner. Stan gets a few more words in his cameo in Thor (2011), as the truck driver trying to pull up Mjolnir, and asks “Did it work?” Thor was created by Stan Lee, Larry Leiber, and Jack Kirby in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962). In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Stan is in military uniform as General and remarks at the confusion of the Captain America ceremony, “I thought he would be taller.” Stan did not create Captain America, but he started writing his adventures with Jack Kirby in the Silver Age with Captain America #100 (1967). Stan also created the Avengers with Jack Kirby in The Avengers #1 (1963). In the first Avengers (2012) film, Stan comments in Central Park playing chess, “Super heroes in New York? Gimme a break.”
Stan had an extended cameo as Debonair Gentleman in the T.R.A.C.K.S. (2014) episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. He had two women at his side in the train car and was giving advice to Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). While Agent Coulson was created for the films, S.H.I.E.L.D. itself was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 (1965). Stan is billed as the Xandardian Ladies’ Man watched by Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). This was a team and characters that was not created by Stan. Another great cameo was at the end of Big Hero 6 (2014) when he voiced Fred’s Dad. This also was a team and character that were not created by Stan. In Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), there is a funny cameo was Stan as a veteran who wants the Asgardian drink of Thor played by Chris Hemsworth and leaves the party with “Excelsior.” In Agent Carter, “The Blizkrieg Button” (2015), he was Man on Bench who asks Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) for the sports section of the newspaper. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Peggy Carter in Tales of Suspense #77 (1966). In Ant-Man (2015), Stan is a bartender whose dialogue is taken over by Luis (Michael Pena), “Yeah, crazy, stupid, fine.” The original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, was introduced by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby in Tales to Astonish #35 (1962). Another funny cameo was at the end of Captain America: Civil War (2016) where Stan plays a FedEx Driver and knocks at the window.
Another great Stan Lee cameo was in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) where he watches the launch of nuclear missiles with his wife, Joan Lee, both play their real life counterparts. This is his favorite cameo since it also features his wife. Also in 2016, was Stan’s cameo in Doctor Strange. Baron Mordo and Doctor Strange are slammed into a subway car window while Stan laughs at what he is reading. Doctor Strange first appeared in Strange Tales #110 (1963) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Stan is in an astronaut suit, as the Watcher Informant, explaining to a group of Watchers that he was “a Federal Express man.” Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) features Stan playing Gary at the window saying, “Don’t make me come down there, you punk!” Stan’s cameo in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) has Thor is locked in a chair, the Barber played by Stan hears Thor vows his wrath and laughs before shearing off his beard and long hair. This year, Black Panther had Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) winning at the casino table and Stan’s Thirsty Gambler moves the winnings to his side. Black Panther was introduced in Fantastic Four #52 (1966) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In Avengers: Infinity War, Ned (Jacob Batalon) panics the passengers, Peter (Tom Holland) slides out of the bus, the bus driver played by Stan says, “What’s a matter with you kids, you never seen a spaceship before?” In Ant-Man and the Wasp, during the van chase, the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) shrinks the bike of a motorcycle rider, then shrinks a car that Stan is about to enter. He says, “Well, the `60’s were fun, but now I’m paying for it.” Stan Lee has a number of cameos in superhero films based on Marvel characters. He has worked with fine artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to create these legendary characters.
#StanLee, #JackKirby, #SteveDitko, #MarvelCinematicUniverse
No comments:
Post a Comment