So Long Stan Lee

[Firelock76]

As I'm sure most of you know Stan Lee, the driving force of Marvel Comics, passed away yesterday at 95.

I don't know if he was a toy train fan, but I'd bet there's very few of us who are who weren't touched by his creative genius when we were young.  It's said that in the past year or so with failing health he was frustrated with so many things left undone that he'd never get to do, but I'm sure he took satisfaction in seeing how so many of his comic characters became American icons.

So many great stories told with so many life lessons included.

Stan was a World War Two veteran who never forgot that seminal event in his life, and in so many of his story lines he made sure his readers like us kids never forgot it either.   The horror, the heartbreak, and yes, the heroism.

That being said, here's a going away salute.  The great Jo Stafford from 1944.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvq4OnhMEO4

Excelsior!

[Penny Trains]

A dreamer to the end.  We should all be so lucky!  A true American original.

[phrankenstign]

Firelock76

It's said that in the past year or so with failing health he was frustrated with so many things left undone that he'd never get to do, but I'm sure he took satisfaction in seeing how so many of his comic characters became American icons.

I grew up reading comics, but I preferred DC comics, so I never really read very many Marvel issues.  The main reason was Marvel contained many continued stories, while DC rarely did.  As a kid I had to ask my dad to buy them for me, so there was no guarantee I'd get the following issue.  If a story was continued, the chances were great I'd never see the next part of it.

Anyway.....

As I grew up, I started learning much of the behind-the-scenes stories about the comic book business.  I learned how National Comics got Superman's creators (Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster) to sign over the rights to their character for a miniscule amount of money right from the start.  I learned how Bob Kane never gave Bill Finger co-creator credit for The Batman character, although Bill Finger suggested many of the key traits that made the character unique.  (In fact, Bill wrote many of the earliest stories that introduced characters and aspects of the strip that became part of the established ethos.)  These instances prevented Jerry, Joe, and Bill from sharing in on the huge profits generated by their creations.

I also learned about the artists (mainly Steve Ditko & Jack Kirby) who contributed much to the creation and depiction of Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four respectively (along with other characters).  Stan Lee took sole creator credit for many of the Marvel super heroes, despite many of them being true collaborations with others.  That meant they didn't share in any of the huge profits generated by merchandise and movies.  Unfortunately that lack of integrity on his part will forever cast a shadow over his legacy.

FYI https://comicbookhistorians.com/marvel-1960s-jack-kirby-stan-lee-steve-ditko-who-created-what/

[seplen]

This saddened me after seeing the news of Stan Lee is no more. Stan Lee is an iconic creator who created all Marvel characters. I watched a lot of Marvel movies in my Coto Movies and never paid anything to marvel university. Am really feeling after seeing his movies on Coto movies and at the same time his death news at aa time. Being a Marvel fan it's hurting us a lot.

[Penny Trains]

seplen

movies

aboard!  Soon as I get done decorating for Christmas, I'll be doing an X-Men/Wolverine movie marathon.