Stan Lee to host ‘Avengers’ screening at Catalina Film Festival

If you want to do brunch with comic book impresario Stan Lee, it will cost you -- right now about $1,550.

That’s the current minimum bid for a shot at attending a VIP brunch at the Catalina Film Festival on May 5 with the co-creator of Spider-man, the Hulk and a slew of other famous characters. The winning bidder gets a seat at the table and other cool stuff, including passes to the film festival in Avalon on Catalina Island, two autographed comic books and ferry tickets to get there and back.

Bidding ends noon Pacific time Thursday, and of course it’s all for charity. Proceeds benefit the film festival and the Catalina Island Conservancy.

But brunch isn’t the only Lee-centric event at the three-day festival. The former Marvel Comics president, who co-founded the new POW! Entertainment company, also will host a special screening of “The Avengers” on the film’s opening weekend. He’ll introduce a showing of the documentary “With Great Power -- The Stan Lee Story” and appear on a panel to answer questions about his work and his life.

And on opening night (May 4), he will be presented with the Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Award, which gives a nod to films and filmmakers who espouse “a philosophy of individual opportunity, optimism and pride,” a film festival statement says.

The festival, May 4-6, will feature 75 films and present awards for animation (Lee will present this award), feature, documentary, student, short and other categories. Films will be shown at the Avalon Casino Theater and other venues. Tickets range from $8 for students and seniors to individual screenings to $150 for a weekend pass to $2,000 for two VIP guests.

Contact: Catalina Film Festival