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Stan Lee
The Amazing Spider-Man. The Incredible Hulk. The Invincible Iron Man. Black Panther. These are just a few of the iconic superheroes to emerge from the mind of Stan Lee.
From the mean streets of Depression-era New York City to recipient of 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.
In Stan The Man behind Marvel, Bob Batchelor offers an eye-opening look at this iconic visionary, a man who created (with talented artists) many of history’s most legendary characters. In this energetic and entertaining biography, Batchelor explores how Lee capitalized on natural talent and hard work to become the editor of Marvel Comics as a teenager. After toiling in the industry for decades, Lee threw caution to the wind and went for broke, co-creating the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and others in a creative flurry that revolutionized comic books for generations of readers. Marvel superheroes became a central part of pop culture, from collecting comics to innovative merchandising, from superhero action figures to the ever-present Spider-Man lunchbox.
Batchelor examines many of Lee’s most beloved works, including the 1960s comics that transformed Marvel from a second-rate company to a legendary publisher. This book reveals the risks Lee took to bring the characters to life and Lee’s tireless efforts to make comic books and superheroes part of mainstream culture for more than fifty years.
Stan The Man behind Marvel not only reveals why Lee developed into such a central figure in American entertainment history, but brings to life the cultural significance of comic books and how the superhero genre reflects ideas central to the American experience. Candid, authoritative, and utterly absorbing, this is a biography of a man who dreamed of one day writing the Great American Novel, but ended up doing so much more—changing American culture by creating new worlds and heroes that have entertained generations of readers.
From the mean streets of Depression-era New York City to recipient of 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.
In Stan The Man behind Marvel, Bob Batchelor offers an eye-opening look at this iconic visionary, a man who created (with talented artists) many of history’s most legendary characters. In this energetic and entertaining biography, Batchelor explores how Lee capitalized on natural talent and hard work to become the editor of Marvel Comics as a teenager. After toiling in the industry for decades, Lee threw caution to the wind and went for broke, co-creating the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and others in a creative flurry that revolutionized comic books for generations of readers. Marvel superheroes became a central part of pop culture, from collecting comics to innovative merchandising, from superhero action figures to the ever-present Spider-Man lunchbox.
Batchelor examines many of Lee’s most beloved works, including the 1960s comics that transformed Marvel from a second-rate company to a legendary publisher. This book reveals the risks Lee took to bring the characters to life and Lee’s tireless efforts to make comic books and superheroes part of mainstream culture for more than fifty years.
Stan The Man behind Marvel not only reveals why Lee developed into such a central figure in American entertainment history, but brings to life the cultural significance of comic books and how the superhero genre reflects ideas central to the American experience. Candid, authoritative, and utterly absorbing, this is a biography of a man who dreamed of one day writing the Great American Novel, but ended up doing so much more—changing American culture by creating new worlds and heroes that have entertained generations of readers.
264 pages, Paperback
Published December 15, 2018
104 people are currently reading
1716 people want to read
About the author
Bob Batchelor
38 books71 followersBob Batchelor is a critically-acclaimed cultural historian and biographer. He is the author of Stan Lee: A Life (Rowman & Littlefield, October 2022), Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, Young Adult Edition (Rowman & Littlefiled, October 2022), and Roadhouse Blues: Morrison, the Doors, and the Death Days of the Sixties (Hamilcar Publications, November 2022).
He has published books on Bob Dylan, The Great Gatsby, Mad Men, and John Updike. His latest, Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon, An Illustrated History won the 2021 Independent Publishers Book Award for Fine Art. The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius won the 2020 Independent Publishers Book Award for Historical Biography. Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel was a finalist for the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction.
Bob’s books have been translated into a dozen languages and his work has appeared in Time magazine, the New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, and Los Angeles Times. Bob is also the creator and host of the podcast John Updike: American Writer, American Life. He has appeared as an on-air commentator for The National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, PBS, and NPR. Bob hosted “TriState True Crime” on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle television show.
Bob earned his doctorate in American Literature from the University of South Florida. He has taught at universities in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as Vienna, Austria. Bob lives in North Carolina with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.
For more information, visit www.bobbatchelor.com.
He has published books on Bob Dylan, The Great Gatsby, Mad Men, and John Updike. His latest, Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon, An Illustrated History won the 2021 Independent Publishers Book Award for Fine Art. The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius won the 2020 Independent Publishers Book Award for Historical Biography. Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel was a finalist for the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction.
Bob’s books have been translated into a dozen languages and his work has appeared in Time magazine, the New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, and Los Angeles Times. Bob is also the creator and host of the podcast John Updike: American Writer, American Life. He has appeared as an on-air commentator for The National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, PBS, and NPR. Bob hosted “TriState True Crime” on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle television show.
Bob earned his doctorate in American Literature from the University of South Florida. He has taught at universities in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as Vienna, Austria. Bob lives in North Carolina with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.
For more information, visit www.bobbatchelor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
July 8, 2017
Though full of interesting information about Lee's life and role in Marvel, the writing style of this biography fell very flat for me. I felt like I was slogging through the timeline of Lee's life, with occasional anecdotes being reduced to a couple relatively uninteresting lines. With a person as vibrant as Lee, I was disappointed to see so little of his personality shine through. Batchelor would have done well to really dig into interesting stories rather than this bland presentation.
August 31, 2017
I first became aware of who Stan Lee was when he narrated Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and other Marvel cartoons in the 80's. I wondered who this guy was behind all of Marvel's greatest creations. Bob Batchelor answers this question well. Batchelor details Lee's life as a child, his parents struggling to make ends meet. Moving on, we find out about how he was hired as a gofer for Joe Simon and Jack Kirby at the age of 17 to work at Timely Comics. We see his years working at Marvel all the way through 2016 and appearing in his 29th superhero movie. It's a great look at the guy who "Made Mine Marvel".
Received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2017
Who doesn't love a story about a person coming from humble beginnings, persevering and making an indelible mark in contemporary history.
Stan Lee, born Stanley Lieber, the manic mouthpiece, the mad maestro of Marvel (some good old alliteration) has lived an interesting life from when comicbooks were on the fringes of society, deemed reading material for adolescents and underachieving young adults, to becoming a global phenomenon entrenched in cool popular culture.
Stan Lee is a brilliant self promoter and may have taken more credit than was his due, but with his unique style and voice, he has undoubtedly made a massive contribution to his industry finding itself at the forefront of a cultural zeitgeist.
A well researched and fascinating biography into the life and times of a fascinating man.
Stan Lee, born Stanley Lieber, the manic mouthpiece, the mad maestro of Marvel (some good old alliteration) has lived an interesting life from when comicbooks were on the fringes of society, deemed reading material for adolescents and underachieving young adults, to becoming a global phenomenon entrenched in cool popular culture.
Stan Lee is a brilliant self promoter and may have taken more credit than was his due, but with his unique style and voice, he has undoubtedly made a massive contribution to his industry finding itself at the forefront of a cultural zeitgeist.
A well researched and fascinating biography into the life and times of a fascinating man.
December 21, 2017
Almost entirely unremarkable. Bummer.
June 18, 2017
It used to be said that behind every great man there’s a great woman. Stan Lee’s wife, Joanie, certainly played a decisive role in making him, if not a household name, certainly one of the most important purveyors of modern popular culture, not only revolutionizing the comic book industry but ultimately inspiring a wave of films that continue to enthral moviegoers.
Stanley Leiber (as he then was) had drifted into the field in which he would make his mark by taking what he thought would be a temporary job as a general dogsbody at Timely Comics, aged 17. He soon began to fulfil his creative urges by writing for the comics, adopting the name ‘Stan Lee’, which he later made his legal name.
A significant break came when the departure of editors Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for DC Comics, left him in charge, although the next two decades, as editor and chief writer, were professionally unfulfilling as he fairly slavishly followed instructions to follow market trends. It was when he contemplated quitting after being instructed to emulate DC’s ‘Justice League of America’ in 1961 that Joanie fatefully intervened. Why not, she asked, create a comic book which conforms in outline with the brief given but actually make the contents as you’d truly like them to be, as the worst that could happen is that you could be sacked instead of quitting?.
What actually happened was that The Fantastic Four turned out to be a runaway success and over the next ten years Stan Lee followed success with success, revolutionizing comic books, creating a Marvel Comics superhero stable (assisted by talented artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko) which included The Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, and The Amazing Spider-Man (a character readers could crucially identify with, rather than just fantasize over), among many others.
In 1972 Lee effectively began a new and equally successful career, leaving the comic book end of the business to oversee production of cartoons and films based on Marvel characters.
This is the story which Bob Batchelor tells in ‘Stan Lee’, a workmanlike no-frills rather than warts-and-all biography. Lee, like Steve Jobs, is often accused of a genius for self-promotion which resulted in him taking the credit for the work of others. Batchelor acknowledges this debate without addressing it in any great detail – although, to be fair, in the nature of comic book creation it is often difficult precisely to assess an individual’s precise contribution.
In short, Batchelor’s is the best available biography of Lee, although his efforts to assess the cultural significance of the comic book phenomenon and explain the enduring appeal of the superhero genre are not terribly profound.
Stanley Leiber (as he then was) had drifted into the field in which he would make his mark by taking what he thought would be a temporary job as a general dogsbody at Timely Comics, aged 17. He soon began to fulfil his creative urges by writing for the comics, adopting the name ‘Stan Lee’, which he later made his legal name.
A significant break came when the departure of editors Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for DC Comics, left him in charge, although the next two decades, as editor and chief writer, were professionally unfulfilling as he fairly slavishly followed instructions to follow market trends. It was when he contemplated quitting after being instructed to emulate DC’s ‘Justice League of America’ in 1961 that Joanie fatefully intervened. Why not, she asked, create a comic book which conforms in outline with the brief given but actually make the contents as you’d truly like them to be, as the worst that could happen is that you could be sacked instead of quitting?.
What actually happened was that The Fantastic Four turned out to be a runaway success and over the next ten years Stan Lee followed success with success, revolutionizing comic books, creating a Marvel Comics superhero stable (assisted by talented artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko) which included The Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, and The Amazing Spider-Man (a character readers could crucially identify with, rather than just fantasize over), among many others.
In 1972 Lee effectively began a new and equally successful career, leaving the comic book end of the business to oversee production of cartoons and films based on Marvel characters.
This is the story which Bob Batchelor tells in ‘Stan Lee’, a workmanlike no-frills rather than warts-and-all biography. Lee, like Steve Jobs, is often accused of a genius for self-promotion which resulted in him taking the credit for the work of others. Batchelor acknowledges this debate without addressing it in any great detail – although, to be fair, in the nature of comic book creation it is often difficult precisely to assess an individual’s precise contribution.
In short, Batchelor’s is the best available biography of Lee, although his efforts to assess the cultural significance of the comic book phenomenon and explain the enduring appeal of the superhero genre are not terribly profound.
July 3, 2017
Few figures in popular culture have been under more critical and biographical microscopes than revolutionary comics writer, editor, and publisher Stan Lee. Of course, since the ‘60s, Lee has been a constant self-promoter providing countless interviews, appearing at numerous conventions, and, along with co-author George Mair, writing his 2002 autobiography, Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan lee. In short, no one would describe Lee as a private man shying away from attention or the limelight.
In addition, there has been no shortage of both appreciations and criticisms of Lee’s work at Marvel; the most exhaustive is likely Sean Howe’s excellent 2012 Marvel Comics: The Untold Story. With all this, is there a need for a new full-length biography of a man whose presence has always been public but perhaps a tad mythologized?
I suppose much depends on how much you already know about the life and legacy of Lee or how much you want to know about the main motor behind Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Avengers. To be fair, Bob Bachelor has done a very professional and well researched job, but many knowledgeable readers won’t learn much if anything new.
Still, if you want to understand the principal creator of the Marvel Universe, this new biography could serve as a one-stop shop. Other than Lee’s own Excelsior, I don’t recall reading in any other source quite as much background tracing Stan Lee’s early years living in poverty during the Great Depression when he was still Stan Lieber. The struggles of his parents left a lifelong impact on Lee, resulting in a strong work ethic and a fear of being unemployed. On top of that childhood foundation, Bachelor clearly demonstrates just how a relentless energy and superlative imagination drove Lee’s career. A bit of luck and being the right man at the right time didn’t hurt either.
Lee’s drive included a lifelong tug to do something more than create comics, like his unfulfilled mission of writing a great novel or working in television and movies. This led, in part, to the success of the Marvel movie franchise but also the financial disaster of SLM, Stan Lee Media. Lee has kept working into his 90s although most of his new projects haven’t had the impact Lee hoped for. Because of this, Bacherlor’s overview of Lee’s later years could contain revelations for readers who know little or nothing about Lee’s non-Marvel work after the glory years of the 1960s.
Bachelor’s history doesn’t include much about Lee’s personal life, leaving the reader with the impression Lee has had a life of enjoyable work but little play or home life. Inevitably, Bachelor had to touch on all the criticisms that Lee is a glory-hound who didn’t give enough credit to artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko for their contributions to Marvel. Bachelor also had to explore all the problems with Stan Lee Media and determines, echoing the court’s findings, Lee just wasn’t on the financial ball as much as he should have been. Bachelor retells the tales of how Lee came up with his ideas for his characters, how he shaped the brand-name of Marvel to appeal to his readers, and provides much information about the business side of Marvel from its roots in Martin Goodman’s Timely Comics up to its current corporate identity.
Bachelor clearly knows what he’s doing, being the author of cultural studies on subjects ranging from Mad Men, John Updike, to The Great Gatsby. If you want someone to provide an objective, outsider’s analysis of the life and work of Stan Lee, then it would be hard to find a cultural historian more qualified than Bachelor. This is especially true for readers who haven’t dived into the story of Marvel comics before. For all fellow baby boomers—remember how Stan the Man used to sign off all those Soapboxes—Excelsior!
This review was first published at BookPleasures.com on July 2, 2017:
goo.gl/tF17eq
April 23, 2022
今天又偶然翻開然後一口氣看完了。
先說結論：本書是完全related to Stan Lee的，無法從中找到太多超英相關的故事，且對於具體超英漫畫創作的過程敘述並不詳細。但反過來說，作為人物傳記則是相當事無巨細且可以考證的，作者在寫作過程中查詢了相當詳細的年代資料，可以看出時代對於Stan Lee老爺子（尤其在創作方面）的巨大影響。
同時一星扣在這些敘述實在過於事無巨細上，可以說用比較大量的篇幅去詳細記載了Stan Lee所經歷過的商戰、版權、出版業相關風波。
書中有許多詳細的記載使人比較能會心一笑，如提及Iron Man(2008)紅毯畫面時，作者寥寥幾筆勾勒出Stan Lee與RDJ的形象令人印象深刻；提及Doctor Strange的創作時，作者強調了其咒語的設計（閱讀方式）是尤為特殊的，而看過許多遍Doctor Strange(2016)的我也亦能想起電影中的配音；作者也反復提及：Stan Lee在創作漫畫的過程中相當強調漫畫框與旁白對讀者的交互，這種特殊的形式（尤其是Comic Bubble）讓我想到的是Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse(2018)——而這些還僅僅只是本書中的冰山一角，因此可見，無論在Youtube上看過多少解析MCU彩蛋的視頻，仍然能從作者的詳細描述中找出更多的致敬與創作者在這方面的匠心。
此外，我認為本書最後的1-2個章節能給予創作者一定程度的激勵。成功固然無法複製，但具有匠心的熱愛與熱情永不過時。
截取我劃線的一段：
“當徜徉在漫畫書和流行文化的歷史，並沈浸於一種新的故事敏感性之中時，李對自己的過去有非常敏銳的直覺。然而，他很少用到鄉愁。大部分記者粉絲都問過李一些極為愚蠢的、顯而易見的問題。比如，他最喜歡的超級英雄是誰；或者幾十年前，當他創作這些人物時的想法是什麽。李總是非常有禮貌地面對記者和媒體，他負責任地一遍又一遍地告訴人們超級英雄誕生的故事。新一代的記者、采訪者和粉絲們還是想要繼續聽他講這些故事。盡管如此，他自己的視野卻總是往前看的，朝著下一個創作或創意的方向，並且他仍然會在小小的、隨身攜帶的記事本上寫下這些想法。他在整個職業生涯中都是這樣做的。”
最後，RIP Stan, You will be missed.
先說結論：本書是完全related to Stan Lee的，無法從中找到太多超英相關的故事，且對於具體超英漫畫創作的過程敘述並不詳細。但反過來說，作為人物傳記則是相當事無巨細且可以考證的，作者在寫作過程中查詢了相當詳細的年代資料，可以看出時代對於Stan Lee老爺子（尤其在創作方面）的巨大影響。
同時一星扣在這些敘述實在過於事無巨細上，可以說用比較大量的篇幅去詳細記載了Stan Lee所經歷過的商戰、版權、出版業相關風波。
書中有許多詳細的記載使人比較能會心一笑，如提及Iron Man(2008)紅毯畫面時，作者寥寥幾筆勾勒出Stan Lee與RDJ的形象令人印象深刻；提及Doctor Strange的創作時，作者強調了其咒語的設計（閱讀方式）是尤為特殊的，而看過許多遍Doctor Strange(2016)的我也亦能想起電影中的配音；作者也反復提及：Stan Lee在創作漫畫的過程中相當強調漫畫框與旁白對讀者的交互，這種特殊的形式（尤其是Comic Bubble）讓我想到的是Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse(2018)——而這些還僅僅只是本書中的冰山一角，因此可見，無論在Youtube上看過多少解析MCU彩蛋的視頻，仍然能從作者的詳細描述中找出更多的致敬與創作者在這方面的匠心。
此外，我認為本書最後的1-2個章節能給予創作者一定程度的激勵。成功固然無法複製，但具有匠心的熱愛與熱情永不過時。
截取我劃線的一段：
“當徜徉在漫畫書和流行文化的歷史，並沈浸於一種新的故事敏感性之中時，李對自己的過去有非常敏銳的直覺。然而，他很少用到鄉愁。大部分記者粉絲都問過李一些極為愚蠢的、顯而易見的問題。比如，他最喜歡的超級英雄是誰；或者幾十年前，當他創作這些人物時的想法是什麽。李總是非常有禮貌地面對記者和媒體，他負責任地一遍又一遍地告訴人們超級英雄誕生的故事。新一代的記者、采訪者和粉絲們還是想要繼續聽他講這些故事。盡管如此，他自己的視野卻總是往前看的，朝著下一個創作或創意的方向，並且他仍然會在小小的、隨身攜帶的記事本上寫下這些想法。他在整個職業生涯中都是這樣做的。”
最後，RIP Stan, You will be missed.
June 3, 2023
Ciekawa historia o ciekawym człowieku. Sporo anegdot, faktów, zakulisowych opowieści. Warte przeczytania nie tylko przez fanów Marvela
September 1, 2017
Stan Lee’s biography is wonderfully put together by Bob Batchelor who was able to put together a truly thoughtful novel that gives more insight to a master than I ever thought possible.
Stan Lee has been a very popular figure within the world of publishing and comics who gave birth to Marvel Comics. He is a man who has been in the public eye and who has been very open book about himself that it would seem impossible to find any new information about the legend but Batchelor has really outdid himself.
Delving into his beginnings and really investigating his childhood and upbringing opens your eyes to the history of Stan Lee like never before. This is an honest and heart felt biography that really does the subject justice. This is a story of a man who succeeded in every way possible from his rough beginnings to respectable name that people can look up to and admired.
The history of Marvel and his creations is a real added bonus. Batchelor is able to entwine all this information into a real bonus and has written it so it enjoyable and thought provoking. This is definitely a true sign of a real writer writing about a subject that he loves. Someone with lesser talent would most definitely approached the subject less successfully.
This is an informative and entertaining biography that was insightful. It keeps the reader involved and is a real page turner. This is one of those biographies that you can cherish and want to share with your friends and family. This is an open book biography and with the extra bonus of reference notes, bibliography and index surely makes this book a winner. This is a definite five star book.
Stan Lee has been a very popular figure within the world of publishing and comics who gave birth to Marvel Comics. He is a man who has been in the public eye and who has been very open book about himself that it would seem impossible to find any new information about the legend but Batchelor has really outdid himself.
Delving into his beginnings and really investigating his childhood and upbringing opens your eyes to the history of Stan Lee like never before. This is an honest and heart felt biography that really does the subject justice. This is a story of a man who succeeded in every way possible from his rough beginnings to respectable name that people can look up to and admired.
The history of Marvel and his creations is a real added bonus. Batchelor is able to entwine all this information into a real bonus and has written it so it enjoyable and thought provoking. This is definitely a true sign of a real writer writing about a subject that he loves. Someone with lesser talent would most definitely approached the subject less successfully.
This is an informative and entertaining biography that was insightful. It keeps the reader involved and is a real page turner. This is one of those biographies that you can cherish and want to share with your friends and family. This is an open book biography and with the extra bonus of reference notes, bibliography and index surely makes this book a winner. This is a definite five star book.
October 25, 2017
Cultural Historian, Bob Batchelor’s, unauthorized biography Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, provided an intimate look into the life and times of the man who built Marvel comics and inspired generations of artists and writers. Aside from creating epic superheroes and astonishing tales, Batchelor delved into the profound way Stan Lee changed the culture itself by challenging the public’s perception of tawdry comic magazines in the 1960s. Readers will love this book even if they know the outcome of Stan’s story. The thrill of this biography is not in Lee’s triumphs but in following the Voice of Marvel through decades of doubts, frustrations, and professional dissatisfaction before he achieved his status as an American icon.
November 28, 2018
Stan Lee, a cultural icon, was born Stanley Lieber. Bob Batchelor notes how Lee’s wife, Joanie, played a decisive role in encouraging him to become a comic book revolutionary. Bob Batchelor did well in presenting this account of a legend.
October 22, 2021
“...Lee became one of the most important creative icons in contemporary American history.”
I loved learning about Stan Lee’s career before Marvel and how he almost gave up comic books as a whole. Another thing I enjoyed about the book was reading about the reasoning Stan had behind each of his heroes. Also, the amount of research the author put into this book really gives us an understanding of Stan’s life. Furthermore, Bob Bachelor does a wonderful job at keeping the book readable for people who don’t know much about marvel. Most biographies that I’ve read were hard for me to consistently read, since I truly enjoyed this book this was not an issue for me this time.
I loved learning about Stan Lee’s career before Marvel and how he almost gave up comic books as a whole. Another thing I enjoyed about the book was reading about the reasoning Stan had behind each of his heroes. Also, the amount of research the author put into this book really gives us an understanding of Stan’s life. Furthermore, Bob Bachelor does a wonderful job at keeping the book readable for people who don’t know much about marvel. Most biographies that I’ve read were hard for me to consistently read, since I truly enjoyed this book this was not an issue for me this time.
April 11, 2018
Biographies are a great way to learn more about your personal superheroes. And one of the greatest superheroes is Stan Lee. Reading his remarkable story, and that of his parents, helps put in perspective the efforts he undertook to become the creative who brought us so many amazing characters. Finishing this book is timely because of the story of elder abuse of Stan Lee now that he's in his 90s. I appreciated reading his story and hoping to push my own career forward and succeed in my own creative endeavors.
January 29, 2024
I really enjoyed listening to this. As someone newer to the comic world but knowing tidbits here and there, it was interesting to see how all these big events tied together and how those timeliness were impacted, and impacted, Stan Lee.
July 18, 2017
Stan Lee is a household name, an icon, a hero for those in the comic world that once was seemingly relegated to ‘nerds’ before the global world recognized the importance and power that the written word combined with vivid imagery can convey. Lee has never been one to shy away from self-promotion if it meant finding a new way to bring his work and message to the world so there is no shortage of books about this man who has changed countless lives.
Batchelor has provided another to add to that ever growing collection about the Father of Marvel a beloved figure of our childhoods who has allowed us to take those moments with us as we become adults. Considering the immense body of work out there already by him and about him you’re probably wondering if you need to spend more money on yet another book especially since Lee is still ever creating and changing the world.
That question I really can’t answer for you because it depends on your level of fandom regarding Lee. If you’re a super fan who has the man and myth memorized you’re probably not going to get a lot from this book because Batchelor doesn’t bring anything new to the table that veterans don’t already know and can recite while in a coma. He does a great job with the obviously meticulously researched information he provides so if you’re something of a newbie to Marvel or don’t recognize him beyond his name and the cameos he makes in his movies then this would be a good book for you.
Fifteen years ago Stan Lee published his own autobiography, Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee, which is considered THE definitive work by his fans. Though since it’s by the great man himself there’s going to be some bias, maybe even a bit of coloring, of certain areas of his life so a work by someone more impartial might help give a greater understanding to the later years when Lee wasn’t the great success we know today. In that sense Bachelor does provide more information and a detailed look into the darker times of Lee’s life, the criticisms, legal issues, etc but it is tempered with the artistry of his life as well.
Bachelor is well-known for his unbiased analysis in cultural studies of popular works and figures so you’d be hard-pressed to find a better work done.
Batchelor has provided another to add to that ever growing collection about the Father of Marvel a beloved figure of our childhoods who has allowed us to take those moments with us as we become adults. Considering the immense body of work out there already by him and about him you’re probably wondering if you need to spend more money on yet another book especially since Lee is still ever creating and changing the world.
That question I really can’t answer for you because it depends on your level of fandom regarding Lee. If you’re a super fan who has the man and myth memorized you’re probably not going to get a lot from this book because Batchelor doesn’t bring anything new to the table that veterans don’t already know and can recite while in a coma. He does a great job with the obviously meticulously researched information he provides so if you’re something of a newbie to Marvel or don’t recognize him beyond his name and the cameos he makes in his movies then this would be a good book for you.
Fifteen years ago Stan Lee published his own autobiography, Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee, which is considered THE definitive work by his fans. Though since it’s by the great man himself there’s going to be some bias, maybe even a bit of coloring, of certain areas of his life so a work by someone more impartial might help give a greater understanding to the later years when Lee wasn’t the great success we know today. In that sense Bachelor does provide more information and a detailed look into the darker times of Lee’s life, the criticisms, legal issues, etc but it is tempered with the artistry of his life as well.
Bachelor is well-known for his unbiased analysis in cultural studies of popular works and figures so you’d be hard-pressed to find a better work done.
December 29, 2018
Nie powiem, abym był specjalnie zaskoczony tym, jak niewiele nowego dowiedziałem się o "papieżu" branży komiksowej, Stanie Lee, z biografii Bob Batchelora. Nie jest to jednak zarzut, który należy kierować pod adresem autora a raczej wpływ tego, jak wielką ikoną popkultury, oraz jak popularną i wpływową - a ostatnio, u szczytu popularności kina superbohaterskiego, można rzec "wszechobecną" - postacią był twórca Spider-Mana i wielu, wielu innych komiksowych herosów.
Wraz z tą popularnością mieliśmy do czynienia z istnym zalewem informacji, filmów dokumentalnych i publikacji dotyczących samej postaci, jak i całej branży komiksowej. Również w Polsce, także za sprawą Sine Qua Non, które kilka lat temu wydało "NIEZWYKŁĄ HISTORIĘ MARVEL COMICS", której autor, Sean Howe, w moim odczuciu portretował postać Stana Lee (którego biografia zajmuje znaczącą część wspomnianej książki) wyraziściej i z nieco mniejszą pobłażliwością, niż robi to Bob Batchelor.
Jakkolwiek, z uwagi na to, że Batchelor dużo bardziej szczegółowo tłumaczy genezę i ukazuje wpływ komiksów i bohaterów stworzonych przez Stana Lee na popkulturę - dla fana medium komiksowego będzie to "aż za szczegółowo" - myślę, że biografia ta przypadnie do gustu tym, którzy znając komiksowych superbohaterów tylko z ich kinowych wcieleń a ich twórcę z gościnnych występów z blockbusterach, chcieliby się dowiedzieć "jak to się wszystko zaczęło" i jak długą drogę przebył, oraz jak wiele dokonał Stan Lee, oraz jak wielkim piętnem jego twórczość i osobowość odcisnęły się na popkulturze i nie tylko.
Polecam, choć tym, którzy stanęli przed dylematem "co wybrać", raczej rekomendowałbym napisaną ciekawiej i nieco szerzej eksplorującą "niewygodne" wątki z biografii Stana Lee, "NIEZWYKŁĄ HISTORIĘ MARVEL COMICS".
Wraz z tą popularnością mieliśmy do czynienia z istnym zalewem informacji, filmów dokumentalnych i publikacji dotyczących samej postaci, jak i całej branży komiksowej. Również w Polsce, także za sprawą Sine Qua Non, które kilka lat temu wydało "NIEZWYKŁĄ HISTORIĘ MARVEL COMICS", której autor, Sean Howe, w moim odczuciu portretował postać Stana Lee (którego biografia zajmuje znaczącą część wspomnianej książki) wyraziściej i z nieco mniejszą pobłażliwością, niż robi to Bob Batchelor.
Jakkolwiek, z uwagi na to, że Batchelor dużo bardziej szczegółowo tłumaczy genezę i ukazuje wpływ komiksów i bohaterów stworzonych przez Stana Lee na popkulturę - dla fana medium komiksowego będzie to "aż za szczegółowo" - myślę, że biografia ta przypadnie do gustu tym, którzy znając komiksowych superbohaterów tylko z ich kinowych wcieleń a ich twórcę z gościnnych występów z blockbusterach, chcieliby się dowiedzieć "jak to się wszystko zaczęło" i jak długą drogę przebył, oraz jak wiele dokonał Stan Lee, oraz jak wielkim piętnem jego twórczość i osobowość odcisnęły się na popkulturze i nie tylko.
Polecam, choć tym, którzy stanęli przed dylematem "co wybrać", raczej rekomendowałbym napisaną ciekawiej i nieco szerzej eksplorującą "niewygodne" wątki z biografii Stana Lee, "NIEZWYKŁĄ HISTORIĘ MARVEL COMICS".
September 13, 2017
If you want not only a comprehensive biography of Stan Lee but also a history lesson, check out Stan Lee: The Man behind Marvel by Bob Batchelor. Batchelor weaves rich history with Lee’s life story to give the reader a comprehensive and memorable biography. Stan Lee is renowned as the most important person in comic book history. Although there is a bit of controversy in Lee’s title this book covers it all, from Lee’s Great Depression childhood, the Cuban Missile Crisis, to Lee’s long marriage to Joanie. While Stan Lee has experienced his fair share of criticism, drama, and controversy, you cannot help but respect the man after reading this book. His influence and impact is undeniable. He is inarguably one of the most influential creators of pop culture of all time. Stan Lee is an American icon and hero. Stan Lee: The Man behind Marvel is a must-read for all comic fans, Marvel or otherwise. Aesthetically speaking, the book includes spider webs as chapter headers and adorable little Spider-Man spiders and chapter spacers. I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book eventually and if you love comics, I suggest you do too. This book is easily the best Stan Lee biography currently available.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
November 17, 2018
What exactly can you say to summarize 95 years of life and over 70 years of writing some of the most well known characters in fiction? It’s no small feat, but this book shows Stan’s life at an early age during the Great Depression, writing stories for Captain America, to co-creating the vast majority of the Marvel Universe. Similar to Walt Disney, his creativity knew no bounds.
Even during the 60’s, Stan incorporated real world topics of the Cold War, racism, and addiction. Which normally isn’t something that you would see in stories for kids, but Stan loved writing things that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Not only that, but he added a sense of realism to superpowers and setting them in existing cities.
In many ways he broke the standard mold for superhero’s even going as far back as Fantastic Four, created the first black superhero with Black Panther, and of course not to be overlooked is Spider-Man his most famous creation.
We see Stan make cameos in several movies and tv projects, most famously in Marvel movies and it’s always a treat to see him. He always encouraged fandom with personal and friendly letters, appearances at conventions where he makes you feel welcome. I met him briefly before and can say it was a great experience. Having inspired generations of fans, writers, artists, and his most famous creations in theaters, he’ll never be forgotten. ‘Nuff said.
Even during the 60’s, Stan incorporated real world topics of the Cold War, racism, and addiction. Which normally isn’t something that you would see in stories for kids, but Stan loved writing things that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Not only that, but he added a sense of realism to superpowers and setting them in existing cities.
In many ways he broke the standard mold for superhero’s even going as far back as Fantastic Four, created the first black superhero with Black Panther, and of course not to be overlooked is Spider-Man his most famous creation.
We see Stan make cameos in several movies and tv projects, most famously in Marvel movies and it’s always a treat to see him. He always encouraged fandom with personal and friendly letters, appearances at conventions where he makes you feel welcome. I met him briefly before and can say it was a great experience. Having inspired generations of fans, writers, artists, and his most famous creations in theaters, he’ll never be forgotten. ‘Nuff said.
August 31, 2017
The author sent me a copy of his book, and this was my response:
Stan Lee: The Man behind the Marvel breaks new ground, demonstrating how crucial the comics and comic book heroes have been to American culture, and how Lee, operating in the world of commercial art concerned exclusively with profits, created original characters and stories meant to address, in realistic terms, the contemporary world.”
Stan Lee: The Man behind the Marvel breaks new ground, demonstrating how crucial the comics and comic book heroes have been to American culture, and how Lee, operating in the world of commercial art concerned exclusively with profits, created original characters and stories meant to address, in realistic terms, the contemporary world.”
September 16, 2017
Author and scholar Bob Batchelor capably narrates the story of Stan Lee in this book. I enjoyed this as a popular culture study, and as a focused viewpoint on one of the most influential figures in comic book history.
Batchelor covers Lee's life comprehensively, providing references, but simultaneously using a story format that engages the reader throughout the text. This is one of the most interesting biographies I have had the pleasure of reading.
Batchelor covers Lee's life comprehensively, providing references, but simultaneously using a story format that engages the reader throughout the text. This is one of the most interesting biographies I have had the pleasure of reading.
February 12, 2018
Really wasn't well written. It more told me about his life without telling me the story of his life. In my opinion boring.
October 5, 2017
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/exce...
There’s a compelling argument to be made – and many have made it – that comic books serve as the mythology of contemporary American culture. These brightly-colored, spandex-clad archetypes of good and evil have become ubiquitous, a pop culture pantheon that serves as a common reference point spanning generations.
None have contributed as mightily to that mythology as Stan Lee. As the driving force behind Marvel Comics, the characters that he brought to the fore - the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk and, perhaps most impactful of all, Spider-Man – have become utterly interwoven with the American cultural experience. While DC characters such as Superman and Batman – with the advantage of a few decades – might have a bit more reach, there’s no disputing that Lee’s creations taken together take the cake with regards to cultural cachet.
Cultural historian Bob Batchelor offers up a longer, lingering look at Lee’s life with “Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel.” He follows Lee from his youth as Stanley Lieber growing up in Depression-era New York City through his midcentury comic book successes all the way to his current place as a sort of elder statesman of superheroes.
Born in 1922, Lee grew up as a child of the Depression, watching as his father Jack – a dress cutter – struggled to find work. Seeing the strain that lack of employment placed on the relationship between his parents imparted to Lee a tireless work ethic that would help turn him into a creative dynamo who would continue working well into his 90s.
Lee was just a teenager when he wound up working as an assistant at publisher Martin Goodman’s new Timely Comics. A nepotistic hire – Lee’s cousin was married to Goodman – he started out doing low-level stuff, filling inkwells and whatnot. But he soon found himself thrust into the world of comic book writing, penning his first story – some filler for a Captain America issue – in 1941. Not long after, when editor Joe Simon took his leave, a 19-year-old Lee found himself in the editor’s chair.
He spent some time in the Army during World War II, working on comics the whole time. Comics weren’t all about superheroes back then – he did westerns, romances, horror books … really, whatever Goodman thought might help him make a buck.
It wasn’t until the early 1960s when Lee, working alongside comic art legend Jack Kirby, would enter into perhaps the most impactful creative stretch in the last century of popular culture. In rapid succession, Lee would create (for the company now known as Marvel Comics) iconic characters like the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Thor, the X-Men, Doctor Strange … and a lonely teenaged bookworm named Peter Parker who was bitten by a radioactive spider and turned into your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
(The ongoing debate regarding credit for the creation of these characters and how it should be distributed between Lee and Kirby is touched on here; Lee’s version has proven malleable over the years and Kirby is no longer with us to offer his side. Suffice it to say, both men had a hand and Lee’s contribution, while maybe not all-encompassing, is undeniably significant.)
From there, we follow the rising and falling of Lee and the Marvel empire. We watch as Lee becomes the face of Marvel, a real and tangible connection between the company and the fans that contributes mightily to the publisher’s popularity. Even as the company struggled through the collector boom-and-bust of the early 90s and the bankruptcy of a few years later, Lee remained part of the picture, a sort of elder statesman.
And of course, in his twilight years, Lee has become an icon in his own right, a living piece of comics history whose omnipresence in the films featuring his creations has introduced the man to whole new generations of fans.
“Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel” gives fans a glimpse at the nuts and bolts of Lee’s rise to the top of his industry. It’s an opportunity to understand just what it took to bring this roster of heroes to life – the risks necessary to capture the reward. His efforts to bring comics into the mainstream span over half a century; it’s safe to say that without him, our pop cultural landscape today is a very different place.
Batchelor looks at Lee’s relationships with his colleagues and his characters; he also explores the nature of America’s connection with comic books and how superheroes have become an integral part of the American mythos.
“Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel” is a bright, easy read. It’s engaging, candid and informative; Batchelor does a good job of avoiding any dip into hagiography. Instead, we get a vivid and readable portrait of a man whose decades-ago vision continues to shape mainstream culture in ways he never could have anticipated.
There’s a compelling argument to be made – and many have made it – that comic books serve as the mythology of contemporary American culture. These brightly-colored, spandex-clad archetypes of good and evil have become ubiquitous, a pop culture pantheon that serves as a common reference point spanning generations.
None have contributed as mightily to that mythology as Stan Lee. As the driving force behind Marvel Comics, the characters that he brought to the fore - the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk and, perhaps most impactful of all, Spider-Man – have become utterly interwoven with the American cultural experience. While DC characters such as Superman and Batman – with the advantage of a few decades – might have a bit more reach, there’s no disputing that Lee’s creations taken together take the cake with regards to cultural cachet.
Cultural historian Bob Batchelor offers up a longer, lingering look at Lee’s life with “Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel.” He follows Lee from his youth as Stanley Lieber growing up in Depression-era New York City through his midcentury comic book successes all the way to his current place as a sort of elder statesman of superheroes.
Born in 1922, Lee grew up as a child of the Depression, watching as his father Jack – a dress cutter – struggled to find work. Seeing the strain that lack of employment placed on the relationship between his parents imparted to Lee a tireless work ethic that would help turn him into a creative dynamo who would continue working well into his 90s.
Lee was just a teenager when he wound up working as an assistant at publisher Martin Goodman’s new Timely Comics. A nepotistic hire – Lee’s cousin was married to Goodman – he started out doing low-level stuff, filling inkwells and whatnot. But he soon found himself thrust into the world of comic book writing, penning his first story – some filler for a Captain America issue – in 1941. Not long after, when editor Joe Simon took his leave, a 19-year-old Lee found himself in the editor’s chair.
He spent some time in the Army during World War II, working on comics the whole time. Comics weren’t all about superheroes back then – he did westerns, romances, horror books … really, whatever Goodman thought might help him make a buck.
It wasn’t until the early 1960s when Lee, working alongside comic art legend Jack Kirby, would enter into perhaps the most impactful creative stretch in the last century of popular culture. In rapid succession, Lee would create (for the company now known as Marvel Comics) iconic characters like the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Thor, the X-Men, Doctor Strange … and a lonely teenaged bookworm named Peter Parker who was bitten by a radioactive spider and turned into your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
(The ongoing debate regarding credit for the creation of these characters and how it should be distributed between Lee and Kirby is touched on here; Lee’s version has proven malleable over the years and Kirby is no longer with us to offer his side. Suffice it to say, both men had a hand and Lee’s contribution, while maybe not all-encompassing, is undeniably significant.)
From there, we follow the rising and falling of Lee and the Marvel empire. We watch as Lee becomes the face of Marvel, a real and tangible connection between the company and the fans that contributes mightily to the publisher’s popularity. Even as the company struggled through the collector boom-and-bust of the early 90s and the bankruptcy of a few years later, Lee remained part of the picture, a sort of elder statesman.
And of course, in his twilight years, Lee has become an icon in his own right, a living piece of comics history whose omnipresence in the films featuring his creations has introduced the man to whole new generations of fans.
“Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel” gives fans a glimpse at the nuts and bolts of Lee’s rise to the top of his industry. It’s an opportunity to understand just what it took to bring this roster of heroes to life – the risks necessary to capture the reward. His efforts to bring comics into the mainstream span over half a century; it’s safe to say that without him, our pop cultural landscape today is a very different place.
Batchelor looks at Lee’s relationships with his colleagues and his characters; he also explores the nature of America’s connection with comic books and how superheroes have become an integral part of the American mythos.
“Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel” is a bright, easy read. It’s engaging, candid and informative; Batchelor does a good job of avoiding any dip into hagiography. Instead, we get a vivid and readable portrait of a man whose decades-ago vision continues to shape mainstream culture in ways he never could have anticipated.
November 29, 2017
2 Expected-More-Stars! ✪✪
This is a book for people who already know about Stan Lee and want to know more. For people who have a grasp on common comic knowledge. Going into it blind i found myself confused and bored at certain references of older comic issues and characters. Names were thrown around as if everyone knows who these characters are.
Its written more like a timeline of Stan Lee's life rather than showcasing him as the interesting person he is. It could have been written better. I have no idea why i was listening to John 5's music while reading this book, but if i wasn't, i may have dozed off. ♬ ♪ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♫
I can't say i grew up with the same fascination about Stan Lee and Marvel as the Author, Bob Batchelor did, but my interest in this man has developed over the past few years. Not only interest but questions. How did one man create such a empire that millions flock to? An empire that dominates pop culture, television, movies, toys, apparels and more.
But jI have to say again!: I wish it was written better! The story fell flat for me. I read more interesting biographies in my 3rd grade social studies class.
Fun Fact!:
1. Before DC had it's iconic name, there were called National Periodical Publications. ...Jesus!
2. Stan Lee wanted to quit the business of comics early on, before the superheroes trend really took off for Marvel.
3. Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four as a last resort to save his comic business.
4. Stan Lee's real name is Stanley Lieber.
5. Stan Lee is Romanian.
6. In Romania, during the 1890's laws outlawed education for jews, while anti-semitism was taught in high-schools.
7. I has goosebumps as the book recalled events in detail of the Haulocost and the great depression. I can't imagine going through what Stan Lee went through.
8. "He beamed with gratitude. A steady paycheck...$8 a week" -WHAT! $8 today wont buy you a happy meal from McDonalds. Wow, how the times have changed.
9. Stan Lee started his career working for Jack Kirby as a gofer.
10. Jack Kirby started as a writer and then began drawing for marvel.
11. I always thought Kirby hated Lee for Lee's comment about him being the creator of the characters but apparently it's because Kirby was cheating marvel and moonlighting for DC on the side for extra money. Since Lee knew about this, Kirby blames him for snitching?! But it was never said that he didn't.
12. The photo of Stan Lee standing next to a very young Kevin Smith was hilarious!!! Kevin is poising with his classic sad puppy-dog face.
To reiterate, the writing sucked. Stan Lee was too humanized, almost to the point of border-line depressing. I felt his pain and wish he didn't have to go through those struggles but i also feel it could have been portrayed differently.
Did i learn some new things? -Sure.
Am i glad i read this book? -Nope. :(
This is a book for people who already know about Stan Lee and want to know more. For people who have a grasp on common comic knowledge. Going into it blind i found myself confused and bored at certain references of older comic issues and characters. Names were thrown around as if everyone knows who these characters are.
Its written more like a timeline of Stan Lee's life rather than showcasing him as the interesting person he is. It could have been written better. I have no idea why i was listening to John 5's music while reading this book, but if i wasn't, i may have dozed off. ♬ ♪ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♫
I can't say i grew up with the same fascination about Stan Lee and Marvel as the Author, Bob Batchelor did, but my interest in this man has developed over the past few years. Not only interest but questions. How did one man create such a empire that millions flock to? An empire that dominates pop culture, television, movies, toys, apparels and more.
But jI have to say again!: I wish it was written better! The story fell flat for me. I read more interesting biographies in my 3rd grade social studies class.
Fun Fact!:
1. Before DC had it's iconic name, there were called National Periodical Publications. ...Jesus!
2. Stan Lee wanted to quit the business of comics early on, before the superheroes trend really took off for Marvel.
3. Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four as a last resort to save his comic business.
4. Stan Lee's real name is Stanley Lieber.
5. Stan Lee is Romanian.
6. In Romania, during the 1890's laws outlawed education for jews, while anti-semitism was taught in high-schools.
7. I has goosebumps as the book recalled events in detail of the Haulocost and the great depression. I can't imagine going through what Stan Lee went through.
8. "He beamed with gratitude. A steady paycheck...$8 a week" -WHAT! $8 today wont buy you a happy meal from McDonalds. Wow, how the times have changed.
9. Stan Lee started his career working for Jack Kirby as a gofer.
10. Jack Kirby started as a writer and then began drawing for marvel.
11. I always thought Kirby hated Lee for Lee's comment about him being the creator of the characters but apparently it's because Kirby was cheating marvel and moonlighting for DC on the side for extra money. Since Lee knew about this, Kirby blames him for snitching?! But it was never said that he didn't.
12. The photo of Stan Lee standing next to a very young Kevin Smith was hilarious!!! Kevin is poising with his classic sad puppy-dog face.
To reiterate, the writing sucked. Stan Lee was too humanized, almost to the point of border-line depressing. I felt his pain and wish he didn't have to go through those struggles but i also feel it could have been portrayed differently.
Did i learn some new things? -Sure.
Am i glad i read this book? -Nope. :(
September 26, 2017
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Like many baby-boomers, I grew up reading comics and thinking of Stan Lee as that crazy but lovable uncle who knows how to talk to kids. Plus, he worked in comics - how cool is that?!
While I was big into comics for much of the 1970's I didn't really stay with it, but I did hear rumors of frustrations between different members of the artistic staff (writers and artists) and Marvel - and by extension, Lee. Bob Batchelor's biography addresses some of this, which I found interesting, and typically seemed to relieve Lee of any wrong-doing (though it does mention that the memories of those days may not be the most clear in anyone's memory).
I enjoyed getting the scoop on Lee's early days, particularly his war years, which was something I had never known about. First - I didn't even know there was such as a thing as 'playwright' as an official Army designation.
Even as a teen reader of comics, and despite my appreciation for all things Lee and Marvel, I was never a fan of Lee's actual stories. He seemed, to my teen mind, too obvious and gregarious. But reading through this biography I have a new appreciation for the quickness by which he wrote, practically keeping Marvel running single-handedly during some of its earliest days.
It takes a great deal of hubris to be able to run a company the way Lee managed to do, especially in the early days, and we see that hubris later on as Lee lends his name to new companies - including one that appeared to be nothing more than a ponzi scheme to capitalize on his name. While his cameo appearances in the Marvel movies are a truly fun nod to the early Marvel days and lead a new crop of Marvel fans to meet that crazy, fun uncle, there is a certain amount of excessive pride going on there as well.
The book is easy to read and Batchelor moves through the different periods of Lee's work life quite smoothly.
What we don't get, however, is almost as interesting.
We don't get much of Lee's early life, other than how it seemed to inevitably lead to his taking a job with a publisher. We don't get much of his personal life other than that he married. In this sense, the book isn't so much a biography of Stan Lee the man, but Stan Lee the driving force behind Marvel and a comic renaissance. Maybe there is no difference?
All in all, a good read, though I can't imagine it will be the last or most definitive look at the comic/pop icon.
Looking for a good book? Bob Batchelor's biography Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel is a nicely written and well-researched look at the man who, in his mid-nineties is a living pop icon.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Like many baby-boomers, I grew up reading comics and thinking of Stan Lee as that crazy but lovable uncle who knows how to talk to kids. Plus, he worked in comics - how cool is that?!
While I was big into comics for much of the 1970's I didn't really stay with it, but I did hear rumors of frustrations between different members of the artistic staff (writers and artists) and Marvel - and by extension, Lee. Bob Batchelor's biography addresses some of this, which I found interesting, and typically seemed to relieve Lee of any wrong-doing (though it does mention that the memories of those days may not be the most clear in anyone's memory).
I enjoyed getting the scoop on Lee's early days, particularly his war years, which was something I had never known about. First - I didn't even know there was such as a thing as 'playwright' as an official Army designation.
Even as a teen reader of comics, and despite my appreciation for all things Lee and Marvel, I was never a fan of Lee's actual stories. He seemed, to my teen mind, too obvious and gregarious. But reading through this biography I have a new appreciation for the quickness by which he wrote, practically keeping Marvel running single-handedly during some of its earliest days.
It takes a great deal of hubris to be able to run a company the way Lee managed to do, especially in the early days, and we see that hubris later on as Lee lends his name to new companies - including one that appeared to be nothing more than a ponzi scheme to capitalize on his name. While his cameo appearances in the Marvel movies are a truly fun nod to the early Marvel days and lead a new crop of Marvel fans to meet that crazy, fun uncle, there is a certain amount of excessive pride going on there as well.
The book is easy to read and Batchelor moves through the different periods of Lee's work life quite smoothly.
What we don't get, however, is almost as interesting.
We don't get much of Lee's early life, other than how it seemed to inevitably lead to his taking a job with a publisher. We don't get much of his personal life other than that he married. In this sense, the book isn't so much a biography of Stan Lee the man, but Stan Lee the driving force behind Marvel and a comic renaissance. Maybe there is no difference?
All in all, a good read, though I can't imagine it will be the last or most definitive look at the comic/pop icon.
Looking for a good book? Bob Batchelor's biography Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel is a nicely written and well-researched look at the man who, in his mid-nineties is a living pop icon.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2022
Full disclaimer: I'd have probably appreciated this book more if I was into superhero comics. Generally I'm not a comic book fun (the Wicked + the Divine, Sandman and Asterix are awesome though), but I like reading about creative people and Stan Lee was definitely such person.
The book seemed well-researched and comprehensive providing extensive information on Stan Lee's background, education and work with everything spices up by some funny (and by author's own admission) probably not entirely true stories. It also provided a very balanced view of this person (that I admittedly know almost nothing about), not falling into the trap of only praising him. While the biography is mostly in positive tone, there are criticisms about Stan the Man as well.
The problem arises where too much of the book turns into: he created this superhero and it became a hit. He created that superhero and it became a hit. Plus some snippets were, I felt, mostly understood by comic book fans as they spoke about distinctive graphic styles of various illustrators or of what was happening in particular issues of the comic books. The bigger problem was that the book repeated itself a couple of times or, as in the case of informing us that Stan Lee was afraid to be unemployed because the poverty of his parents left a lasting impression on him, more than a couple of times.
All in all an interesting book about an interesting person, however perhaps I wasn't the best target audience for it.
The book seemed well-researched and comprehensive providing extensive information on Stan Lee's background, education and work with everything spices up by some funny (and by author's own admission) probably not entirely true stories. It also provided a very balanced view of this person (that I admittedly know almost nothing about), not falling into the trap of only praising him. While the biography is mostly in positive tone, there are criticisms about Stan the Man as well.
The problem arises where too much of the book turns into: he created this superhero and it became a hit. He created that superhero and it became a hit. Plus some snippets were, I felt, mostly understood by comic book fans as they spoke about distinctive graphic styles of various illustrators or of what was happening in particular issues of the comic books. The bigger problem was that the book repeated itself a couple of times or, as in the case of informing us that Stan Lee was afraid to be unemployed because the poverty of his parents left a lasting impression on him, more than a couple of times.
All in all an interesting book about an interesting person, however perhaps I wasn't the best target audience for it.
May 24, 2018
As a long-time fan of Marvel, this book was such a fun and insightful read. I grew up delighted by Stan Lee's many cameos in Marvel superhero flicks, and while I knew that he was the creator (and cocreator) of many characters and that he was essentially the face the Marvel Comics, I don't think I fully grasped his long history with the company or the struggles he went through to create such iconic characters and stories. Batchelor's extensive research delves into Lee's life from his upbringing during the Great Depression, through his army days, the inception of his first hero team in the Fantastic Four, all the way to his MCU cameos and geek culture stardom. It's an all-encompassing account of the life one of the most prolific figures in popular culture over the past six some-odd decades. I came away from this book feeling both inspired and awed - inspired to create, and awed at the tenacity and persistency of one man as he stormed American and worldwide popular culture. Stan Lee is a remarkable figure. He's a hardworking, creative, tireless talent who is notorious for taking ideas and running with them. This book gave me a much deeper appreciation for him as a creator and as a writer. It's definitely a must-read for Lee aficionados!
August 5, 2019
Some lessons from the book:
- start with clear vision and mission
- work like hell - outwork your competition
- develop a passion for what you do
- take risks and experiment (ideas, hiring people without experience and giving them free rein)
- innovate (thought bubbles in comic stories)
- keep pushing the boundaries and always raise the bar
- build relationship with your audience
- ask your audience for ideas (use your audience to create new things)
- build on trends (comics and culture and current events)
- make it human (comics mirroring issues readers face - bullying, confidence, etc.)
- never stop working
- keep moving forward and focus on the future
- stay creative
- be a relentless and tireless promoter
- look for opportunities to expand your brand and business
- embrace new technologies (social media, internet)
- start with clear vision and mission
- work like hell - outwork your competition
- develop a passion for what you do
- take risks and experiment (ideas, hiring people without experience and giving them free rein)
- innovate (thought bubbles in comic stories)
- keep pushing the boundaries and always raise the bar
- build relationship with your audience
- ask your audience for ideas (use your audience to create new things)
- build on trends (comics and culture and current events)
- make it human (comics mirroring issues readers face - bullying, confidence, etc.)
- never stop working
- keep moving forward and focus on the future
- stay creative
- be a relentless and tireless promoter
- look for opportunities to expand your brand and business
- embrace new technologies (social media, internet)
February 17, 2021
Ужаснейший перевод книги! Такое впечатление, что перевод был сделан в Google translate! Абсолютно никакой редактуры! Скомканный текст с перечислением основных фактов жизни Стена Ли. Порой складывается впечатления, что отрывки перепутаны местами, часть текста вырезана. Отсутсвует нить повествования! Ну и вишенка - текст не только не отредактирован, но и не отформатирован!!! Бомбора - издательство, которое нужно сжечь! Никогда в жизни больше не куплю книгу этого издательства!
August 15, 2018
Stanley Lieber is already 95 years old, but he is still working hard and filming as a cameo in all of the Marvel films. Just wondering how is that possible. For personality - 5*, for the way it was written - 2*. Biography of such an iconic person in modern history could be written much better.
October 21, 2018
Stan Lee gets a bad rap from many comic book fans but, you can't read Silver Age Marvel without seeing him everywhere. His style, personality, wit, and often dowright silliness pervade every facet of that remarkable era. His influence is undeniable.
As well as fun and informative I thought this book was fair and I appreciated that.
As well as fun and informative I thought this book was fair and I appreciated that.
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