Stan Lee: The Man Who Revolutionized Comic Books

Stan Lee revolutionized the world of comic books. While Jack Kirby is the greatest comic creator of all time, Stan is the brain that elevated modern comics.

Stan Lee left a big stamp in the world before he left us in November 2018, almost exactly two years ago. While he’s the father of modern comics, he left a bigger impact across pop culture as we know it today.

Creating The Legend

A Young Stan Lee

Born Stanley Martin Lieber, Stan grew up in Manhattan during the hardship of the times. His parents are Romanian-born Jews who immigrated to the country.

Much of Stan’s influence come from Errol Flynn, a fact that he confirmed. As he grew up in poverty, his dream was to write the “Great American Novel,” a dream shared by many of his cohorts.

Much of his early years were spent working odd jobs to make money for the family. His publication career started in 1939, when his uncle Robbie Solomon helped him to become an assistant at Timely Comics. Timely would eventually become Marvel Comics.

From Stanley to Stan Lee

Stan’s early years in Timely were nothing of note. His job was menial, mostly filling inkwells and proofreading. His first debut was for a text filler on Captain America, wherein he used the name Stan Lee.

In many interviews, he notes that he used Stan Lee to separate himself from the industry. At the time, comics had a lowly status, and hence he wanted to reserve Stanley Lieber for his Great American Novel debut.

Among Lee’s early creations were Mystic Comics’ Destroyer, USA Comics’ Jack Frost, and Father Time in Captain America #6.

Stan Lee had to serve in the Army in 1942, a year after he was given the interim editor position at Timely. While in the Army, he continued his duties writing for Timely, which went on for four years.

Influencing The Comic Book Industry

Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in the 1960s

By the 1950s, Lee considered quitting the industry and was given one last assignment by Martin Goodman. At his wife’s behest, he tried to add whatever flavor he wanted to the superhero team Goodman tasked him to make.

Lee created superheroes with flaws – many of which have problems like the average person. He created complex, naturalistic superheroes that had issues. They quarreled, had family problems, financial issues, and more.

During this time, Lee and Kirby created The Fantastic Four. The heroes were a hit, and Lee made more heroes with Jack Kirby. These include the Hulk, Thor, Iron-Man, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and more.

Stan Lee also made sure they shared the same universe, and many lived in New York. He named specific streets in the comics to make their stories more lifelike too.

Lee also revolutionized the comic industry through various editorial processes. He credited not only the writer and penciler, but the inker, letterer, and colorist too. He also created bullpen bulletins at the back to connect with the fans.

He created more improvements to the industry, including the Marvel Method. Lee also helped reform the stringent Comics Code and added social commentary to his stories. He eventually created more heroes, creating the Avengers, the Inhumans, and even Black Panther.

The Legend of Stan Lee

Stan Lee’s mark in the comic book industry goes beyond Marvel Comics. It goes beyond the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and every hero that he ever created.

Stan Lee gave us comics that we can care about. He gave us stories that we can related to – ones that reflected the good things and the bad things about life.

While comic books were usually escapism, they showed us that we can be better versions of ourselves. Stan Lee revolutionized comics, and elevated it into the respected industry it is today.

Sources:

Jack Kirby, the abandoned hero of Marvel’s grand Hollywood adventure, and his family’s quest – La Times, 2009 (archived)

Stan Lee : The Man Behind Marvel – Batchelor, Bob (2017). Royman & Littlefield

Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America – Wright, Bradford W. (2003). The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Stan Lee – Wikipedia

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How To Get Working In Comics Quick!

 

A typical kid in college who wants to be working in comics will spend 5% of their time drawing, writing, or creating ideas and then 95% of their time reading comics, watching TV, playing video games, talking about comics, learning other subjects hoping, wishing, praying, and thinking they could be working in comics.

That rarely works.

Hoping and wishing is good sedative for the creative soul, because actually working in comics has mainly been about freelancers striving to make big companies rich by giving them cheap labor. Artists typically just want an outlet for their creativity and have been willing to sell their soul just hoping that they can be recognized enough to satisfy their creative ego. 

And at what expense? Hostile editor stories from the seventies bring up images of the heart and soul of the artist being squashed under the editor's feet who also want to be working in comics, but can't draw--so they get to tell everybody else how to draw.

It's about time times change. If you want to be working in comics, you need to do these 3 things.

1. ASK YOURSELF. "Why do you want to be working in comics?" Write it down. Put it in a safe place. Refer to it often. It will be incredibly easy to give up if you don't know why you are working in comics in the first place.

2. MAKE NO EXCUSES. Don't think you can't be working in comics just because no one will give you job, you don't have time, or you can't afford it. Do you always let others boss you around so easily?

3. MAKE COMICS. Get off the couch. Use what materials you have at your disposal. Put it out there for the world to see. We want to see a talented, beautiful you that will fulfill our deepest desires and wishes through your story.

Read Full Article Here:  How To Get Working In Comics Quick!