Stan Lee R.I.P.

The passing of Stan Lee a comic book legend (I use that term sparingly, but it certainly applies in this case) could not have been a surprise, but it was a moment for all Marvelites to stop and reflect. Stan's connection to the "House of Ideas"  has been pretty tangential in the last several decades, marked mostly by the constant use of his name to promote the mythology of the company and his face which could be counted on to show up somewhere and sometime in nearly every Marvel movie.

The average citizen can be forgiven I think for thinking as do most that Stan Lee created much if not all of the Marvel Universe as we know it. He had a hand in marketing it for certain and his role in the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, X-Men and other Silver Age additions is usually a debate about degree and not kind. Stan "The Man" was there in abundance and his guiding hand made it all happen, even if at times that hand merely waved assent for a talent like Jack Kirby to come up with something new or for the notable Steve Ditko to keep at it when he'd rather not. Stan was a darn good writer, something I never really appreciated fully until I did a chronological reading of the core Marvel titles a few decades ago. Stan's writing was downright elegant when compared to some of the stuff the fledgling Roy Thomas and others pushed out when they first started in the game. Stan was able to find that perfect balance between true drama and self-referential mockery that defined many of the Marvel titles in their  heyday.

Stan Lee's myth is mighty, and to the common folk who only dabble in comics or the offshoots, he is like Walt Disney, a true talent for sure, but one who is given too much credit for incredible creative work with which his name is associated. People like to take the hard work of teams of folks, many largely unknown, and laud particularly charismatic individuals, this is not news. I liken Stan to the pied piper, a talent who was able to cast a spell over his fans, make them believe they were special, at least in that moment, and part of something larger than themselves, even it was only mere funny books. I know he did for me. We crave heroes in all spheres of life and for many people when it comes to comics, Stan "The Man" Lee was a true hero.

Rip Off