Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, and FREAKIN’ HITLER

April 8th, 2008 | Comics, Pictures, Writing

I’ve been seeing Stan Lee getting a lot of flak for his writing lately, but really, anyone who thinks Stan is truly a terrible writer just really shouldn’t be reading Marvel comics, full stop. Mostly people seem to criticize his dialogue and execution, and relegate him to the nebulous and somewhat backhandedly complimentary role of mere “idea man.” I mean, if being an “idea man” was that easy then Stan’s original concepts which defined and still dominate the Marvel Universe and its various related media such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, and Iron Man would have been long ago supplanted by newer creations. Frankly, it’s arguable that the only true A-list Marvel properties from the post-Stan era are the Punisher and Wolverine, both of who date back to the 1970s. Besides those two, there’s a long line of semi-successful and failed B- and C-list properties like Cloak and Dagger, Longshot, Gravity, Power Pack, Dazzler…this could go on for pages and pages.

While some think execution of a story is more important than the idea behind it, I disagree entirely — they’re at least equally important. And regardless of what you think about Stan’s writing, the peaks of his accomplishments — his FF run with Kirby, especially — are far better than most of the overwrought, smug irony-ridden comics that today rehash those selfsame ideas ad nauseum and ad infinitum. Embellishing an idea is a skill. Coming up with idea after idea after idea (in conjuction with Kirby, Ditko, etc. of course) for the solid period between FF#1 and Amazing Fantasy #15 goes far, far beyond that. So you gotta give it up for Stan. FACE FRONT, TRUE BELIEVERS! I’m totally a DC guy but man, Stan back in the day gave the industry a kick in the ass that probably saved it. Plus the dude’s just got character and style. I know Stan’s a corny motherfucker and I know he’s written a pile of shitty comics since that golden period, but when I see ol’ Stan I can’t help but grin like a lunatic. I’m more than willing to forgive Stan’s excesses and enjoy his sporadic current work for what it is. Stan just makes me happy.

That said, one in awhile you’ve gotta wonder sometimes what was going through Stan’s head, especially when you see something like what’s in the boxed-off, highlighted portion of Stan’s Soapbox on this Bullpen Bulletins page:

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What the hell? Marvel’s biography of HITLER? Evidently this did actually come out as HITLER: HORROR AND THE HOLOCAUST. Can’t figure what the angle here was, but hey, I guess if you throw out enough ideas sooner or later you’re bound a have a few of those ideas turn out to be really really bad ones.

Also, I bet thousands of people out there would totally buy t-shirts with softball-slugging funky ’70s headband Luke Cage on the front.