A local comic book lover has completed an off-beat charity project this month by enlisting the help of one of his heroes – Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee.
Saanich-based writer Troy Wilson brought together comic book artists from around the globe to create comic strips featuring various apes, lemurs and monkeys, all in effort to help primates in need of rescue.
Every Wednesday since October, Wilson has posted a new strip to the Panels for Primates anthology at ACT-I-VATE.com.
Once readers have checked out the primate-themed works, they’re encouraged to visit www.primaterescue.org and make a donation to support the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville, Kentucky. The centre cares for neglected primates and works to tighten animal protection laws and to stop the international trade of the animals.
The anthology – which Wilson hopes to see published in print to further his support of the centre – covers a range of styles, including a strip from local artist Gareth Gaudin. Despite his relentless efforts to see the project to completion, Wilson was stunned when Lee agreed to contribute.
“Just to get a script from Stan Lee in my inbox, no matter how short it may have been was just amazing on a number of levels,” Wilson said. “He’s been a hero of mine forever.”
Lee, now 88, is the co-creator of such well-known characters as Spider-Man, Hulk, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Thor, and Iron Man.
For the primate panel, Lee collaborated with Dean Haspiel on the strip “Even Gorillas Have Pride!”
Haspiel, Emmy award-winning artist and illustrator for HBO’s “Bored to Death,” was also thrilled to work with Lee, Wilson said.
“I could have probably raised a lot more money in a lot of different ways,” Wilson said, adding he’s happy with how things turned out. “It’s more artistically a success.The stories are fabulous.”
The Primate Rescue Center is still accepting donations on behalf of Panels for Primates. The complete anthology remains available at act-i-vate.com/114.comic.
To view Lee and Haspiel’s entire contribution follow the link to the final week, No. 36.
nnorth@saanichnews.com