So we were doing sign language with our kids before they were old enough to talk, just as a way to help them communicate while pre-verbal. We didn’t really keep it up, except my wife and I did latch onto the I Love You sign, which we do to each other frequently.
And this morning I realized where I’d seen this gesture before:
I don’t know if Stan Lee knew this when he picked that gesture for Spider-Man, but whether he did or not, it’s awesome :-) Jesus may or may not love you, but Spider-Man always has!
Originally Steve Ditko had Spidey doing the shocker, but when Jack Kirby’s kids caught it Stan had to let Steve go and they changed the gesture. Stan wanted it to be the Hawaiian surfer culture ‘hang loose’ gesture, but didn’t actually know what it looked like, which is how we ended up with the gesture he does now.
The funny thing is, in the movies with the organic web slinging, there is no need for him to make that sign. The only reason he has to do that is to push the button on his palm to shoot the webs.
Which raises the question, “Why didn’t Spider-man’s webs shoot whenever he picked something up, or shook hands with someone, or a million other things you do which include the palms of your hands?”