Stan Lee is perhaps one of the most widely recognizable faces when it comes to pop culture.

When it was revealed that Stan had passed away, a lot of celebrities made posts recounting their first encounter with Stan or how they first discovered him. For me, I don’t think I can truly pinpoint the exact moment when I knew who he was. It feels like he has always been there. His face has always been associated with marvel for me.

He’s like a grandfather in that way. Maybe it’s just because my generation has only seen the last 20% of Stan’s life, but he’s always looked the same. He’s always been the excited burst of energy. He’s always been a fan of his fans.

While I can’t recall when I heard about Stan, there is one moment that always comes to my head when I think of him.

My girlfriend and I were watching Comic Book Men, a show about Kevin Smith’s Comic Shop, Jay and Silent’s Bob’s Secret Stash. In one episode, they were lucky enough to have Stan come in for a guest appearance. Stan, at 92 years old, strides into the shop and hops on to the counter to sit. He literally flew through the air and and plopped himself on to the table. He then went into asking questions to the comic book men themselves, who could barely speak through their dropped jaws.

I don’t know why that image sticks with me. I think it’s because seeing Stan with all the excitement and child-like energy that he has always promoted was a great feeling.

Stan refused to settle into a comfy recliner and watch soap opera. He refused to sit on the porch and yell at pesky kids. He refused to become inactive. Granted, he couldn’t write much anymore or produce much media, but he was more than happy to be in them!

I have always wondered which celebrity, if any, would make me cry if they died. Stan is the first. He was the first person I looked up to in the comic industry. He was the first to inspire me to become a writer. He was the first to make my cry.

It comes from the bottom of all creatives and superhero fans alike, that we give Stan one last…”excelsior!”