Comic-book marvel Stan Lee, still at it (2/3ページ)

Hardly. It's an ashtray that Joan, his wife of 60 years, brought back from England decades ago. "It's a promotional item for Bengal Gin," Lee says, examining the tiger's underbelly.

Every modern-day superhero sensation spawns a line of merchandising, but Lee says he does not take that into consideration when dreaming up new characters.

"I try to think of a hero or a heroine or a story that people will enjoy and want to see more of," he says. "If you come up with the right item, you can always find a way to have dolls and toys and games, but that's not what is on my mind originally."

A man who values fun more than most anything, he concedes that the first "Hulk" movie (in 2003) proved "a little too depressing. Not a lot of fun there." He has higher hopes for the next installment, for which he shot a cameo just two weeks ago.

He hints that he will be seen staring incredulously at something while marveling, "Wow."

"I'm a ham, so I tried to prolong it to "WOWWWW,' " Lee says. "But the director, Louis Leterrier, said: "No, Stan. Just give us a little "whoa.' "

Lee's blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameos have become routine in each of Marvel's superhero films. It "started out (with 2000's "X-Men") as a courtesy, but they're beginning to realize that's what brings people into the theaters," Lee says, joking. "I'm amazed that DC Comics hasn't used me in "Batman" or "Superman". Think of the talk that would cause."