The Truth Behind Stan Lee's Final Cameo

Mewes met Stan Lee for the first time back when "Stan Lee cameos" weren't really a thing. It was 1995, on the set of Mallrats, Kevin Smith's second film and first feature with the backing of a major studio. 

"To me, Mallrats is my first movie, because it was like it became real," Mewes recalled. "Like I'm in Minnesota, staying in a hotel, and there's wardrobe, and there's stunt guys, and I get to hang from a grappling hook, and I get to meet Stan Lee for the first time." 

It would probably have come as a surprise to the younger Mewes that he would go on to meet Lee over and over again in the years to come, as the two toured the same circles at comic book conventions and movie sets — but that doesn't mean he's not still proud of his poster for Mallrats, signed by Lee himself.

"When I first met Stan, I think I got something signed, way back in '95 or so when we made Mallrats, because I was so excited," Mewes said. That first piece of memorabilia got unfortunately misplaced, but no matter — they'd meet again. 

"I saw him many, many times after that at different comic book conventions," Mewes continued. "We did an Audi commercial. Kevin directed, Stan was there."

Their relationship came full circle when Lee made an appearance reading the script for Mallrats in 2019's Captain Marvel, effectively immortalizing the movie, and Mewes himself, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.