Tanuj Virwani: Stan Lee showed us that being a superhero was also about having a heart

Actor Tanuj Virwani is a diehard fan of Stan Lee. He says, “Stan Lee almost single-handedly reinvigorated the

superhero

genre by infusing fresh life into it. Who could’ve thought of an ant, a spider or a man with anger issues being transformed into superheroes? But he did. He showed us that there is something special inside each of us and that being a superhero wasn’t just about flying around or having super powers, but also having a heart. I have been collecting superhero memorabilia, including movie and comic props, figures and statues since I was 19. A lot of people have this misconception that it is no different from collecting toys, but the ones I have are actually museum-standard replicas, which are both rare and of high quality. I think in today’s day and age, everyone needs a hobby, some downtime, that is only for themselves, and this hobby of mine has given me a lot of happiness over the years.”
He adds, “I grew up on Stan Lee comic books. I would read whatever I could get my hands on, especially in the late 90s. X Men,

Spider-Man

, Iron Man, you name it and I’ve read them all. The artwork and visual narrative are so beautifully blended that it’s almost like poetry in motion. My interest in them grew further when the studio started with the

Iron Man

series. I make it a point to visit the local

comic book

store whenever I travel abroad, be it Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, NYC or LA. They have such a rich culture and tradition of comic book lore. In fact, my dream is to travel to Japan, as I think their stuff is brilliant.”