Press Release: His name is synonymous with great comic book titles, and subsequent films, such as X-Men, Iron Man and The Fantastic Four. For more than 60 years, Stan Lee has been a symbol of strength, determination and artistic excellence. His work has been held in such high regard that the County of Los Angeles declared October 2 to be Stan Lee Day and he received the 2,428th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2011. Other titles co-credited to Stan Lee include Thor, Captain America and The Hulk, all of which have been made into major blockbuster movies within the past decade.??Not only has he championed the world of comics, he has also championed the world of arts and literacy, having devoted much of his time to advocating the development of writers and artists throughout the United States.

"The work that Stan Lee has done to foster the growth of artists and writers on a global scale is outstanding," says Kandrix Foong, Event Director of the Calgary Expo. "The Artists Alley section of our convention, which showcases both aspiring and professional artists, has been made possible thanks to people like Stan Lee. He's a real life superhero for a lot of people."

Artists Alley, comprised of 160 artists from around the world, is featured annually at the Calgary Expo. It is designed to cultivate relationships between artists and their fans, whilst offering increased exposure and edifying this dynamic community of creative minds.

The Calgary Expo is a non-profit organization that showcases the incredible talent of comic creators, artists, actors, voice actors, musicians, writers and pop culture icons from all over the world. Founded in 2006, the convention has grown rapidly having hosted guests from every genre including Leonard Nimoy, artist Ernie Chan, voice actors Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche and Jess Harnell, and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. The 2011 convention saw 30,000 attendees and is the second largest convention of its kind in all of Canada.

Guests for the 2012 Calgary Expo currently include Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street), Amanda Tapping (Stargate: SG-1, Sanctuary), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, 24), James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Adam West (original Batman), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Adam Baldwin (Firefly), John Noble (Fringe), Dave Prowse (Star Wars, A Clockwork Orange) Tom Felton (Harry Potter 1-8), and the nine principal cast members from Star Trek: The Next Generation.??The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo will be held April 27 – 29, 2012 at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

For more information and tickets, visit our website at www.calgaryexpo.com