The First Time: Kevin Smith

In this installment of The First Time, filmmaker Kevin Smith details his first conversation with Stan Lee, all the times hes been to Comic Con, and his long-lasting love affair with jean shorts.

The writer, director, and star of Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as well several other comic book-related films, Smith is no stranger to fantastical stories. He remembers the first time he went to see Star Wars, and the first time he met Mark Hamill years later. Watching the film was the birth of my super fandom, he admits. That moment came full circle on the set of Jay and Silent Bob (where Hamill plays Cocknocker) when Smiths mom said to Hamill, When [Smith] was a little boy, he used to play with your action figure. And now that hes grown up, he just plays with you.

Smith, who owns the comic book store Jay and Silent Bobs Secret Stash in New Jersey, says hes spent a lot of time at comic book conventions over the years. It was like going to a garage sale where you wanted to buy everything, he said. I said, this is where I want to live and die. In his 1995 film Mallrats, Smith went from superfan to co-star again, alongside Stan Lee. As much as I love him for all the characters hes created, I think I really love the real Stan Lee as well.

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Though hes played a stoner in his films, Smith says he fell in love with jorts before he got hitched to weed. A good idea is a good fucking idea, he said about the denim fashion trend. The only other celebrity who shares his infatuation is John Cena, who went out of business trying to sell jorts. I was 16 when I wore the jorts; 33 years in jorts. Thats longer than my marriage. He says he later discovered the same enthusiasm for smoking weed, realizing that his first time he just got some bad shit.

Smith will reprise his role as Silent Bob inJay and Silent Bob Reboot in theaters, which will screen in 600 U.S. theaters on October 15th with a special video message from Mewes and Smith featured before the screenings. On October 17th, it will be part of a double-feature with Strike Back (click here for ticket information). On October 20th, Smith and Mewes will launch the The Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow where they will tour the film in select markets.