On Monday it was announced that Comic Book icon Stan Lee passed away. Many fans, myself included, were devasted at this news. To know that a man who played such an important role in the shaping of a whole medium of storytelling was no longer with us. Stan Lee was the Walt Disney of comic books. He may not have created the Superhero, but he did elevate it and take it in directions that, back then, were never thought possible.
His Impact on Comics
Back in the 1960’s Comics were seen as a silly medium designed to entertain children. And Stan Lee helped change that. Instead of the glorious, heroes that readers would aspire to, Stan, alongside minds like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, tried to make his characters more relatable, more grounded. And that was the premise of most of Marvel’s titles. His heroes had to deal with regular problems, which they had to cope with around their superhero lives. The Fantastic Four went on amazing, psychedelic adventures but they also had to worry about paying the rent for their HQ, the Baxter Building. The X-Men were a team gifted individuals who wanted to help others but were constantly shunned for being different, something that any minority who’s felt discriminated against can relate to. And then there’s Marvel’s Figure-head, Spider-Man. The most popular Underdog in all comics. A teenager who’s given extraordinary powers and must learn how to use them to help others. “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”. And yet still has to deal with day-to-day issues like relationship problems, being broke and not getting to work or school on time. All of which is made worse with the Superhero double-life wearing him down. This new way of writing heroes allowed readers to relate to their heroes and see themselves in their shoes, and it was a resounding success. With Stan’s heroes being celebrated even to this day in films, cartoons and video games.
His Impact on Movies
Eventually, Stan Lee's creations would hit the big screens, and, now, they are the biggest movie franchise in history! And whilst it did take time and several bad movies the Marvel movies eventually found their formula and the MCU was created. A series of Marvel films brought together an intertwined to make a cinematic universe that’s become a box office juggernaut. Grossing $17.5 billion overall, with Avengers: Infinity War (Joe & Anthony Russo) making just over $2 Billion. Only one of three films in history to do that. In fact, the MCU has become so successful that it’s basically become the gold standard for cinematic franchises. With other Film Studios trying to match their success with various franchises, such as the DCEU, Warner Bros’ Monster Universe, The Fast & Furious Franchise, Star Wars and Universal’s Dark Universe. And yet, none have them have been able to reach the same levels of popularity that the MCU has. Now whilst the MCU's success can, in fact, be attributed to Executive Producer Kevin Feige, if it wasn't for Stan's imagination we wouldn't have had MCU at all.
His Relationship with Fans
Something Stan Lee used to do which made him stand out from other writers at the time was the soapboxes at the end of his comics. Where he would directly talk to the reader. This was Stan’s way of making the reader feel included and that they weren’t alone in their love of comics. He would encourage fans to write to him about the comics, what they loved and what they thought. He was basically promoting a comic book community and it worked! Readers felt like they had a connection with Stan and it strengthened their love of the medium.
And then there’s the famous Stan Lee cameo, where he will show up for 5 seconds in a Marvel movie. This was a way of referencing the roots of most of the Marvel characters but also acted as a seal of approval from the man himself. And they’re always brilliant to watch!
His Impact on Me
I never properly got into comics until Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was released. I would watch the Superman and Batman animated shows from the 90’s, which I was a huge fan of. But I only got into the Marvel heroes when I saw Spider-Man. And that was when I also discovered Stan Lee. He was interviewed for the bonus features on the DVD and he was discussing what made Spider-Man relatable. And there was something about the way he talked about this character, with such love and passion over his creation that it was mesmerising. It got me to read comics and I got to see how much of a unique and amazing medium it is. And that was always Stan’s mission in life. He wanted people to read comics and not see them as just something for children. And I’d say he did a great job in that regard.
Back in 2004, my friend Sam got me a book for my birthday. It was a book about how to draw superheroes, particularly the Marvel heroes and it became my Bible. I practised drawing the characters and getting the process down. And then I tried to use those skills, whilst I never properly got to the level of John Romita Sr (I never learned that heads are not shaped like eggs), and I'm pretty sure Stan himself would have done me in for blatant plagiarism, but I really determined to become the next Stan Lee. And, although I’ve strayed away from that dream, I do still draw and create characters for either film or comic books. I love doing it and one of the reasons why is because of Stan Lee’s inspiring work and dedication to comics.
Stan Lee was many things, from a writer to a hype man. But overall, he was a fan. He loved what he did, and he didn’t care who knew it. He always tried to make readers and audiences feel included and he gave us some of comics’ greatest heroes. So as a fan, all I can say is Thank You, Stan Lee. For all your hard work and for inspiring many great writers that came after you. You will be missed.
So that's my own little tribute to Stan Lee. What did you think of the Comic book Icon? Did he inspire you in any way? Please comment down below and we can discuss. And, if you liked what you read then I suggest going out picking up a comic book. Either from your local bookshop or even digitally. Marvel or DC, either way, you could find something that you really enjoy. Thank you for reading!
Comments
Post a Comment