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I’M BACK! News and updates.

January 26, 2021 by Steve Garcia Leave a Comment

Hello again! It’s been too long. But I’m back.
Soooo much happening. After returning from a fantastic trip from Japan and being incredibly inspired, I threw myself into my new business in order to launch in 2020. Doing a ton of art for prints and other merch, and trying to get a lot of conventions and shows together. I was in seven heaven.
And then…boom.
…….Covid……
The world stopped. And plans were pushed back.
Needless to say, it was disappointing. But I…as with everyone else, had to find our way through it all. Art folk and non art folk alike.
And like everyone else, it was intensely frustrating and even a bit scary.
But here we are.
In the time that passed, it did allow me to even do more prep work for my future art endeavors. And it showed me just how NOT ready I actually was. HA!
Also in the limbo year…I met some absolutely wonderful artist people. A few of them have become as close to my heart as Family.
And I am extremely glad of that.

News and Updates:

So, what’s coming up? I am all set to be at upcoming shows for 2021. I will be adding an “Appearances” page to the site very soon.
I have a handful of shows that I’m slated to attend and show at with more on the way as the country starts to open up and dates solidify.
I am SUPER excited to get out there and see you all! I love conventions and the comic scene. It’s been a part of my dna ever since I was an itty bitty dude. And while I’ve been to a ton of them as a guest I’ve never attended as a presenter. But, I have always wanted to!
So this year will mark my first year doing so! And I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it.

I’ll have both art prints as well as original art, sketchcards  and some other surprises as well!

The Web-Site/Store:
The site has just been updated and a ‘store’ has been added.
There will be much more added as we get closer to shows. Such as art original art, art prints, sketchbooks and of course commissions.
As of now, there has been merch added such as:  t-shirts, mugs, and face-masks just to start off and open the store with.

Also look for the “look” of the site itself  to be updated as well in the near future. Really looking forward to doing away with the plain jane ‘drudge report’ type of look. 😀
So that will be in the hopefully not to distant future. Within this year. 

Instagram:
I’ve only just recently signed up with an account. (I know…where have I been, right?) And I’m posting on there fairly regularly. It is a great way to see some older, and newer stuff. As well as keep updated on any convention related news.
So if you’d like another way to be in touch, go on over there via the social tabs up top or the link here and check it out! Love to hear from you and be connected with ya. That is at:

https://www.instagram.com/stevegarciaonline/

So! It’s great to be back!! And I look forward to seeing you all out there at the conventions and shows I will be at. (again look for the “appearances” page soon!)
And please feel free to comment and reach out and keep in touch with me and  I will get back to you as soon as possible! Would love to hear from you.

Till then! Stay safe! And stay healthy out there!

VIVA!!!

SG!

Filed Under: Archives

Apologies are in order!

March 6, 2019 by Steve Garcia Leave a Comment

Hello all!
First off, Let me apologies for the lack of posts this last month. It has been UBER crazy on my end as I am currently working on some fun and exciting things that I’ll be announcing in the very near future.
I’m super excited about it! Although it’s taking me a bit longer than I wanted to get everything in place, it’s something that I know I’m going to have a lot of fun with and hopefully YOU will as well.

So! Thanks for your patience, and look for regular posts as well as that announcement to be coming very soon!

VIVA!!

-SG-

Filed Under: Archives

“Animation Union”: Part 2!

January 18, 2019 by Steve Garcia 1 Comment

(Continued from Part 1)

Sony

After doing a bunch of television work, I found myself at Sony Animation. Working on Adam Sandlers “8 Crazy Nights”.
A truly awful movie. And I may have a post on that at another time.
While it was indeed an awful flick, I was happy to be back in the studios working in feature again. But that happiness was short lived.
The industry was still in full disarray. With no signs of letting up.
And the studios knew it.
They had us by the short and curlies and they were all too happy to push their advantage.

And Sony was no different.
Demanding tons of work off the clock.
Overloading on work and giving far less time to do it. Extreme pressure.
Add to that that they were a studio that had literally no clue as to what they were doing, and you have a recipe for disaster.
It was not a good environment. To say the least.
And who…who comes walking through the doors?
Well….that good ole’ Union rep that we’ve all come to adore.
Making his rounds to check up on everything.
“How’s everything goin’?”
“Well”…I said…”come here. And I’ll tell ya”.

We went into a non used office and I did just that. Told him everything that was going on within the studio. And I wanted to know what the Union was going to do about it.
And there wasn’t even much hemming and hawing over it.
He flat out said, “Look Steve…there really isn’t a whole lot we CAN do about it. It’s a buyers market out there. The studios know that. So they’re going to take advantage of the situation.”

I asked him: “So…what is your purpose as the union? When you make your trips to the studios and you walk around here and ask us how everything is going? How are they treating you? Etc etc…What’s the point of all that? What is it that you actually DO for the members?”

He, being the polished union rep that he was, didn’t miss a beat.
“You can file a formal complaint. And it will be on record.”

I looked at him for a few seconds..”……and that does?…”
Union Rep: “At this point, due to the state of the industry, that’s pretty much all that can be done.” (paraphrasing)

So there you have it folks. The ugly truth of it all. That’s it.

Time to revisit mental bookmark #1: Remember…one of the so called ‘benefits’ of being in the union is for “protection” from abuse from the employers.
The union (as told to us) is supposed to be a ‘check’ on those companies.
Well, as it turns out, there isn’t much that the union can do regarding ‘protections’.
And as someone who has personally worked in both union and non union houses in both animation as well as game development…I can assure you that there is absolutely no more ‘protections’ or ‘security’ in working in a union house as opposed to a non-union house. None. Zilch. Nada.
In fact…I would argue that I’ve actually been treated BETTER in the non union houses than in the big studio union houses.

Again….the “Union” is only as strong as the market allows them to be.
If the “Market” is the Gigantic whale…the Union is surely the little fish that attaches itself to the belly of the whale and hangs on for the ride.

But the story doesn’t end there….

I finally left Sony. (Sidenote: Sony neglected to give me a credit on that movie. Something that I wasn’t at all angry about by the way. 😀 )…And went back into the TV realm again.
It was at that time that the Union prez had either stepped down or was in the process of stepping down from his union perch.
He had been working as a director for a big studio. Working on a feature that was to be coming out very soon.
Needless to say…even with all my battles with the union about any number of things, it did STILL come as a hysterical shock to me when I heard through the grapevine that the studio he was at….on the very film he was DIRECTING on…was….yes indeed folks…
SENDING WORK OVERSEES!!

And of course, the work being sent was to non-union shops.
Yes indeed folks. We are now revisiting mental bookmark #2!

Wasting no time, I quickly got on the phone and called the union. Spoke to their people and asked them about this.
And what they told me was:
“He (the union president) doesn’t own the studio. It’s not up to him how they function and what policies they have.”

And..

“That he (the union president) is only doing his job duties at the studio. Which is directing. It IS a job. And like everyone else..he has a family to feed.”

All true.
But remember…it wasn’t that long ago when this very same union president was  demagoguing others for doing the exact same thing. Working at a studio that was sending work overseas, OR working at a non union shop.
And THIS studio he was working at now was (ironically) a UNION studio.

I told them that based on everything that was said (by him) about studios sending work oversees and working with non union shops, that I thought just on principal, that if he wouldn’t resign, that he would at least reject those policies publicly by at least speaking out against them.
Hell, I’d settle for one of those oh so insightful and opinionated union newsletter columns calling out said studio for doing so.

But no. Not a peep from our stalwart union or it’s high and mighty president.

The only peeps that were happening were from me. And boy howdy did I PEEP!
I raised it on the union website forums.
I raised it on every animation web forums and sites.
Later, I raised in animation facebook groups that they themselves were in. And got in some pretty heated conversation with the both of them.
All of which got me banned and booted from those forums and walls. And I can’t say that I blame them.
After all…it IS rather embarrassing when you’re exposed as a racket and as a fraud. And that is exactly what the animation union is.
A racket…and a fraud.

The animation industry and  the union today

The industry as it stands today still seems staggered to me.
Many veteran animation people being laid off after decades of working in the industries.
Others choosing to work in studios oversees in other countries. Going to where the jobs are.
Some have found their niches in the U.S. animation industry, and continue to bounce from project to project in different capacities.

The “Union” continues to go on. Like most bureaucracies, they somehow find a way to linger and never die.
Now being headed up by different people. With a different ‘president’ and a different ‘union rep’. But one look at the union newsletter makes one think of that old song…”Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss”.
Like most other unions for other industries, it’s a sure bet that ‘membership’ (forced) is probably down. As Unions across the board have suffered declining membership for years now.
For the animation industry, much of that is due to a few things:
1) The state of industry.
2)  The digital age opening other doors for creative’s.

While the digital age has brought a bit of instability within the animation industry …it has busted a hole in the studio wall, opening a slew of possibilities for animators not interested in the stagnant, cookie cutter projects that come out of the studio/union houses.
Glen Keane, noted ex-Disney veteran has created some astonishing work such as his “Duet” small film. And has recently won an academy award for his work with Kobe Bryant on the small film “Dear Basketball”.

Many creating their own works big and small, for an audience that is hungry for individual creativity. Independent and away from the union shop/big studios (or even the non union shops).

The union, like the industry itself, finds itself amidst great change and instability. As the medium grows due to technology, so does the ways to create. And much of that lies in the hands of non-union houses which also includes small individual creators (veteran and amateur alike) that don’t need or want union or big studio interference.
So that leaves the union as well as big studios, grappling with the *one thing* that leaves them in a precarious and perilous position. Which ironically (and not surprisingly) is what leaves the individual creator in a more desirable position.
And what is that one thing you ask?

“Freedom”

VIVA !!!

Filed Under: Archives

“The Animation Union”: PART ONE.

January 10, 2019 by Steve Garcia Leave a Comment



First…let me say something upfront. This post is about the animation union. And my experiences and issues specifically with the animation union.
Everything I write in this post is the absolute truth. And based on my experiences with the union and the people that headed up the union- at that time.
I will however, in a sign of ‘good faith’, keep names out of this post. BUT a simple google search of the time spans I mention will obviously show you who exactly I’m referring to.
And I’ve mentioned my disdain for these people publicly in forums and social media before. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone that knows me.
Also: This post is not meant to try and sway anyone’s opinion pro or con of the animation union or unions in general.
If you love the animation union, awesome. Power to you. I don’t hold you in any less esteem for your positive view of it.
My post is nothing more than my actual and factual experiences with them.
That said…..Onward.

Good on paper.
When I started at Cal-Arts in 1990, the industry was in the beginning of a massive boom time. And making themselves the most visible at that time was in fact…the animation guild. Signing new members up as fast as new animation talent was thrown into the work force.
It was an amazing time to be starting out as an animator in the industry.
The booming market. The incredible films in the pipeline! The rumors of new studios opening in the not so distant future!
It was electric!
And all of us in the animation industry were and are aware of the romantic history of the animation union. The tales of Art Babbit staring down Walt Disney.  The industry coming together. Fighting back the big studio mentality.
And with so many of us being new to the studio scene…we were more than happy to know that we had someone on OUR side. In OUR corner. Fighting for US.

Or so the union pamphlets and newsletters led us to believe.

The union, on paper is a great thing. Here are some of the touted benefits:
-job-related health coverage
-Unions (allegedly) help protect employees from unjust dismissal through collective bargaining agreements (CBA). Because of this, most union employees cannot be fired without “just cause.” This is unlike many nonunion workers who are considered “at-will” employees and can be fired at any time for almost any reason.
-Health benefits
– More job security (allegedly)  and better working conditions.
-A union “representative” that will  (allegedly) ‘work on your behalf’.

Ok. So those are some of the top tier things that the Union is said to do *for* you. IF….IF you are a part of a “Union”.
Note: make a mental bookmark #1 of this. As we’ll be coming back to it later on in the post.

The “Boom days” of the second golden age.
When I was hired out of school after my third year to be an animator, I was informed that I’d have to join the Union. It’s a requirement to work in the big studios. Or what’s called “union shops”.
I thought nothing about it really. Heard their story and was familiar with them.
So, join I did.
And of course in joining …you are paying union ‘dues’ to be a part of this elite club of sorts.
Those were amazing times! Booming to me seems almost an understatement. Studios literally fighting for talent. Scooping up people left and right.
We had lawyers. We had agents!!
Helping all of us navigate through the legalities of contracts, signing bonuses, benefits etc !
Imagine my surprise, fresh out of Cal-Arts and I have my own agent?? Whaaaaat????
Of course the union would keep us all informed on what’s happening around the industry.
What studios were hiring, what studios were starting up. What to expect down the pipeline from the union. Etc.
They would hold meetings that were presided over by the Union president as well as the union representative.
They’d have pizza and drinks for all of us. (side note: Pizza and drinks that WE the ‘members’ would actually be paying for…with the dues that we pay into the union.)

The meetings served mostly to mix and mingle. Share what they thought we needed to know about what the union is doing in the industry.
The union newsletter, the “Pegboard” came out regularly and served a similar purpose as the meetings did. As well as being a cheerleader of sorts for all of us as well as for itself.
And there was always talk and encouragement to go out and push the union line. Pass out union cards. Especially to the people working in non union shops. (I.E. television animation studios and commercial houses.)

The union rep would visit all the studios, and walk the halls. He would talk to us. Asking us how things were going and if we were being treated well.
It was pretty cool. It gave a great feeling that we were being looked after. A sense of security!

That is…until there wasn’t.

The Industry Crash
Around 1999(ish), things started to take a turn in the industry.
The films that had come out weren’t performing as well as needed. Or just flat out failing all together! Not that all of them were bad. Some were pretty damn good! One of which was a film I worked on..”Iron Giant”. But it bombed and bombed hard due to a lack of marketing on Warner Brothers part.
Studios were spooked. To put it mildly. Many of these studios saw the animation game as an easy ticket to quick profit.
Not really knowing how these things are done. And what needs to go into them to gain that success. Mistake after costly mistake was made. Which led to bomb after bomb.
Things slowed down. Jobs were being lost. And/or being sent over seas.
The big studios started cutting down on their staff. Which sent a lot of those folks into other avenues in the industry. Some went into storyboards. Many (such as myself) into tv animation.
It is in these times that I made the realization that the union, was only as strong and as the times allow them to be.

It was a very disillusioning moment to be sure. I would liken it to how Dorothy, tinman, scarecrow and the lion felt when the curtain is pulled away from the old man working the mechanisms that conjure up the ‘great wizard’.
Now…you could make the argument that it’s not fair to hold the union to blame for the industry going south. That is very very true.
But it is also very incorrect to hold them as the reason the industry was booming. Which is what many of us were doing. Which turned out to be equally wrong.

When things started to go south for the industry, my first negative encounter with the good folks at the union was when I found out that a portion of the ‘dues’ that we the members pay to the union, was going to political candidates.
Now….I don’t care what side of the aisle your on. I have a big issue with ANY of the money that we as members pay into the union going to any candidate of either and all political sides.
And I called the union rep to tell him just that.
The union rep told me that “we” as a group, vote on these things.
I…said that that doesn’t matter to me. If I..as an individual, have qualms about giving our hard earned dollars that are given to the union..to politicians..Whatever their stripe is..shouldn’t that be MY choice.
He of course said “no”.

I said: “then what you’re saying is that you are forcing us to
1) Pay dues.
2) Not have any say in how or where they go.
We couldn’t “opt out” if we disagreed as to where the money was going.

He (the union rep) said sweetly: “Of course you can opt out.”

“Really?” I replied. Rightfully confused.

“Steve”, he continued…”you have every right to opt out if you so chose. That’s entirely your choice to do so.”

I paused on the phone trying to make sense of what seemed like contradicting statements that he was telling me.
And then, of course…it became quite clear to me.

Me: “Aaaaaah. I get it now. You’re saying that we can opt out if we want. Correct?”
Union Rep: “Correct.” he replied.

Me: “…and I can work in the studios.”

Union Rep: “No.”

And therein lies the rub folks.
You CAN “opt out” if you choose to. You just have to forfeit working in the animation field almost all together.
Kind of an interesting little racket they have going on right? And by “Racket”…I mean RACKET (in the not too complementary sense of the word).
It’s like paying “protection money”. Only it doesn’t “protect” you from very much at all! As we will come to see later on in part 2.
Kinda sounds a little like 1930’s style of ‘protection’, doesn’t it?

The Demeaning and the vilifying
As the crash started, animation jobs were being thinned out and spread across the industry..many people were either laid off after their films wrapped, or saw the writing on the wall and left the big studios and went into the tv realm. Which were non-union shops.
The union was obviously well aware of this, and you then began to see articles pop up in the union newsletter the “Pegboard”. Articles about how terrible non union shops were. And how they hurt the industry. And how immoral they were. And how bad it was that so many people were working in them. And if YOU weren’t doing what you could to tow the union line and sign people up….well…boy howdy YOU were part of the problem.

Imagine that! Tons of artists laid off, scrambling for work, in an industry that now has a glut of people all fighting for the few jobs that are out there. And the union…has the gall to tell those people, who are doing what they can to pay their bills and feed their families…that THEY, are part of the problem.
Simply, because they are going into non union shops.

Amazing.

I was beside myself with anger. To say the least.
And I let it be known to the good folks at the “union”.
Calling yet again, that union rep and asking for clarification.
The line the rep gave me was the same old same old.
Non union shops bad. Low pay. Take advantage. No benefits. Send work overseas. Etc etc.
Now…again…bookmark #2 that last part of sending work overseas in your memory. This is going to be important later on.

My response to him was to not make people that are doing everything they can to survive in this industry feel like the bad guy.
We…certainly were not!
We were hard working veterans working and paying our dues in this industry (figuratively and monetarily) for years. And are deserving of a bit of respect rather than attack and scorn from this union.(THAT WE WERE PAYING DUES TO!!!)

Next: The Animation Union : Part Two! It gets worse…..

VIVA!!!

Filed Under: Archives

Happy New Year!!

January 7, 2019 by Steve Garcia Leave a Comment

I hope you all had a fantastic one!
Apologies for the slowed down posts. Holidays are usually very busy busy. And this one was no exception.
I don’t know if you all make ‘New Year resolutions’ or not. I rarely do. But changing that up for this year.
Looking ahead in the New Year, there’s going to be some fun stuff happening on my end and with this site. So! With that said, onto the ‘resolutions’ (or goals if you will).


RESOLUTIONS
(Goals)

–My new YouTube channel! Coming soon!
The channel will be very animation centered. But also with some speedpaints and things of that nature. I’ve been hankering to get back into animation end of things. But away from the confines and cookie cutter restraints of the industry and studio atmosphere.
Something of a more independent nature. Where I can do just what interests me, and what I think lovers of the animation medium might get a kick out of as well. There does seem to be a hunger for more independent work.
Along with original animations and stories, I will also post old pencil tests from some of the past films and tv shows I’ve worked on. ( “Cat’s don’t Dance”, “Iron Giant”, etc etc)
I think that this will be tons of fun. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I will.

-Online Store (on this site) will finally open!
Looking to have prints first. With other fun stuff later on down the line!

-Commission page(on this site) will open!
Looking to start off on a  limited fashion. As time permits. Hopefully midway through this year! I will indeed keep you posted! Keep your eyes peeled to the ‘commission” page for details as they happen.

-Shows and Conventions!
I can not wait for this to happen! Looking to finally get out there on the convention end of things. See tons of people, and get back to enjoying some convention time! It’s certainly been a while.
Hopefully toward the end of the year. Again, I will keep you posted!

There you have it. Gonna be busy busy busy! But exciting things are going to be happening. I look forward to sharing them right here. With you!

So with that, I raise my glass to you. And hope for a great new year for us all!

VIVA!!!!

 

 

Filed Under: Archives

STAN LEE: 1922-2018

November 25, 2018 by Steve Garcia 1 Comment

Stan Lee.
The name itself conjures up a smile. For many of us, he was the father of comics. A constant in the industry. A true comic book legend that is in great part responsible for the modern comic book age, and many of the popular characters that inhabit those worlds.
You couldn’t ask for a better ‘Ambassador’ of comics…than that of Stan Lee.

Stan Lee passed away earlier this month (November 12), at the age of 95.
For many of us comic book lovers and fans of the medium and creators in it…the news didn’t come as much of a shock.
All of us who were familiar with the last few years of Stans life were aware of the health issues he’d had. As well as the pain of losing his beloved Wife of 70 years, Joan on July 6th, 2017.


Nonetheless….it didn’t make it any easier to accept.

To say that the feeling is that of losing a loved one wouldn’t be too far off.
It did indeed feel like that. And for many of us, It was.
Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber, was one of the last of the “Golden Age” creators who worked in the 40’s and later in 1961, would (Primarily with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko ) go on to reinvent the comic book medium at Marvel only after being frustrated with the stale quality of comics in the late 50’s .
He was tapped by his publisher to head up a ‘super team’ for marvel (previously “Timely Comics”). At that time, Stan was thinking of quitting the industry all together, He was encouraged by his Wife Jeanie to do the type of stories and storytelling HE wanted to do. With characters that interested HIM. Since he was thinking of leaving anyway and had nothing to lose, why not just go all out?

And that’s exactly what he did.

Starting with the Fantastic Four, and moving on to other character books like Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, X-Men, Daredevil and of course Spiderman…and countless others. Instilling these characters with rich vibrant personalities, struggling with their own complicated life issues and problems.
It was unheard of up till then. Which is the very reason they became and remain so very popular.
Because….you…the reader, could relate to them. In some instances, you felt you could almost BE them!
And that was one of the things that made Stan so different and oh so damn important. His ability to make these characters actual people that you would actually WANT to not just invest your time in. But to also invest your heart in.

And many many did. And I was one of them.

The Controversy and the warring camps.

For some time now, there has been controversy surrounding Stan Lee.
With battling camps.
One camp being pro artist.
One camp being pro Stan the writer/creator.

The ‘pro artist’ camp sided greatly with greats like Kirby and Ditko, the two original artists with Lee at the time of the great “Marvel revolution”.
Angry and quick to point blame at Stan and question what and how much of a role he had (if any) in the creation of these characters.

The ‘pro Stan the writer’ camp vigorously defending Stan. Some a bit too much and too quick to give him all the credit.

The “pro Artist” are quick to say Kirby, being the creative genius he was…should get the lions share of credit. But it’s important to note, that Kirby had been working for some time before working with Lee…and yes, he did great stuff. But nothing reaching near the popularity as what came when working with Lee in those early years.
And even one of Kirby’s greatest of creations, “Captain America”, was a cardboard wooden character who ultimately was cut..and cancelled.
It wasn’t until they decided to revive him 10 years later in Avengers#4 (1964). And instill him with a personality and storylines that were vibrant and captivating.
And the audience ate it up. And THAT Cap….is the Cap that is still the Cap we know today and is the same Cap used in the movies. And it is one of the most popular characters.
And that Cap…we owe to Stan Lee.
Yes…Kirby gets credit too. But Lee, made that good character great!

 

I stand somewhere in the middle I believe.
I think these three men (primarily) needed eachother. And were there at the just the right time, and at just the right moment.
And with each other…together, threw caution to the air and came up with fantastic, incredible and amazing results.

But Stans influence is undeniable.
And evidence of his influence goes on and on.
When Stan Lee was given a chance to do something..and do it full guns ablazing. It was incredible. And tie him to creative artists who helped in the design, staging, and even plotting areas?
That’s magic folks!
Stan set a road map in how to do these things. And even rival DC took note.

Stan Lee, is not only just an extremely important individual to Marvel Comics.
He is an extremely important and valuable individual to comics in general.
The likes I’m not sure anyone else can match.

(I’m sure that many will cringe when reading that. Many will say “What about Kirby??”
I’ll have another post on the Stan v Jack issues at another time to address those issues.)

Stan: “The Man”

As a young kid in the 70’s, I was immersed in comic books. Wait..scratch that. I was immersed in Marvel Comics. And I devoured anything I could get my hands on or watch.
From the comic books (new and old back issues) to the “electric company” “Spiderman” episodes. To the live action 70’s “Hulk” and “Spiderman” tv series
The comics were the cornerstone though. Always the cornerstone.
And not just the stories.
One of the things that Stan brought to the table, was his want for a “community” of sorts. In his “soap box” editorials in the letters page, he would have what I’d say were almost ‘fireside chats’ with us fans. Talking right to us!
His humor and warmth. His bright beaming smile showing right through those written words.
And that was genuine.

He later would do the same thing through convention meet and greets, panel discussions, interviews, etc etc.
He did that through the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, 90’s and through the 2000’s.
All the way to his passing.

He didn’t just bring you along for the ride, He made you feel like you were part of the Marvel family. Even a part of the bullpen itself.
When I was 10 (I know that that is the age, because I remember being so amped up after watching the Spiderman tv show at night)…I would go to bed, and couldn’t sleep. Not because I had a sleep issue. But because I wanted to stay up and when everyone ELSE was asleep…I would get up, sneak into the living room/den area. And pretend that I were a new hire at Marvel. And I was being introduced by Stan Lee to the bullpen.
“Steve! Let me introduce you to John Byrne! And over here is Frank Miller! Hey Art!! Art Adams!! Get over here and say hi to our new recruit!”
HAH!

He was comics. And he wanted you to know that YOU were too. We were family.

He made comic book convention appearances almost all the way up to his passing. Why?
He certainly didn’t need the money.
He didn’t need the fame.
He surly could have spent that time doing any number of things.
No…he did it because again…he was comics. And he loved spending time immersed in the culture.
He loved the fans. Basked in the LOVE that he got from them.
He fed off of it.
He thrived off of it.

More than just a creative force…he was a true Ambassador of the medium.
And no one could ask for a better one.

With the loss of Jack Kirby in 1994.
And the recent loss of the great Steve Ditko this past June 2018.
And now..with the passing of Stan Lee on November 12, 2018.
We say adieu to the trifecta of creators, that for the most part gave us the “Marvel Universe” that we have now and continue to enjoy in both comics as well as cinema.
I would argue that Stan Lee stands side by side with Walt Disney as the two most important and influential people in entertainment . And that isn’t hyperbole either.

artwork(to the right) credited to original artist. (not my own)

While we say good bye to them on this earth, we will never be without them. As their creations and works live on.

Stan..thank you for talking to us. Talking to us as if you were talking to a friend.
Thank you for involving us. And inviting us to be a part of the “Mighty Marvel Marching Society”.
Inventing characters that weren’t just *like* us..but in many ways were us.
You were more than just a writer/editor (one of the best ever by the way). More than a publisher. More than a creator.

You were family.

And because of that…we mourn you something awful.
But we also celebrate and keep you close to us. Knowing that you are no further away than opening one of our many longboxes of comics, or TPB’s.

We Love ya.
You will always be with us.

So as a wise man once said:

…………………….”NUFF’ SAID”……………

And…………

 

****
*Post Note: This post was originally to be about the animation union. But understandably got pushed back to the passing of the great Stan Lee.

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