European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 2, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Experimenting with other insect inspired protagonists a ant Man the Wasp. This time he said "1 decided i wanted a Guy who could climb up of but what to Call him spider Man was t the first Choice. A i thought of insect Man a Lee remembered. A that did no to have much sex Appeal. Then Mosquito Man. That was stupid. I went Down the list of every insect i could find and somehow the word a a spider seemed to have. More drama to spider Man first appeared in 1962, and quickly became the quintessential Marvel character. Peter Parker the wimpy teen Ager who became spider Man after being bitten by a radioactive spider was fussy ambivalent and neurotic driven More by ambition or revenge than by pure instinct to do Good. This most regular of Guys became the most popular superhero on the planet. Like a father Lee has watched his character mature and shoulder All the burdens of adult life. Though he rarely writes for the comic books anymore Lee still docs the spider Man strip that appears in 500 newspapers worldwide including the stars and stripes. A a it a like having a task that never ends a sighed Lee As if he minded the work. A daily comic strip would be considered a full time Job for some people. For Lee its just one of a Long inventory of tasks that keeps him working 12-hour Days. As the creative head of a $10 million plus company Lee oversees every facet of the multimedia Marvel world. From his Home in l.a., he develops and negotiates ideas for television and movies. His most recent Success was a Deal for a major motion picture production of spider Man by the same director who made aliens and terminator 2. Other films starring the fantastic four Iron Man and or. Strange arc also planned. Though he a in his late 60s a my wife does no to like me to get More specific in photographs Lee still has the smart Lecky look of a kid having a helluva Good time. Though he commented More than once about How Busy he feels he revealed no plans to slow Down. An obvious question arose. Why not eliminate the daily spider Man strip surely someone else could write it. But spider is in Leeds blood it Wasny to just the Skinny Parker who was bitten by an arachnid Way Back when. A i would feel id lost All Contact if i did t write it a Lee explained. A after All those years in the comics its hard just to Cut yourself Northstar comes flying out of the closet in the latest Issue of marvels Alpha flight series. Marvel draws out Northstar a homosexuality by the associated press Superman came out of phone Booths. Marvel comics Northstar comes out of the closet. Northstar a revelation is depicted in the latest Issue of marvels Alpha flight series which hit stateside stores last week. The plot is a Little complicated but of so politically Correct. Northstar adopts an orphaned baby who tests Iii positive. There san outpouring of sympathy for her when suddenly someone bursts into the baby a Hospital room and threatens to kill her. A what could that innocent child have done to you a Northstar demands As he flings the Man away from the baby. Quot my son Michael was a victim of aids As Well a the stranger says As they tussle. Quot but he was Gay so people did no to afford him the luxury of being innocent. There were no press conferences no fund raisers no nightly news updates. He was just one of thousands who died of aids last Northstar responds Quot do not presume to lecture me on the hardships homosexuals must Bear. No one knows them better than i. For while i am not inclined to discuss my sexuality with people Lor whom it is none of their business a 1 am Gay a Northstar who has been in the series since 19k2, Isnit the first mainstream comic Book superhero to be identified As Gay. Last Spring the pied Piper a Ontic cd on Page 6 february 2, 1992 sunday a Page 5
