With Great Power…The Stan Lee Story by Epix 1821 pictures, 2012, 80 minutes, ISBN 0788616153.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO– Stan Lee (né Stanley Martin Lieber) started in the comic business in the 1930s by perfecting the character “Captain America,” and watched the industry grow in the 1940s. He suffered a setback in the 1950s when a psychiatrist by the name of Fredric Wertham was able to persuade Congress and a good percentage of the American people that comic book violence contributed to juvenile delinquency, and even to youngsters getting asthma because they stayed indoors to read comics.
The comic book industry, including Marvel Comics, which Lee headed, bowed to the pressure and adopted a comic book code to make sure that the reading matter was okay for consumption by children, and the result in the late 1950s and early 1960s was that sales plummeted, and artists and writers had to be laid off . Early in the 1960s, Lee had arrived at a moment of truth. He thought he would get out of the comic book business, and find himself some other line of work.
His wife, Joan, a former actress and model, suggested to him that he write one more comic book, one comic that would say what he wanted to say, completely uncensored. It wouldn’t matter if he lost his job over it, because he was planning to quit anyway, but at least he could get it out of his system. Lee took his wife’s advice, and he created a group of characters known as the Fantastic Four — a group of super heroes that so ignited the public’s imagination that it reinvigorated Marvel Comics, and in the view of some experts, started the “Marvel era” of comic book-dom.
Although the documentary doesn’t explicitly identify the four fantastic characters, I was lucky enough to watch With Great Power… The Stan Lee Story in the company of my grandson Shor, 11, who rattled their names and powers off. Mr. Fantastic can stretch his body into any shape. The Thing is a rock monster, “like the golem,” according to Shor. The Invisible Woman can make herself or others invisible and can project force fields. And the Human Torch can light himself on fire without being consumed (not unlike the Burning Bush), and can project fire wherever else necessary.
The secret behind the Fantastic Four was not so much their super powers, but Lee’s readiness, even insistence, that each of the characters have believable personalities as well as day-to-day problems to which readers could relate. This carried over to another of Lee’s famous creations (or “co-creations” as he credits Steve Ditko for helping to bring the character into existence), “Spiderman.”
The Fantastic Four characters had senses of humor that mirrored Lee’s own perpetual drollness. They didn’t live in a fictional Metropolis or Gotham City, they lived in New York City, and they visited real places like Radio City Music Hall, and drove real cars like Corvettes, not Batmobiles.
Peter Parker, the human who transforms into Spiderman, was supposed to be “every man,” dealing with such real-world predicaments as ingrown toenails, an embarrassing rip in his costume, or finding himself without enough money for cab fare on a date. He didn’t have an inborn sense of morality, he developed it after making some selfish and harmful mistakes. Eventually he learned that “with great power comes great responsibility.”
Lee, creator of the Incredible Hulk, acknowledged a debt to the characters in classic literature of Frankenstein’s Monster, for whom he always had a great sympathy, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, two personalities in the same body often at psychological war with each other.
The list of Stan Lee’s creations, or refinements of mythical characters, goes on and on, and among them are Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Spiderman, The Hulk, X-Men, The Falcon, Black Panther, Iron Man, Thor, The Avengers and Silver Surfer.
The Lees’ daughter, J.C., didn’t hesitate for a second when she was asked by one interviewer which of her father’s creations she liked the best. “Me,” she replied, proving his sense of humor had been passed along .
Another of the Lees’ daughters died in infancy, prompting Joan to undergo a sterilization procedure. Later, the couple wanted to adopt another child, but various social service agencies turned them down. The Jewish adoption service objected to their mixed marriage (Joan is an Episcopalian), and Catholic adoption services rejected them on similar grounds. It was a bitter experience for both of them.
Today, Lee is an octogenarian and still going strong. He had moved to California to open Marvel Studios, which attempted to transfer the comic book heroes to various films and TV stories. Many of these episodes were a flop because they lacked the excitement, personality and energy of the comic books, according to Lee’s assessment.
Of course, they gradually got the hang of it, and some movies based on Lee’s characters have been some of the largest grossing films in the industry.
Yet, there were also a series of financial mishaps. Although the characters were worth millions and millions of dollars, Marvel itself went bankrupt. Then Stan Lee Media was formed, and because of stock fraud charges brought against other people associated with the company, Stan Lee Media also suffered financial difficulties. The most recent incarnation of Lee’s genius is POW Entertainment.
Stan Lee is a regular guest — and draw — at Comic Con, held every year in San Diego. He makes himself quite accessible. Although he is a hero in his own right in the comic book industry, he is always approachable and filled with humor. Asked if he will ever retire, he responds that he is doing what he has always wanted — creating stories and working with creative people–and he hopes he’ll never be forced to stop.
Anyone watching this fine documentary will share his wish.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com