Stan Lee passed away about two weeks ago and it is a melancholy time for comic fans. Many great shows lost and removed from services like Netflix, but we go on. Many movies made that don't quite meet expectations like Justice League and we go on. Marvel has had many great creators over the years. Stan played a role in Marvel and was part of that greatness to a large degree, and sadly we move on. In the speculation world sometimes it is good to stop for a second and ponder certain exits. The fun times with Stan Lee probably climaxed with his cameos in the movies. Huddled with our families in the movie theater we would point out Stan with a knowing smile, "There he is!" It is a part of Americana pop culture and just plain good fun. He has shepherded the Marvel Studios, across the finish line with each cameo. I am sure someone will take up the reins and guide the franchise. But no one could replace him. I chose this comic cover to put a smile on everybody's face that loved Stan and his crazy cameos. After all, who but Stan Lee could upstage Deadpool? Rightfully so, Stan helped create the Marvel we know and love with Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and the Hulk. It is only fitting that he guided the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the 21st Century. He had a long and consequential life. This blog is a respectful farewell and a review of one comic that has actually increased in value, partly due to his popularity. Is there profit in owning our cameo heroes appearance on the cover of a comic?
Stan Lee's Last Words to Fans
Below are Stan Lee's last words to his fans which I watched on the CBM website. The following is an anecdotal summary of his farewell:
"I love my fans, Lee begins. "I cannot tell you how much I love my fans. Sometimes at night, I am sitting here thinking, 'What's it all about?' Then I get a letter from a fan or I read something, I see something, or I remember something. And I realize, it's so lucky to have fans, fans who really care about you. That's the reason I care so much about the fans because they make me so great...there is something, wonderful about someone caring about you-as I care about them many of whom I've never met. They may live in another part of the world, but they care and you have something in common. I love them all" (Source: CBM J. Wilding).
I think Marvel fans feel the same sense of belonging to the Marvel cultural influence that Stan felt. It is sort of connected pop culture identity to knowing the world of superheroes, and villains of this franchise. The creative stars are included in this identity, folks like Stan, who helped bring this magnificent Marvel Universe to reality. In blogging about Stan's last farewell I was shocked by the price for some of his comics. Specifically Marvel Age #41 this book created for the 25th anniversary of Marvel and has Stan in middle age on the cover. The writer and artist was Fred Hembeck. This book was more periodical than anything else, very little art but lots of up and coming appearances from Mike Zeck's covers to Barry Windsor-Smith joining the New Mutant artists, and a few hints about Alpha Flight's direction in ensuing months and of course Stan's Soapbox. Who could forget that!
The current values for Marvel Age #41 in mint grade (9.8) is $525 FMV, but the last two recent sales both breached $599. This is a truly good sign and this obvious homage to Stan has greatly inflated in value. Those of you like me, willing to spend maybe a C-note can safely buy a grade (7.5) for about $100 FMV. Long term this comic has paid off with (9.8) grade mint at a positive +30.9% return. The returns in the aforementioned (7.0) range of grades have been stupendous with a positive +227.2% ROI. It obvious that with only 377 issues outstanding at CGC the appeal of this comic is partly due to its limited print run and that very few collected these words of wisdom from Stan "The Man" Lee. I picked a perfect speculator's quote from Stan to end on. Best wishes to all during this holiday season.
"Luck's a revolving door, you just need to know when it's your time to walk through." -Stan Lee
