Warning! Spoilers for Suicide Squad #11 by DC Comics
In this week's incredibly meta Suicide Squad #11 from DC Comics, Ambush Bug took the form of Stan Lee while doing a roll call for Marvel-inspired heroes. The fourth-wall-breaking hero just introduced Task Force X to the Retaliators, pastiches of the Marvel's Avengers from Earth-8. To make the introductions even more meta, Ambush Bug briefly changed his face to resemble Lee - while keeping his bug-like body.
The late Stan Lee was a tour de force in the comic industry, helping introduce multiple generations of readers to superhero comics. He would co-create some of the most iconic pop culture figures of all time, including Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, alongside the likes of Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and other talented artists and creators. Lee also did some work for DC Comics, including writing his take on the publisher's greatest heroes, the Justice League. Lee sadly passed away in 2018, but his impact is still felt in modern comics - including in a more literal fashion this week, where he makes a secret cameo in Suicide Squad #11... sort of.
In Suicide Squad #11 by Robbie Thompson, Dennis Hopeless, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Dexter Soy, Marcelo Maiolo, and Dave Sharpe, the Suicide Squad ends up on Earth-8, home of the Retaliators. The group of heroes, who first appeared in Grant Morrison's Multiversity: Guidebook, are clear parodies of the Avengers. However, the new comic emphasizes the similarities by having Ambush Bug, DC's resident fourth-wall breaker, provide small introductions for each hero. He describes Machine-Head (Iron Man) as an "iron-willed" hero, Red Dragon (Black Widow) as "a spy with a black past," and Purple Rain (Scarlet Witch) as "a witch with a vision." Following the introductions, Ambush Bug appears on the bottom of the page sporting a look strikingly similar to Stan Lee - albeit as a green bug.
In his Stan Lee form, Ambush Bug tells readers the Marvel/DC pastiches are fun but not as cool as the Amalgam crossover comics from the '90s. Funny enough, Ambush Bug was one of those characters featured in the '90s comic crossover series, as the DC hero was combined with Marvel's Lunatik becoming the Ambush the Lunatic. However, Lee wasn't with Marvel Comics during the Amalgam era.
Lee will forever be a legend and will always be remembered as one of its most important figures. While his secret Ambush Bug cameo in Suicide Squad #11 is played for laughs, seeing Stan Lee, even with a green bug taking his face, is always a welcome sight.