Chaz Gower has written a new book called Stan Lee Lied. Full title, Stan Lee Lied: Your Handy Guide to Every Lie in The Origins of Marvel Comics. And it does exactly what it says on the tin. Dedicated to Bleeding Cool favourite Bob Beerbohm (Bleeding Cool gets itself a couple of mentions), it takes the Stan Lee-authored Origins Of Marvel Comics for its fiftieth anniversary, and systematically attempts to disprove as many of the statements in that book as possible, using recorded facts and archives, testimonies and memories of others. This is a case for the prosecution; there is no attempt to be even-handed, and anything that doesn't challenge the tenet that Stan Lee didn't co-create or write the comic books he claimed to have and was credited for is either not included or dismissed with a hand wave.
That 1974 volume Origins Of Marvel Comics is itself getting a deluxe hardcover printed from Gallery Editions next month for its fiftieth anniversary, so this is clearly well-timed. Maybe you could read them together? Here is just one small example to let you know where this is going…
"Stan Lee: "At the moment, the trend is monster stories… Jack and I were having a ball turning out monster stories with such imperishable titles as "Xom, the Creature Who Swallowed Earth", Grottu, the Giant Ant-Eater"… "Fin Fang Foom"…."
"Stan Lee signed almost everything he ever did from… at least 1950 on. Most likely from Day One, but for SURE from 1950 on. He signed pin-up pages if he wrote even the smallest of dialogue on it, and paper doll pages in Patsy Walker comics… he rarely if ever missed an opportunity to sign his name to something, to get the credit and of course, the PAY. BUT… He never signed a single Jack Kirby monster story from those presuperhero years at Marvel Comics. Which means he didn't write ANY of them. Not ONE SINGLE STORY. He signed NONE OF THEM. Which means he didn't write ANY of them."
What Chaz is doing here is not just aiming to show that Stan Lee lied about so much, but making that case that Stan Lee with a purpose, to increase his role, to gain plaudits, and even the small lies are used to build up a narrative that would justify his claim to create the Marvel Comics universe and profit from that reputation. And that without them, his claims would seem outlandishly false. That, basically, Stan Lee, was the Donald Trump of comic books.
Comic Books
A place to discuss comic books of all types, from old to new, Big 2 to indie, and everything in between.
Floppies, graphic novels, compilations, omnibusses (omnibusi?) are all fair game.
There is only one rule:*
Comic Books is a no judgement zone.
You can talk all you want about how Rob Liefeld is trash, Bob Kane is an asshole, or Frank Miller and Dave Sim’s politics have made them toxic, that’s all good.
If, however, another user is LEGITIMATELY a fan of something you don’t like, that does NOT make them a lesser person. Attack the art for being bad, not the person for being a fan of bad art.
* I lied. There are TWO rules... No piracy. Cover shots? That's good. Interior pages, in moderation? Sure. Full books? Links to pirate sites? That's how we get things shut down. :(
I'm not saying it's been a problem, because it hasn't been.
See our sister sites!
Marvel Studios! For all the latest on the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
https://lemmy.world/c/marvelstudios
For other cinematic content, hit up Movies! Aquaman is coming soon, followed by the big reboot!
And don't forget Movies and TV over at lemm.ee! A good place for discussing Marvel, DC and other film and television properties!
Want to talk BOOK books? See Books!
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay? Becoming Superman? John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood? That's the place!
view the rest of the comments
lols@downvotes