After the passing of Stan Lee, celebrities and comic book creators let the world know just how important the Excelsior-spouting writer was to their lives, with many of us appreciating what they have to say. Evangeline Lilly is the latest celebrity to do that, as the actress shows her appreciation to the man who created both Ant-Man and the Wasp, who now have a blockbuster movie together.
Published by The Hollywood Reporter, Lilly's letter discusses how Lee was the kind of person who was great to be around. The Marvel icon had an infectious personality that no one could ever hate and Lilly pointed out how he has left an impact on so many people. Fans can check out the letter below and they may want a tissue handy for what they are about to read.
I didn't truly know Stan Lee. I typically connected with him at comic conventions where I would find myself utterly worn-out and growing ragged or weary. It was usually around that time in the day that I would hear a stir in the crowd, and then watch a true rock star electrify thousands of awaiting fans with the wave of his exuberant, 95-year-old hand. He delighted me every time. "How does he have more energy at 95 than I do at 39?" I would ask myself.
It didn't take much time in Stan's presence to observe a few things:
Stan had hit enough hard knocks to be grateful for what he had. He adored his fans, his Marvel world and didn't take that success for granted.
Stan liked to be alive. Around Stan, life always felt sexier. There was a lustrousness to how he would look at you with those childlike eyes, talk to you in that gravelly voice and drape his arm around you like you were an old pal. It seemed, with Stan, there wasn't enough time in life for strangers – everyone was a friend.
Stan's aura ofvibranceand joy was infectious. "No wonder he creates exciting and wonderful worlds, and characters," I would think, "our wonderful world still excites him."
At a time when the world feels so tragic, I hope Stan's life and legacy will remind us, today, of the wonders and the hope that still exists among, and within, us. I want to keep telling Stan's stories because I want to keep that spirit alive with him as I carry on angling to "skid in sideways" to my bitter end with as much zeal and panache as Stan managed to. He is an inspiration to me.
Live on, Stan. Legends never die.
Lilly portrayed Hope Van Dyne, a character Lee did not create. However, Stan did create the superhero known as The Wasp, along with her original identity Janet Van Dyne. Lee also made Hank Pym, the first Ant-Man, who has also gone by Giant-Man, Goliath, Yellow Jacket, and even The Wasp. He's an older mentor to Scott Lang in the film.
The sequel to Ant-Man, Ant-ManandThe Wasp ended up being a solid MCU movie and had a great post-credit sequence that connected it to Avengers: Infinity War. Scott Lang is currently stuck in the Quantum Realm and is expected to use time travel to help out the Avengers.
Avengers 4 comes out on May 3, 2019.
Read:Avengers: Infinity War's Sebastian Stan Doubts Bucky's Return To The MCU