Las Cruces fans mourn comic book icon Stan Lee: ‘I told myself I wouldn’t cry’

Much like in countless countries and communities around the world, Stan Lee’s memory lives on in Las Cruces.

“I teared up,” said Jennifer Dawn Smith, “It’s like finding out your favorite grandfather passed away.”

“I saw it on social media and I was like, ‘I should come to the comic book store,’ said Lucky Cruz, who woke up to the news.

At Zia Comics in downtown Las Cruces, a copy of Giant-Size X-Men #1 from 1975 bears the signature: Stan Lee and is priced at $400.

“If we had a nerd flag, I’d guarantee they’d all be flying at half mast today,” said Trevor Cooper, who has worked at Zia Comics for four years.

Overwhelmingly, Las Cruces fans said they appreciated and related to the imperfect characters that Lee created.

“Every character he created, there was something majorly wrong with them,” Cooper said. “From Stony Stark’s alcoholism to Peter Parker’s financial troubles.”

“You feel like maybe you could be them,” Smith said. “Because they’re not perfect.”