Broken Frontier

Call him a pop culture icon, a critically-acclaimed film director, or a comic book writer, but just don't call him Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith has just signed on to host the December 2nd UCLA event MARVEL THEN AND NOW: An Evening with Stan Lee and Joe Quesada.

The event is a benefit function for the Hero Initiative, a federally-chartered not-for-profit charity that provides financial assistance for comic creators in need. It will be conducted in the vein of Inside The Actor's Studio, only without the pretense and with a lot more cool.

Lee was the first editor in chief of Marvel Comics and co-creator of such characters as Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four and many others, while Quesada currently holds the editor-in-chief title at the company Stan helped build. Smith, cast in the James Lipton role for the evening, brings along with him a healthy knowledge of Marvel lore, having written a celebrated run of Marvel's DAREDEVIL comic book.

"Kevin knows his stuff," Quesada said. "I can't think of anyone else who can really keep up with Stan the way Kevin can."

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at UCLA's Ackerman Grand Ballroom, are now on sale at the UCLA Box Office and all Los Angeles area Ticketmaster outlets. You can also buy them online from Ticketmaster.

Ticket prices are $18 for UCLA students and $20 for non-students, with all proceeds going to benefit the Hero Initiative, a federally chartered not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance for comic creators in need. Tickets are also available for a VIP reception before the program which will feature the ability to hob-knob, rub elbows and otherwise just hang out with Stan and Joe and some of the evening's special guests. Those tickets are $100, and also benefit The Hero Initiative.  T o purchase VIP tickets, call the UCLA box office at 310-825-2101.