Stan Lee's 'Romeo and Juliet' Debuting at Comic-Con

Manga and Shakespeare united ? It’s true. Stan Lee did it.

The creator of Spider Man plans to unveil his latest creation at the 2011 New York Comic-Con – “Romeo and Juliet: The War.” If you thought the complex storyline of two young, star-crossed lovers couldn’t get any sadder, then try adding cyborgs and genetically enhanced humans to the mix (and yes, those are the Montagues and the Capulets, respectively). In the midst of superhuman soldiers, an epic battle to rule the futuristic Empire of Verona will emerge, leaving Romeo and Juliet to fight for love and peace.

Even though the names Stan and Lee and Shakespeare do not often occupy the same sentence, the comic book legend has apparently always felt a connection to the Bard's work. When Lee first read "Romeo and Juliet" as a child, he told USA Today, "I had tears in my eyes."

Given the elaborate sci-fi premise, perhaps we should hope that no one gets misty over Lee's verision and decides to fast-track a film adaptation. On the bright side, if you end up checking it out and it’s not your cup of tea, you can always use it as a coaster - the hardcover coffee-table edition will be released Nov. 30.

Pictured: Stan Lee (Photo: Getty Images)