Tuesday 13 November 2018

Stan Lee's legacy

Stan Lee did a lot to push superheroes back into the mainstream after the end of the Second World War, and to make them relevant to a much wider audience after years of being aimed straight at kids.

Chris Sims covered arguments over his creative claims and business well at Comics Alliance, though I would have mentioned the Atlas Seaboard fiasco as well. But all that aside, his writing and editing, along with collaborations with the likes of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, made ongoing serial storytelling a much stronger part of the business as well as starting with stronger worldbuilding as part of the Marvel brand. See also this AC on DC’s reaction, as well as this on the teen hero. And Quarter Bin on the Marvel Silver Age model, and on Spider-Man in particular.

He also used Stan’s Soapbox for a lot of good through the years, as well as creating characters who championed courage, kindness, and resistance to intolerance.

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