In the world of geek culture, there are many notables, but few certified legends. One of those icons of entertainment is Stan Lee, former Marvel Comics boss, and creator (or co-creator) of multiple classic characters that fans cherish to this day. When one has a hand in creating folks like Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk, it's perfectly understandable that fans of both comics and the superhero genre at large are going to want to meet that person, and Lee has always been happy to oblige on that front.
The now 93-year-old has been a staple of the convention scene for decades, and has only recently started winding down his formerly heavy schedule of appearances. Sadly, today brought news of one notable event that's about to get its last dose of Stan "The Man" Lee.
New York Comic-Con has announced that its 2016 iteration will be the last to feature Stan Lee as a guest. No specific reason has been offered as to why Lee is calling it quits on NYC convention appearances, but considering Lee has now reached the grand age of 93, it's pretty reasonable that he would want to start retiring from the exhausting convention circuit, and is deciding when his final appearances at the major cons will be on his own terms. Lee revealed in a Radio Times interview earlier this year that his eyesight and hearing are failing, though he is otherwise in good health.
Another factor is that Lee is probably tiring of traveling long distances to get to different events, as supported by his decision to name this September's Fan Expo Canada as his final appearance in the great white north earlier this year. Lee also made what he noted as his final European convention stop back in 2014. This suggests that decades of air travel around to different destinations may have finally caught up to Lee, leading him to want to spend less time on airplanes in the coming years.
However, fear not true believers, as Lee is not retiring from the convention scene entirely, and still plans to attend events on the west coast for the time being. This makes sense, as Lee is based in California, arguably the geek convention capital of the U.S. That said, unless fans in the northeast can afford to travel cross-country to go to a con, NYCC 2016 may be their last chance to rub elbows with the man who revolutionized Marvel.
New York Comic-Con 2016 takes place from October 6-9, 2016.
Source: NYCC