Las Vegas Weekly

May 10, 2010 · 5:10 PM

Photos: Stan Lee three-day tribute includes star, Iron Man 2 success

By Robin Leach

The Palms honor Stan Lee on May 7, 2010.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

It was a three-day tribute celebration at the Palms to comic book hero Stan Lee, but it was the morning after -- on the fourth day -- that he received the best news of all. His Iron Man 2 had opened over the weekend with a blockbuster haul of more than $128 million, making it the fifth-highest opening weekend of all time and topping Iron Man, which started with $98 million in 2008.

The explosive start of the actioner starring Robert Downey Jr. as the title character continued overseas with $57 million in its second week of release, taking that total to $194 million. So with a premiere here, Stan was smiling pretty with the worldwide take of $322 million in just two weeks.

On his first night at the Palms, I introduced Stan to a VIP audience at the local premiere of Iron Man 2, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke. Stan then celebrated with a launch party at Moon.

On the second night, I was emcee for the presentation by cinema owner Johnny Brenden of the Celebrity Star to Stan to mark his seven decades of legendary entertainment with Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, X-Men and Iron Man. Other Celebrity Stars at Brenden Theaters in the Palms include Sylvester Stallone, Dennis Hopper, Michael Jackson, Kid Rock, Hugh Hefner and Rhonda Fleming, who was Johnny’s grandmother.

We acknowledged Stan as one of the most read and influential authors in America for the past 50 years. Despite all his successes, he remains modest and refers to himself simply as the writer of a few comic book stories.

Stan told me: “I may be 87, but we’re not slowing down yet. I’m still creating comic book heroes. I enjoy what I do so much I’ll never retire. We’ve got a whole lot of movie deals going on, along with video games and comic books. Now more than ever, America needs some great heroes again.”

When I asked him if it was possible to have a favorite from all of his creations, he simply told me that he likes the ones that are the most popular and profitable!

Then I hosted the closing tribute dinner Saturday, and substituting for Mayor Oscar Goodman read his official proclamation that it was Stan Lee Day. Walt Disney Co. executives attended and sponsored the dinner that raised funds for the Stan Lee Foundation, a nonprofit promoting literacy and funding educational programs and access to the arts for underprivileged children in underserved communities.

An incredible display of Marvel Comics memorabilia valued at more than $1 million was on display. A highlight of the dinner was a presentation to Stan of his portrait made from more than 45,000 pixels of cells from film used in his hit movies.

Our contributing photographer Scott Harrison captured all the highlights, and loyal Vegas DeLuxe reader Richard Corey posted his video coverage on YouTube.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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