Книга: Stan Lee, Wallace Wood «Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil: Volume 1»

Stan Lee

Lee introduced the practice of including a credit panel on the splash page of each story, naming not just the writer and penciller but also the inker and letterer. Regular news about Marvel staff members and upcoming storylines was presented on the Bullpen Bulletins page, which (like the letter columns that appeared in each title) was written in a friendly, chatty style.

Throughout the 1960s, Lee scripted, art-directed, and edited most of Marvel's series, moderated the letters pages, wrote a monthly column called "Stan's Soapbox", and wrote endless promotional copy, often signing off with his trademark phrase "Excelsior!" (which is also the New York state motto). To maintain his taxing workload, yet still meet deadlines, he used a system that was used previously by various comic-book studios, but due to Lee's success with it, became known as the "Marvel Method" or "Marvel style" of comic-book creation. Typically, Lee would brainstorm a story with the artist and then prepare a brief synopsis rather than a full script. Based on the synopsis, the artist would fill the allotted number of pages by determining and drawing the panel-to-panel storytelling. After the artist turned in penciled pages, Lee would write the word balloons and captions, and then oversee the lettering and coloring. In effect, the artists were co-plotters, whose collaborative first drafts Lee built upon.

Because of this system, the exact division of creative credits on Lee's comics has been disputed, especially in cases of comics drawn by Kirby and Ditko. Similarly, Lee shares co-creator credit with Kirby on the two "Fantastic Four" films, while also sharing the same credit with Ditko with the "Spider-Man" feature film series.

In 1971, Lee indirectly reformed the Comics Code. The US Department of Health, Education and Welfare asked Lee to write a story about the dangers of drugs and Lee wrote a story in which Spider-Man's best friend becomes addicted to pills. The three-part story was slated to be published in "Amazing Spider-Man" #96-98, but the Comics Code Authority refused it because it depicted drug use; the story context was considered irrelevant.Fact|date=August 2008 With his publisher's approval, Lee published the comics without the CCA seal. The comics sold well and Marvel won praise for its socially conscious efforts.Fact|date=August 2008 The CCA subsequently loosened the Code to permit negative depictions of drugs, among other new freedoms.Fact|date=August 2008

Lee also supported using comic books to provide some measure of social commentary about the real world, often dealing with racism and bigotry. "Stan's Soapbox", besides promoting an upcoming comic book project, also addressed issues of discrimination, intolerance, or prejudice.Fact|date=August 2008 In addition, Lee took to using sophisticated vocabulary for the stories' dialogue to encourage readers to learn new words. Lee has justified this by saying: "If a kid has to go to a dictionary, that's not the worst thing that could happen."Fact|date=August 2008

Later career

In later years, Lee became a figurehead and public face for Marvel Comics. He made appearances at comic book conventions around America, lecturing at colleges and participating in panel discussions, and by now owning a vacation home on Cutler Lane in Remsenburg, New York [ [http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/04/realestate/keymagazine/20070909STANLEE_9.html Lewine, "The New York Times", Image 8] ] and, from 1975 to 1980, a two-bedroom condominium on the 14th floor of 220 East 63rd Street in Manhattan. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/04/realestate/keymagazine/20070909STANLEE_11.html Lewine, "The New York Times", Image 10] ] He moved to California in 1981 to develop Marvel's TV and movie properties. He has been an executive producer for, and has made cameo appearances in Marvel film adaptations and other movies. He and his wife bought a home in West Hollywood, California previously owned by comedian Jack Benny's radio announcer, Don Wilson. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/04/realestate/keymagazine/20070909STANLEE_12.html Lewine, "The New York Times", Image 11] ] Lee was briefly president of the entire company, but soon stepped down to become publisher instead, finding that being president was too much about numbers and finance and not enough about the creative process he enjoyed.

Lee also published two novels: "Dunn's Conundrum" [(Harper & Row, 1985, ISBN 0718125134, ISBN 978-0718125134)] and "The God Project". [(Grove/Atlantic, 1990, ISBN 0802111289, ISBN 978-0802111289)] In "Dunn's Conundrum", a group of American Cold War intelligence specialists called The Librarians are led by Harry Dunn. When the team investigates a leak of U.S. defense information, Dunn begins questioning the entire intelligence system and begins to wonder who the enemy truly is. As the U.S. and the Soviet Union approach the brink of nuclear war, Dunn must choose whether or not to release sensitive information. In "The God Project" presidential aide Malcom Keyes must investigate rumors of the CIA's titular secret weapon.

Later in the 1990s, Lee befriended former lawyer Peter Paul, who supervised the negotiation of a non-exclusive contract with Marvel Comics for the first time in Lee's lifetime employment with Marvel.Fact|date=August 2008 This enabled Paul and Lee to start a new Internet-based superhero creation, production and marketing studio, Stan Lee Media, in 1998. It grew to 165 people and went public, but near the end of 2000, investigators discovered illegal stock manipulation by Paul and corporate officer Stephan Gordon. [SEC Litigation Release No. LR-18828, August 11, 2004.] Stan Lee Media filed for bankruptcy in February 2001, and Paul fled to São Paulo, Brazil."Stan Lee Holder Peter Paul Flees to South America, According to Cohort's Affidavit", "Inside.com", March 5, 2001] ["Accusations Against Peter Paul Retracted and Corrected in Court Filing", "MarketWatch.com", May 7, 2001] He was extradited back to the U.S., and pled guilty to violating SEC Rule 10b-5 in connection with trading of his stock in Stan Lee Media.United States Attorney's Office, [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nye/pr/2005mar8.htm "Peter Paul, co-founder of Stan Lee Media, Inc., pleads guilty to securities fraud; Fraud scheme caused $25 million in losses to investors and financial institutions"] , press release, March 8, 2005. ] April Witt, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100401150.html "House Of Cards: What do Cher, a Hollywood con man, a political rising star and an audacious felon have in common? Together they gave Bill and Hillary Clinton a night they'll never forget – no matter how hard they may try"] , "The Washington Post", October 9, 2005, p. W10] Lee was never implicated in the scheme.

Some of the Stan Lee Media projects included the animated Web series "The 7th Portal" where he voiced the character Izayus; "The Drifter"; and "The Accuser". The "7th Portal" characters were licensed to an interactive 3-D movie attraction in four Paramount theme parks.

In the 2000s, Lee did his first work for DC Comics, launching the "Just Imagine..." series, in which Lee reimagined the DC superheroes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash.

Lee created the risqué animated superhero series "Stripperella" for Spike TV. In 2004, he announced plans to collaborate with Hugh Hefner on a similar superhero cartoon featuring Playboy Playmates.Fact|date=February 2007 He also announced a superhero program that would feature Ringo Starr, the former Beatle, as the lead character.cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4212335.stm | title=Ringo Starr to become superhero | publisher=BBC | work=| date=2004-08-06 | author= ] Additionally, in August of that year, Lee announced the launch of Stan Lee's Sunday Comics, [cite news | url=http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2004/08/06/Arts/lee040806.html | title=Stan Lee Launches New Online Comic Venture | publisher=CBC | work=| date=2004-08-06 | author= ] hosted by Komikwerks.com, where monthly subscribers could read a new, updated comic and "Stan's Soapbox" every Sunday. The column has not been updated since Feb. 15, 2005.

In 2005, Lee, Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman formed POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment to develop film, television and video game properties. The first film produced by POW! was the TV movie "Lightspeed" (also advertised as "Stan Lee's Lightspeed"), which aired on the Sci Fi Channel on July 26, 2006.Fact|date=August 2008 POW! president and CEO Champion said in 2005 that Lee was creating a new superhero, Foreverman, for a Paramount Pictures movie, in tandem with producer Robert Evans and Idiom Films, with Peter Briggs hired to collaborate with Lee on the screenplay. [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000819063 "The Hollywood Reporter" (March 1, 2005): "Lee, Evans' POW! fields 'Foreverman'", by Liza Foreman] ]

In 2005, Lee filed a lawsuit against Marvel for his unpaid share of profits from Marvel movies, winning a settlement of more than $10 million.Fact|date=August 2008

In 2006, Marvel commemorated Lee's 65 years with the company by publishing a series of one-shot comics starring Lee himself meeting and interacting with many of his creations, including Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, The Thing, Silver Surfer and Dr. Doom. These comics also featured short pieces by such comics creators as Joss Whedon and Fred Hembeck, as well as reprints of classic Lee-written adventures.

In 2007, POW! Entertainment started a series of direct-to-DVD animated films under the "Stan Lee Presents" banner. Each film focuses on a new superhero, created by Stan Lee for the series. The first two releases were "Mosaic" and "The Condor".

In June 2007, Walt Disney Studios entered into an exclusive multi-year first look deal with Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment. "It's like the realization of a dream. Ever since I was a young boy, Disney represented the best and most exciting film fare to me. ... I look forward with indescribable enthusiasm to being a part of that world and contributing whatever I can to keep the legend alive and growing," said Lee. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Disney Studios Signs Exclusive Deal With Stan Lee | date= | publisher=Magical Mountain | url =http://www.magicalmountain.net/WDWNewsDetail.asp?NewsID=1569 | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-06-15 | language = ]

On March 15, 2007, Stan Lee Media's new President Jim Nesfield filed a lawsuit against Marvel Entertainment for $5 billion, claiming that the company is co-owner of the characters that Lee created for Marvel. [ cite web |url=http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=21665&hed=Stan+Lee+Media+Sues+Marvel:+$5B |title=Stan Lee Media Sues Marvel|accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format=html |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl=http://strange.commongate.com/post/Stan_Lee_Media_Sues_Marvel_5B |archivedate=2007-09-22 |quote= ]

On June 9, 2007, Stan Lee Media sued Stan Lee, his newer company, POW Entertainment, subsidiary QED Entertainment, and other former Stan Lee Media staff at POW. [ cite web |url=http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/june_9_stan_lee_media_inc_files_aggressive_lawsuit_against_stan_lee/ |title=June 9: Stan Lee Media, Inc. Files Expected Lawsuit Against Stan Lee
accessdate=2007-09-22 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format=html |work=Daily Blog |publisher=The Comic Reporter |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In 2008, Lee wrote humorous captions for the political fumetti book "Stan Lee Presents Election Daze: What Are They Really Saying?". [(Filsinger Publishing, ISBN 0970263155; ISBN 978-0970263155)]

In April 2008, at the NYCC, Viz Media announced that their parent company Shueisha would be debuting the prologue chapter of "Karakuridôji Ultimo", a collaborative effort between Stan Lee and "Shaman King" creator Hiroyuki Takei. [ cite web |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/864/864777p1.html |title=NYCC 08: Stan Lee Dives Into Manga
accessdate=2008-04-08 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format=html |work= |publisher=IGN |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Brighton Partners and Rainmaker Animation announced in April 2008 a partnership with Lee's POW! Entertainment to produce a CGI film series, "Legion of 5". [cite web|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=44144|title=Stan Lee Launching Legion of 5|accessdate=2008-04-16|publisher=ComingSoon.net] That same month, Virgin Comics announced Lee would create a line of superhero comics for that company. [ [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-virgin19apr19,1,7072456.story Stan Lee to oversee Virgin Comics' superheroes] , "LA Times", April 19, 2008]

Personal life

On December 5, 1947, Lee married Joan Clayton. Joan Lee gave birth to Stan's two daughters: Joan Celia "J.C." Lee in 1950 and Jan Lee, who died three days after delivery in 1953.

Interests

Lee's favorite authors include Stephen King, H. G. Wells, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Harlan Ellison. ["Stan's Soapbox, Bullpen Bulletins", October 1998]

Awards and honors

Lee has received several awards for his work, including being formally inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1995.

He is among the celebrities scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. [ [http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/spider-man-3/news/stan-lee-gets-a-star-on-walk-of-fame.html JustPressPlay.net (July 22, 2007): "Stan Lee Gets a Star on Walk of Fame!", by Arya Ponto] ]

Fictional portrayals

Stan Lee and his collaborator Jack Kirby appear as themselves in "The Fantastic Four" #10 (Jan. 1963), the first of several appearances within the fictional Marvel Universe. The two are depicted as similar to their real-world counterparts, creating comic books based on the "real" adventures of the Fantastic Four.

Kirby, during his years of working for DC Comics in the 1970s, created the character Funky Flashman as a possible parody of Stan Lee. With his hyperbolic speech pattern, gaudy toupee, and hip '70s-Manhattan style beard (as Lee sported at the time) this ne'er-do-well charlatan first appeared in the pages of "Mister Miracle".

Kirby later portrayed himself, Lee, production executive Sol Brodsky, and Lee's secretary Flo Steinberg as superheroes in "What If #11", "What If the Marvel Bullpen Had Become the Fantastic Four?", in which Lee played the part of Mister Fantastic. Lee has also made numerous cameo appearances in many Marvel titles, appearing in audiences and crowds at many characters' ceremonies and parties, and hosting an old-soldiers reunion in "Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos" #100 (July 1972). Lee appeared, unnamed, as the priest at Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' wedding in "New Avengers Annual" #1. He pays his respects to Karen Page at her funeral in the "Daredevil" "Guardian Devil" story arc,issue and appears in "The Amazing Spider-Man" (June 1977).

In Alan Moore's satirical miniseries "1963", based on numerous Marvel characters of the 1960s, Moore's alter ego "Affable Al" parodies Lee and his allegedly unfair treatment of artists.

The "Young Dan Pussey" stories by Daniel Clowes, collected in "Pussey!", feature an exploitative publisher who relies on Lee's gung-ho style and "Bullpen" mythology to motivate his stable of naive and underpaid creators; the stories mainly satirize the state of mainstream comics in the 1990s, but also the subculture of young superhero fans that Lee helped to create.

In Marvel's 1991 comic book adaptation of game "Double Dragon", a character modeled after Stan Lee was specifically created for the comic and is introduced as the father of the protagonists, Billy and Jimmy Lee. The character is only referred by his first name, Stan, although the play on his name is obvious when one considers the Lee brothers' surname.

In "X-Play" on the cable network G4, the character "Roger, the Stan Lee Experience" - dubbed "the fifth-best-thing next to Stan Lee" - is a foul-mouthed, perverted stand-up comic parody of Lee. Roger's segments normally consist of him describing details of numerous unspeakable adult encounters, usually involving the wife of another Marvel veteran, Jack Kirby, with each encounter somehow leading to the creation of a well-known Marvel character.

In Marvel's July 1997 "Flashback" event, a top-hatted caricature of Lee as a ringmaster introduced stories which detailed events in Marvel characters' lives before they became superheroes, in special "-1" editions of many Marvel titles. The "ringmaster" depiction of Lee was originally from "Generation X" #17 (July 1996), where the character narrated a story set primarily in an abandoned circus. Though the story itself was written by Scott Lobdell, the narration by "Ringmaster Stan" was written by Lee himself, and the character was drawn in that issue by Chris Bachalo. Bachalo's depiction of "Ringmaster Stan" was later used in the heading of a short-lived revival of the "Stan's Soapbox" column, which evolved into a question & answer format.

In his given name of Stanley Lieber, Stan Lee appears briefly in Paul Malmont's 2006 novel "The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril".

Lee and other comics creators are mentioned in Michael Chabon's 2000 novel about the comics industry "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay".

On one of the last pages of "Truth: Red, White, and Black", Lee appears in a real photograph among other celebrities on a wall of the Bradley home.

In Ultimate X-Men #20, a caricature of Lee appears as a photograph next to the letter Xavier leaves for his students.

In Stan Lee Meets Superheroes, Stan Lee comes in to contact with some of his favorite creations. The series was written by Lee himself.

Film and television appearances

Marvel film properties

Stan Lee appeared in cameos as one-scene characters in many (but not all) movies based on Marvel Comic characters he helped create.

* In the TV-movie "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk" (1989), Lee's first appearance in a Marvel movie or TV project is as jury foreman in the trial of Dr. Bruce Banner.
*Lee has cameo roles in the Fox Broadcasting Company telefilms "Generation X" (1996) and "" (1998)
*In "X-Men" (2000), Lee appears as a customer at a hotdog stand on the beach when Senator Kelly emerges naked onshore after escaping from Magneto.
*In "Spider-Man" (2002), he appeared during Spider-Man's first battle with the Green Goblin, pulling a little girl away from falling debris.
*In "Daredevil" (2003), as a child, Matt Murdock stops Lee from crossing the street and getting hit by a car.
*In "Hulk" (2003), he appears walking alongside former TV-series Hulk Lou Ferrigno in an early scene, both as security guards at Bruce Banner's lab. It was his first speaking role in a film based on one of his characters.
*In "Spider-Man 2" (2004), Lee again pulls an innocent person away from danger during Spider-Man's first battle with Doctor Octopus.
*In "Fantastic Four" (2005), Lee appears for the first time as a character from the comics, in a role credited as Willie Lumpkin, the mail carrier who greets the Fantastic Four as they enter the Baxter Building.
*In "" (2006), Lee and Chris Claremont appear as two of Jean Grey's neighbors in the opening scenes set 20 years ago. Lee, credited as "Waterhose man," is watering the lawn when Jean telekinetically redirects the water from the hose into the air.
*In "Spider-Man 3" (2007), Lee appears in a credited role as "Man in Times Square". He stands next to Peter Parker, both of them reading a news bulletin, and commenting to Peter that, "You know, I guess one person can make a difference". He then says his catchphrase, "'Nuff said."
*In "" (2007), Lee appears as himself at Reed Richards' and Susan Storm's first wedding, being turned away by a security guard for not being on the guest list. In "Fantastic Four Annual" #3 (1965), in which the couple married, Lee and Jack Kirby are similarly turned away.
*In "Iron Man" (2008), Lee (credited as "Himself") appears at a gala cavorting with three blond women, where Tony Stark mistakes him for Hugh Hefner. [cite news |author=Eric Goldman |title=Stan Lee's Further Superhero Adventures |publisher=IGN |date=2007-05-04 |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/785/785824p3.html |accessdate=2007-05-14] In the theatrical release of the film, Stark simply greets Lee as "Hef" and moves on without seeing Lee's face; another version of the scene was filmed where Stark realizes his mistake, but Lee graciously responds, "That's okay, I get this all the time." ["Iron Man" Ultimate 2-Disc Edition DVD, disc 2, "I Am Iron Man" documentary]
*In "Incredible Hulk" (2008), Lee appears as a hapless citizen who accidentally ingests a soft drink mixed with Bruce Banner's blood, leading to the discovery of Dr. Banner's location in a bottling plant in Brazil.

Warner/DC properties

* In the original broadcast airing of the "" episode "Apokolips... Now! Part 2", an animated Stan Lee was planned to be visible mourning the death of Daniel "Terrible" Turpin, a character based on Lee's collaborator Jack Kirby. The scene would also have included such Marvel characters as the Fantastic Four, Nick Fury, and Peter Parker, as well as such Kirby DC characters as Big Barda, Scott Free, and Orion. This shot appeared in the completed episode and was aired in 7 February 1998 in WB Kids, but was later removed in the DVD release of the episode. [The original sketches for this scene appear in the book "The Krypton Companion" (TwoMorrows Publishing)]

Other film, TV and video

* Lee appears with director Kevin Smith and 2000s Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada in the DVD program "Marvel Then & Now: An Evening with Stan Lee and Joe Quesada, hosted by Kevin Smith". [ [http://www.thenandnowdvd.org Then And Now] ]

*Lee narrated the 2000 film "", under the pseudonym "Peter Parker."

*One of Lee's earliest contributions to animation based on Marvel properties was narrating the 1980s "Incredible Hulk" animated series, always beginning his narration with a self-introduction and ending with "This is Stan Lee saying, "Excelsior"!" Lee had previously narrated the "Seven Little Superheroes" episode of "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends", which the "Hulk" series was paired with for broadcast.

*Lee did the narration for the original 1989 X-Men animated series pilot titled "Pryde of the X-Men".

*Lee was executive producer of a 1990s animated TV series, titled "". He appeared, as animated character (and with his voice), in the series finale episode titled "Farewell, Spider-Man". Spider-Man was teleported into the "real" world where he is a comic book hero. He swings Stan Lee around and drops him off on top of a building. Realizing he is stuck on a roof, Lee muses "Maybe the Fantastic Four will pop up and get me down."

*He also voices the character "Frank Elson" in an episode of "" series broadcast by MTV in 2003, and titled "Mind Games" (Parts 1 & 2, originally aired in Aug. 15 & 22, 2003).

*Lee has an extensive cameo in the Kevin Smith film "Mallrats". He once again plays himself, this time visiting "the" mall to sign books at a comic store. Later, he takes on the role of a sage-like character, giving Jason Lee's character, Brodie Bruce (a longtime fan of Lee's), advice on his love life. He also recorded interviews with Smith for the non-fiction video "Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters, and Marvels" (2002).

*Lee appeared as himself in an extended self-parodying sketch on the episode "Tapping a Hero" of "Robot Chicken"

*Lee appears as himself in writer-director Larry Cohen's "The Ambulance" (1990), in which Eric Roberts plays an aspiring comics artist.

*In "The Simpsons" episode "I Am Furious Yellow" (April 28, 2002), Lee voices the animated Stan Lee, who is a prolonged visitor to Comic Book Guy's store ("Stan Lee came back?" "Stan Lee never left. I am starting to think his mind is no longer in mint condition.") He asks if Comic Book Guy is the stalker of Lynda Carter - the star of the 70s show "Wonder Woman" - and shows signs of dementia, such as breaking a customer's toy Batmobile by trying to cram a The Thing action figure into it (claiming that he "made it better"), hiding DC comics behind Marvel comics, and believing that he is the Hulk (and fails trying to become the Hulk, while Comic Book Guy comments he couldn't even change into Bill Bixby). In a later episode, Lee's picture is seen next to several others on the wall behind the register, under the heading "Banned for life".

*Lee also appears as himself in the Mark Hamill-directed ' (2004), a direct-to-video mockumentary primarily filmed at the 2002 San Diego Comic-Con. He appeared in ' (2004) as the "Three Stooges Wedding Guest", a Spaniard who learns English from watching Three Stooges shorts.

*Stan Lee narrates the 2000 video game "Spider-Man" and the 2001 sequel "".

*Lee is producer and host of the reality-TV show "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?", which premiered on the Sci Fi Channel July 27, 2006, and had its second season in summer, 2007.

*Lee has made two appearances as a subject on "To Tell the Truth": first in 1970, and again in 2001.

*Lee also made an appearance on December 21, 2006, on the NBC game show "Identity".
*Lee voices characters in POW! Entertainment's direct-to-DVD "Stan Lee Presents" line of animated features. In "Mosaic" he voices the security guard Stanley at Interpol, and in "The Condor" he voices a candy-store owner whose granddaughter the Condor saves.

*In the "Unexpected" episode of the TV science-fiction drama "Heroes" (2006), Lee appears as a bus driver kindly greeting Hiro Nakamura.

Radio

*Lee recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's "Hip-Hop Literacy" campaign

Action figure

At the 2007 Comic-Con International, Marvel Legends introduced a Stan Lee action figure. The body beneath the figure's removable cloth wardrobe is re-used from the mold of a previously released Spider-Man action figure, with only minor changes. [ [http://www.oafe.net/yo/mlh2_sl.php OAFE - ML: Stan Lee exclusive review] ]

elected bibliography

Comics that Stan Lee has written or co-written include:

*"The Amazing Spider-Man" (Vol. 1): #1-100, 105-110, 116-118
*"The Avengers" (Vol. 1): #1-34
*"Captain America" (Vol. 1) #100-109, 112, 114-141
*"Daredevil" (Vol. 1): #1-9, 11-50, 53, 81
*"Fantastic Four" (Vol. 1): #1-115, 120-125, 154, 180, 189, 236, 296
*"Journey into Mystery" (Vol. 1): #1, 3, 55, 62, 64, 71-79, 83-125
*"Ravage 2099"
*"Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos": #1-28
*"The Silver Surfer" (Vol. 1): #1-18
*"Solarman" 1-2
*"Strange Tales" (Vol. 1): #1, 9, 11, 67, 73-74, 78-86, 88-89, 91-95, 97-98, 100-147, 150-157, 174, 182-188
*"Tales to Astonish" (Vol. 1): #1, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 24-33, 35-101
*"Tales of Suspense" (Vol. 1): #7, 9, 16, 22, 27, 29-30, 39-99
*"The Mighty Thor" (Vol. 1): #126-194, 200, 254, 385, 432, 450
*"The X-Men" (Vol. 1): #1-21

Footnotes

References

* Lee, Stan, "Origins of Marvel Comics" (Simon and Schuster, 1974; Marvel Entertainment Group, 1997 reissue, ISBN 0-7851-0551-4)
* Lee, Stan, and Mair, George. "Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee" (Fireside, 2002) ISBN 0-684-87305-2
* Ro, Ronin. "Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution" (Bloomsbury USA, 2005 reissue) ISBN 1-58234-566-X
* Raphael, Jordan, and Spurgeon, Tom. "Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book" (Chicago Review Press, 2003) ISBN 1-55652-506-0
* [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/NAML8.HTM#N162 Stan Lee] at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
* [http://powentertainment.com/ POW! Entertainment] (official site)
* [http://www.stanleeweb.com Stan Lee Web] (fan site)

External links

* [http://www.folkstory.com/articles/spiderman.html Framingham, Mass., "Daily News" (May 5, 2002): "Myth and the Hero's Journey: Big Screen Blockbusters - Star Wars, Spider-Man Tell Timeless Tales", by Chris Bergeron]
*"Newsday" (April 1, 2007): "Fast Chat: Stan Lee"
* [http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/886 Stan Lee: Conversations (University Press of Mississippi)]

Audio/Video

* [http://209.51.142.186/~dogatco/mmms/mmms65.mp3 Audio of Merry Marvel Marching Society record] , including voice of Stan Lee
* (autobiographical)
* [http://www.chriscomerradio.com/stan_lee/stan_lee4-1-05.htm Chris Comer Radio Interviews: "Stan Lee"] , April 1, 2005
* [http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/episodes/comic_geek_speak-111.php Comic Geek Speak: Episode 83] - Stan Lee interview podcast, December 12, 2005
* [http://daily.mahalo.com/2008/01/28/md044-stan-lee-interview/ Mahalo Daily with Veronica Belmont: "MD044 - Stan Lee Interview"] , January 28, 2008
* [http://www.truegameheadz.com/blogheadz/stan-lee-the-man/ Stan Lee receives 1st New York comics legend award] April 17 2008

Источник: Stan Lee

Wallace Wood

Wally Wood (* 17. Juni 1927, Menahga, Minnesota als Wallace Allan Wood; † 2. November 1981 Los Angeles, Kalifornien) war ein amerikanischer Comiczeichner, der hauptsächlich für seine Arbeiten für das MAD-Magazin und Marvel Comics berühmt war.

Leben

Aufgewachsen an verschiedenen Orten in seiner Jugend, konnte sich Wallace früh für das Zeichnen begeistern. Sein Vater Max, ein Holzfäller, fand, dass Kunst keine Arbeit für Männer sei, doch dank der Unterstützung seiner Mutter Alma, die seine ersten kleinere Werke mit ihrer Nähmaschine zu kleinen Büchern zusammennähte, blieb er dem Zeichnen treu. 1944, nach der Trennung seiner Eltern und nachdem er erfolgreich die West High in Minneapolis abgeschlossen hatte, heuerte er bei der Handelsmarine an. Diese Arbeit brachte ihn erstmals an exotische Plätze der Welt wie beispielsweise die Philippinen oder Guam und sein Leben als Matrose spiegelte sich in den in seiner Freizeit entstandenen Comics wider. Nach seiner Entlassung aus der Handelsmarine meldete er sich freiwillig bei den Fallschirmjägern und wurde als Mitglied der 11. US-Luftlandedivision von Fort Benning ins besetzte Japan nach Hokkaidō versetzt. Nach dem Ende seiner Dienstzeit im Juli 1948 begann Wood eine Ausbildung an der Minneapolis School of Art, die er jedoch umgehend wieder abbrach, da sie nicht seinen Vorstellungen entsprach.^[1] Kurz darauf zog er mit seiner Mutter und seinem Bruder Glen nach New York City, wo er eine Anstellung als Hilfskraft in einem Bickford's-Restaurant fand. Das ständige Mitführen seines Portfolios war nicht von Erfolg gekrönt und alle Verleger lehnten Wood zunächst als Comiczeichner ab.

Karriere als Zeichner

Erst 1949 bekam er eine Anstellung als Letterer und Hintergrundzeichner bei Will Eisners Zeitschrift The Spirit. Zur damaligen Zeit verdiente er 5 $ pro Seite.^[2] Ein weiteres Studium an der von Burne Hogarth 1947 gegründeten School of Visual Arts brach Wood schon nach einem Semester wieder ab. Doch Ende 1948 erschien mit The Tip Off Woman sein erstes alleiniges Werk in dem Fox Feature Syndicate-Comic Women Outlaws #4. Mit Harry Harrison, einem anderen Comiczeichner, der später ein berühmter Science-Fiction-Autor werden sollte, gründete Wood in Manhattan ein eigenes Studio. Ab 1949 verkauften sie ihre Werke an den Comicverlag EC Comics, darunter auch das in Eigenregie entstandene I Was Just a Playtime Cowgirl, das im April 1950 in der 11. Ausgabe der Serie Saddle Romances erschien. Im Büro seines Agenten Renaldo Epworth lernte Wood den Zeichner Joe Orlando kennen. Dieser, Harrison, Wood, Sid Check und Ed McLean bezogen gemeinsam ein neues Büro in der 64. Straße Ecke Columbus Avenue, dem heutigen Standort des Lincoln Center. Neben der Erstellung eigener Werke wurden auch weiterhin die Arbeiten anderer Künstler diskutiert. Dabei waren Zeichner wie Joe Kubert, Frank Frazetta und Milton Caniff stets Vorbilder, denen das junge Team nacheiferte.^[3] Die Leidenschaft lag für Wood und Harrison in Science Fiction und so überzeugten sie den Verleger William M. Gaines eine Science-Fiction-Comic-Serie herauszubringen, die später unter dem Namen Weird Science Fantasy unter Comicfans berühmt wurde. Aufgrund künstlerischer Differenzen gingen Harrison und Wood kurze Zeit später jedoch getrennte Wege.^[4]

Die MAD-Zeit

Nachdem das Unternehmen Fox Feature Syndicate Anfang der fünfziger Jahre bankrott ging, blieb es Orlando und Wood um die 6.000 $ schuldig. Orlando unterbrach danach für kurze Zeit seine künstlerische Karriere, doch Wood arbeitete weiter.^[5] 1950/51 war Wood an jeder Ausgabe der EC Comics beteiligt und konnte in verschiedenen Genres, wie Horror (Vault of Horror), Science Fiction (Weird Science), Kriminal- (Crime SuspenStories) und Kriegsgeschichten (Two-Fisted Tales), Fuß fassen. 1952 starteten Harvey Kurtzman und William M. Gaines MAD, damals noch ein vierfarbiges Comicbuch. Wally Wood wurde engagiert, da er sehr geschickt darin war, den Zeichenstil anderer bekannter Zeichner zu imitieren. Diese Fähigkeiten waren ihm zu dieser Zeit sehr nützlich, da MAD zunächst eine Satire auf bereits bekannte Superhelden war. Diese Werke Woods gelten noch heute als Vorbild für viele Comiczeichner, wie zum Beispiel Skip Williamson, und machten ihn zu einer der ersten richtigen Berühmtheiten des Comic-Geschäfts. Sein Gehalt stieg auf über 200 $ pro Seite.^[6] Seit 1957 schuf Wood Illustrationen für die Galaxy-Science-Fiction-Magazine und wirkte in an allen Ausgaben des MAD-Magazins (seit 1955 eine Zeitschrift) bis 1964 mit. Doch nach einsetzendem Alkoholismus und einer Absage von MAD, die 1964 eine Arbeit Woods ablehnte, kündigte dieser. EC Comics war pleite und Wally Wood begann für Marvel Comics zu arbeiten, wo er unter anderem das rote Kostüm des Charakters Daredevil prägte. 1964 war Woody neben Jack Kirby und Steve Ditko der dritte Zeichner bei Marvel, dem von Stan Lee immer mehr Pflichten übertragen wurden, die auch das Schreiben der Comics umfasste. Zunächst froh über die zusätzliche kreative Aufgabe, stellte sich bald Resignation ein, da Stan Lee die Co-Autoren nicht als solche deklarierte, geschweige denn ihnen eine höhere Gage zahlte. Wood verließ Marvel schon 1965, Ditko folgte 1966 und drei Jahre später beendete auch Kirby seine Marvel-Laufbahn.^[7]

Verlegertätigkeit

Mit T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents erschien zwischen 1965 und 1969 eine eigens von Wally Wood geschaffene Superhelden-Serie bei Tower Publishing. Alle Charaktere entstammten seiner Feder. Al Williamson und Reed Crandall, seine ehemaligen Kollegen von EC, beschäftigte er für die Umsetzung. Steve Ditko and Gil Kane steuerten auch Geschichten zur Serie bei. Noch während der Planung dieser Serie trat Dan Adkins mit dem Vorschlag an Wood heran, an seinem geplanten Magazin Outlet (später Et Cetera und schließlich Witzend) mitzuarbeiten. Wood, der nach dem unglücklichen Ende bei MAD seine Chance sah, sein eigener Verleger zu sein, sagte zu. So schuf er parallel zum Engagement bei Tower Publishing neue Charaktere für das Magazin, das das Copyright bei den Autoren beließ, eine Praxis, die zur damaligen Zeit unüblich war.^[7] Die Erstausgabe von Witzend erschien 1966 doch nach mäßigen Verkaufszahlen trat Wood das Amt des Verlegers nach der vierten Ausgabe an Bob Pearson ab. Doch seine Werke erschienen weiter, MAD-Klassiker wurden neu aufgelegt und bis 1967 hatte er 160 Illustrationen für die Galaxy-Magazine geschaffen.

Siebziger Jahre

Für ein einjähriges Intermezzo kehrte Wood 1969 zu Marvel zurück, wo er vier Ausgaben von Astonishing Tales, einer Serie mit der Hauptfigur Doctor Doom, zeichnete. Doch das schlechte Verhältnis zu Stan Lee veranlasste ihn, 1970 Marvel erneut zu verlassen. Er hatte viele kleinere Engagements meist als Inker, beispielsweise für Ausgaben von Wonder Woman, Green Lantern oder auch Vampirella. Doch die Krise der Comicbranche Mitte der siebziger Jahre des 20. Jahrhunderts spiegelte sich in einfacheren Manuskripten wider. Wood, der ein Team von Assistenten hatte, musste, um dem Veröffentlichungsdruck gerecht zu werden, seinen Stil „vereinheitlichen“, damit die Illustrationen seiner Assistenten den seinen glichen.^[7] Auch privat hatte Wood viele Probleme. Die Scheidung von seiner Frau Tatjana, im Jahr 1969 veranlasste ihn, erneut zu trinken. Das in Kombination mit durchgemachten Nächten am Zeichentisch und starkem Rauchen, schadete seiner Gesundheit. Seine zweite Ehe, die er mit seiner Psychiaterin einging, hielt nur drei Jahre und auch eine dritte Ehe ging schnell in die Brüche. Seine Frustration spiegelte sich in seinen Comics wider, die jetzt, Mitte der siebziger Jahre, meist sexuellen Charakters waren und in Männermagazinen wie Playboy, Gent und dem extremeren Screw Magazine erschienen. Die Geschichten waren gemäßigten Humors und wirkten uninspirierter als die älteren Comics aus Woods Feder. Mit dieser Art von Beschäftigung und Engagements als Inker über Werke von Ric Estrada und Keith Giffen, die die eigentlichen „Helden“ der Comicszene waren, sah sich Wally einem rapiden Abstieg gegenübergestellt. 1976 gründete er seine eigene Firma Woodwork, um unabhängig von allen Verlegern zu sein und veröffentlichte Sally Forth und Cannon in Eigenregie; ebenso seinen Newsletter The Woodwork Gazette. Geplant waren Filme, Prosaerzählungen, Hardcover-Ausgaben seiner gesammelten Werke, an denen er die Rechte hielt und weitere Veröffentlichungen.

Krankheit und Tod

Doch in der fünften Ausgabe seiner Gazette schrieb er, dass er aufgebe. Nach mehreren Schlaganfällen war er auf dem linken Auge erblindet und konnte seine linke Hand kaum noch bewegen. Außerdem versagten seine Nieren, eine Tatsache, die mit seinem ungesunden Lebensstil als Raucher und Trinker im Zusammenhang stand. Seine Karriere war de facto zu Ende und Wood, der stets nach Freiheit und Unabhängigkeit in seiner Arbeit strebte, war auf die Hilfe seiner Mitmenschen angewiesen. Am 31. Oktober 1981 wurde er das letzte Mal lebendig gesehen. Wally Wood erschoss sich mit einer Pistole, Kaliber .44. Seine Leiche wurde am 3. November gefunden doch sein Sterbedatum wird auf den 2. November 1981 datiert.^[7]

Preise und Auszeichnungen

• 1957: Comic Books Award der National Cartoonists Society (NCS)
• 1959: Comic Books Award der National Cartoonists Society (NCS)
• 1965: Comic Books Award der National Cartoonists Society (NCS)
• 1965: Alley Award in der Kategorie Best Pencil Artist
• 1966: Alley Award in der Kategorie Best Inking Work
• 1978: Best Foreign Cartoonist Award beim Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d'Angoulême
• 1989: Harvey Award: Aufnahme in die Jack Kirby Hall of Fame
• 1992: Eisner Award: Aufnahme in die Hall of Fame

Literatur

Bhob Steward: Against the Grain. TwoMorrows Publishing, 2003, ISBN 1-89390-523-3

Einzelnachweise

1. ↑ Wood-Biografie bei splashpages.com
2. ↑ Bhob Stewart: Against the Grain, part five
3. ↑ Bhob Stewart: Against the Grain, part seven
4. ↑ Bhob Stewart: Against the Grain, part nine
5. ↑ Bhob Stewart: Against the Grain, part eleven
6. ↑ Bhob Stewart: Against the Grain, part 38
7. ↑ ^{a b c d} Michael T. Gilbert: Total Control - A Brief Biography of Wally Wood

Weblinks

• Splash Pages – eine Wally Wood Tribute-Webseite
• Wally Woods Veröffentlichungen in der Grand Comics Database
• umfangreiche Biografie Woods bei TwoMorrows Publishing

Источник: Wallace Wood