marvelI can’t imagine my world without the Marvel Universe.  It was my gateway to my love of reading.  I still have my comic collection and everyone of my favorites had the name Stan “The Man” Lee on the inside cover.  Stan brought into existence a world that fascinated my youth; a world where awkward youth like Peter Parker could become powerful and clever by nothing more than a bite from a radioactive spider.  I was drawn to his teams and I collected the Avengers and X-Men as a youth and up until Caitlin’s birth (children are so expensive!).

Jimmy Lunney - 57

My cousin Jimmy Lunney, who past away a year ago last December, was the person who brought me into the comic world; of course, he was DC; Justice League versus my Avengers, Captain America versus Batman, etc.  I am forever grateful to Jimmy for instilling my love of stories where good triumphs over evil and the good guy gets the girl.

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Lastly, comics fueled a love of art and I became devoted to the art of John Byrne, Arthur Adams, and Neal Adams.  I loved to draw the key scenes from their comics.

So thank you Stan Lee. Excelsior!