In Memory of Stan Lee: Books, Comic Books, and Movies
With a heavy heart, the world mourns the loss of icon, legend, and hero to millions, Stan Lee, who passed away on November 12, 2018 from pneumonia. He was 95 years old. He is survived by his daughter and his legacy as the godfather of Marvel Comics.
Born December 28, 1922 to Romanian-born Jewish immigrant parents in Manhattan, Stanley Martin Lieber, a.k.a. Stan Lee, is best known as the co-creator of some of the most influential characters written for Marvel comics. He was one of the key players that helped shape the development and far-reaching influence of Marvel Comics as a writer, editor, and publisher. Working alongside such artists and creators as Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, and others, Lee revolutionized the field of comic book storytelling by introducing complex, relatable characters and a shared universe for these characters to live in.
Although Lee started working for what was then known as Timely Comics in 1939 (it became Marvel Comics in 1961), his career truly began in 1961 with the creation of Lee and Kirby's The Fantastic Four, a series following a team of scientists who gained superpowers after being hit by cosmic rays during a space experiment gone wrong. The new series was an immediate success, and it spurred on Lee and his team to create more new characters over the course of the following years.
After The Fantastic Four, Lee co-created The Incredible Hulk (with Jack Kirby), Thor (with Jack Kirby and Larry Lieber), Black Panther (with Jack Kirby), Daredevil (with Bill Everett), Doctor Strange (with Steve Ditko), Iron Man (with Jack Kirby, Don Heck, and Larry Lieber), The Uncanny X-Men (with Jack Kirby), The Avengers ( with Jack Kirby) and, possibly his most popular character, Spider-Man (with Steve Ditko).
Most of Lee's stories take place in real-life cities such as his beloved New York, which was the home of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and The Avengers, and followed characters who were imperfect but fundamentally good. Prior to this, comic book superhero stories were always based in pretend cities far removed from our reality (Metropolis, Gotham), and the heroes were presented as flawless and infallible.
Lee's heroes made mistakes. They held grudges, they made jokes, and they had consequences for their actions. They dealt with evil on every level, from everyday racists to planet-eating monsters. Lee's characters were human first and superhuman second.
Despite their flaws, or perhaps because of them, they still managed to be heroes. This is what lies at the heart of all Stan Lee's characters, what separates his heroes from other comic book heroes, and what has endeared them to readers and consumers for nearly 60 years.
Lee stepped down as a writer during the 1970s, but still remained an integral part of Marvel Comics. His frequent appearances at comic book conventions and his cameos in both live action and animated adaptations of his work and other comic book related-films (such as Kevin Smith's Mallrats and Disney's Big Hero Six, made him a familiar face to both casual and super fans. His characters lie at the heart of the recent comic book movie boom, which started with the release of Iron Man in 2008.
Through his work, Stan Lee inspired his fans to be better people and stand up for what is right. Although Lee is no longer with us, his multi-generational legacy will live on indefinitely through this connection between his work and his fans.
In 2014, Lee served as the Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month and spoke at the ALA Annual Conference on the importance of reading and libraries. We honor Lee's passing by bringing you recommended reading to inspire and encourage our patrons to be the best heroes they can be. Excelsior! (Summaries adapted from the publishers.)
Stan Lee: The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel by Bob Batchelor
From living on the mean streets of Depression-era New York City to receiving the National Medal of Arts, Lee's life has been almost as remarkable as the thrilling adventures he spun for decades. From millions of comic books fans of the 1960s through billions of moviegoers around the globe, Stan Lee has touched more people than almost any person in the history of popular culture.
Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee by Stan Lee and George Mair
The leading creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics brought to life some of the world's best-known heroes and most infamous villains. His stories, featuring superheroes who struggled against personal hang-ups and bad guys who possessed previously unseen psychological complexity, added wit and subtlety to a field previously locked into flat portrayals of good vs. evil. Lee put the human in superhuman. In the process, he created a new mythology for the 20th century.
Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir, written by Stan Lee, Peter David; illustrated by Colleen Doran
In this gorgeously illustrated, full-color graphic memoir, Stan Lee shares his iconic legacy and the story of how modern comics came to be.
The most legendary name in the history of comic books has been the leading creative force behind Marvel Comics, and has brought to life—and into the mainstream—some of the world’s best-known heroes and most infamous villains throughout his career.
Stan Lee: Conversations, edited by Jeff McLaughlin
Stan Lee: Conversations collects interviews from 1968 to 2005. Lee's charm, good humor, and keen business sense are on display. He has spirited conversations with cartoonists Jack Kirby, Harvey Kurtzman, and Roy Thomas, talk show host Dick Cavett, and Jenette Kahn (head of DC Comics, Marvel's rival), among others.
Lee talks with candor about his creative process, publishing, film and television adaptations of his comic books, and the evolution of the comics industry. The volume concludes with a new interview conducted by the editor.
Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon
Based on interviews with Stan Lee and dozens of his colleagues and contemporaries, as well as extensive archival research, this book provides a professional history, an appreciation, and a critical exploration of the face of Marvel Comics.
Recognized as a dazzling writer, skilled editor, relentless self-promoter, credit hog, and huckster, Stan Lee rose from humble beginnings to ride the wave of the 1940s comic book boom and witness the current motion picture madness and comic industry woes. Included is a complete examination of the rise of Marvel Comics, Lee’s work in the years of postwar prosperity, and his efforts in the 1960s to revitalize the medium.
75 Years of Marvel: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen, written by Roy Thomas; edited and designed by Josh Baker
In celebration of Marvel’s 75th anniversary, TASCHEN presents a magnum opus of the most influential comic book publisher, with an inside look not only at its celebrated characters, but also at the "bullpen" of architects whose names are almost as familiar as the protagonists they brought to life—Stan "the Man" Lee, Jack "King" Kirby, and a roster of greats like Steve Ditko, John Romita, John Buscema, Marie Severin, and countless others.
With essays by comics historian and former Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, this book delves into the heart of thousands of costumed characters who continue to fight the good fight in comics, movies, and toy aisles of the world.
Stan Lee's How to Draw Comics: From the Legendary Co-creator of Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Iron Man, written by Stan Lee; illustrated by Jack Kirby, John Romita Sr., Neal Adams, and Gil Kane
In Stan Lee's How to Draw Comics, Lee sets out to teach everything he knows about drawing and comic book characters. The book focuses primarily on action-adventure comics, but touches upon other genres and styles, such as romance, humor, horror, and the widely influential manga style. From producing concepts and character sketches to laying out the final page of art, the man with no peer—Stan Lee—is the ultimate guide to the world of creating comics.
Rise of the Superheroes: Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters by David W. Tosh
This visual and entertaining adventure explores one of the most popular and significant eras of comic book history. The period from 1956 to 1970 gave us Spider-Man, The Avengers, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, and a flurry of other unforgettable and formidable characters. The Silver Age redefined and immortalized superheroes as the massive pop culture titans they are today.
Comic Books
Here we’ve highlighted just a few of the collections featuring Stan Lee’s work. For more recommendations please check out our awesome blog posts, A Black Panther Primer and The Ultimate Avengers Guide.
Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1, written by Stan Lee; illustrated by Jack Kirby
They were visionaries. Explorers. Imaginauts. They were Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. And like the Fantastic Four, they continually strove to overcome the impossible and achieve the extraordinary. Now, the first three years of their landmark run are collected in one oversized volume.
X-Men Epic Collection: Children of the Atom, written by Stan Lee; illustrated by Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, Werner Roth
Billed as "The Strangest Super-Heroes of All!", the ever-uncanny X-Men blasted onto the comic book scene in 1963. Now, in this massive Epic Collection, you can feast your eyes as Stan, Jack and co. lay down the building blocks of comics' most famous franchise!
You'll experience the beginning of Professor X's teen team and their mission for peace and brotherhood between man and mutant; their first battle with arch-foe Magneto; the dynamic debuts of Juggernaut, the Sentinels, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus. Volume 1, written by Stan Lee; illustrated by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby
In 1962, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko gave birth to one of the most enduring icons in American popular media: the one and only Amazing Spider-Man! Turning the concept of a superhero on its head, they imbued the young, guilt-ridden Peter Parker with the fantastic powers of an arachnid and the fantastic pressures of an everyday teenager. The combination was pure magic, and during the course of 40 issues of webslinging, wisecracking, and wonderment, Lee and Ditko built the foundation for 45 years of Spidey spectaculars.
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection, Volume 1: 1977-1979 by Stan Lee and John Romita
The wondrous wall-crawler’s long-running newspaper strip by Stan Lee, John Romita, and others is given the deluxe Library of American Comics treatment, with all Sunday comics in color and integrated with the dailies—just as they originally appeared in newspapers worldwide.
Doctor Strange Omnibus: Volume 1, written by Stan Lee, Don Rico, Roy Thomas, Dennis O'Neil; artist & plotter, Steve Ditko
A vain man driven by greed and hubris, Dr. Stephen Strange was a world-renowned surgeon until the night a car accident crippled his hands. Broken and destitute, he journeyed to Tibet to seek a cure from a legendary healer. He found not a man of medicine but the venerable Ancient One and the path to the mystic arts!
Cameos and More: Where is Stan Lee?
Stan Lee was famous for his many cameos. Revisit some of the most influential film adaptations of his work and see if you can spot them all!
X-Men (2000)
A war is brewing between those with special powers ("mutants") and the rest of humanity—and the only ones who can save the humans from certain destruction are a special group of mutants, the "X-Men."
Spider-Man (2002)
When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy, shy, and awkward high school student gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family.
Iron Man (2008)
A wealthy industrialist is held captive in enemy territory and escapes by building a high-tech suit made of armor. When he returns home, he decides to use his money, talents, and suit to save the world.
Stan Lee's Superhumans: Season One
Throughout history, the forces of evolution and genetic mutation have endowed humans with astonishing new abilities and features. It's a process that continues to this day, and nowhere is it more evident than in the fascinating world of Stan Lee's Superhumans.
Co-hosted by Stan Lee, the legendary creator of the X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Hulk, the series scours the globe for the real-life counterparts of Lee's characters: people with unique genetic traits that translate into remarkable powers.
With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story
This documentary explores the vivid life and imagination of Stan Lee, featuring interviews from fans and colleagues including Kevin Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart, and more. It's the tale of one man's determination to tell incredible stories that have enchanted the world for over 40 years.
Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters, & Marvels
Stan Lee talks in depth with filmmaker Kevin Smith about his life and career in animating comic book characters, and his role in creating our modern mythology.