We all knew it was coming sooner rather than later, but the co-creator of much of the Marvel Universe has passed away. I won't bother going through his résumé—or my feelings on the accuracy of said résumé, now is not the time for that—you all know the basics, and I'm sure plenty will be said on the subject in the coming days. I'll just say for now that his passing marks the end of an era, and love him or hate him, he made comics fun and will rightfully go down as one of the great forces of the industry.
There's this documentary that aired on History Channel many years ago, "Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked" that is the sort of overview of comic history that everyone here already knows. I still watch it from time to time just because it makes me happy. Of course Stan is featured prominently in this documentary and is as charismatic as he always is.
I thought about this documentary now because so much of what is talked about in it is now truly history. Those involved are almost all gone. Our only connection to that past is from people who knew them.
I don't want to let go of that past.
I'm afraid that soon the elder statemen of the comic book world are going to be those creators of the cynical 80s and 90s. As much as we are losing a legend, and from all accounts a kind man, in Stan Lee, we're also losing comic books as an art-form of optimism, and dare I say, innocence.
The conclusion I am drawing today is that Stan Lee's most successful, most beloved creation was the persona of Stan Lee.
Post-Kirby leaving Marvel that's the character he's had the most success with. Smilin' Stan is certainly what people will be thinking of instead of later Stan Lee (co-)creations like Solarman, Stripperella, Chakra the Invincible, The Annihilator, Heroman or The Reflection.
Certainly, as someone whose introduction to the man was his narration on Marvel cartoons it's that voice, it's the Stan's Soapbox voice, that means more to me than his comics writing. By the time I came to that, I'd already been made aware of authorship issues involved.
Looking forward to Mark Evanier's obit, as I am curious when the lines blurred for Lee and the public persona became almost of the whole of the man (appearances like the one on Jonathan Ross' Ditko doc suggest it never complete consumed him).
We all knew it was coming sooner rather than later, but the co-creator of much of the Marvel Universe has passed away. I won't bother going through his résumé—or my feelings on the accuracy of said résumé, now is not the time for that—you all know the basics, and I'm sure plenty will be said on the subject in the coming days. I'll just say for now that his passing marks the end of an era, and love him or hate him, he made comics fun and will rightfully go down as one of the great forces of the industry.
I don't have to write my feelings now.
Instead I will give you an account from my wife's class of middle schoolers. Upset Female student 1: Stan Lee just died. Female student 2: Who? Female student 1 berating her friend for not knowing that the old guy from the marvel movies created the marvel universe.
Stan Lee has been a constant in 4 generations of people for their entire . Stan was never a "writer" to me; he wrote every marvel comic ever. Why else would they have "Stan lee presents" on every comic? he was s a constant presence in Stan's Soapbox, introducing cartoons, the bullpen bulletin. To that little girl he was the old guy in the movies. To a certain generation he was a hack and the funky flashman.
It's pretty incredible that so many people, of so many ages have gotten to know him in so many ways. He wasn't perfect, he had flaws, but Stan the Man was the ambassador for comics for 70+ years
RIP Stan Lee. Hopefully one of the guys can repost the Stan Lee CGS interview in the podcast thread in the next few days when you get a chance. Thanks guys. @wildpigcomics@Adam_Murdough@ShaneKelly
mphil
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I thought about this documentary now because so much of what is talked about in it is now truly history. Those involved are almost all gone. Our only connection to that past is from people who knew them.
I don't want to let go of that past.
I'm afraid that soon the elder statemen of the comic book world are going to be those creators of the cynical 80s and 90s. As much as we are losing a legend, and from all accounts a kind man, in Stan Lee, we're also losing comic books as an art-form of optimism, and dare I say, innocence.
Today is truly a sad day. 😢
Post-Kirby leaving Marvel that's the character he's had the most success with. Smilin' Stan is certainly what people will be thinking of instead of later Stan Lee (co-)creations like Solarman, Stripperella, Chakra the Invincible, The Annihilator, Heroman or The Reflection.
Certainly, as someone whose introduction to the man was his narration on Marvel cartoons it's that voice, it's the Stan's Soapbox voice, that means more to me than his comics writing. By the time I came to that, I'd already been made aware of authorship issues involved.
Looking forward to Mark Evanier's obit, as I am curious when the lines blurred for Lee and the public persona became almost of the whole of the man (appearances like the one on Jonathan Ross' Ditko doc suggest it never complete consumed him).
Instead I will give you an account from my wife's class of middle schoolers.
Upset Female student 1: Stan Lee just died.
Female student 2: Who?
Female student 1 berating her friend for not knowing that the old guy from the marvel movies created the marvel universe.
Stan Lee has been a constant in 4 generations of people for their entire .
Stan was never a "writer" to me; he wrote every marvel comic ever. Why else would they have "Stan lee presents" on every comic? he was s a constant presence in Stan's Soapbox, introducing cartoons, the bullpen bulletin.
To that little girl he was the old guy in the movies.
To a certain generation he was a hack and the funky flashman.
It's pretty incredible that so many people, of so many ages have gotten to know him in so many ways. He wasn't perfect, he had flaws, but Stan the Man was the ambassador for comics for 70+ years
Bryan Dee-MORE!