6x9 paperback_6x9 paperback 7/28/11 3:53 PM Page 1 BIOGRAPHY S R P A “By the final page [of this biography], there is no questioning Lee’s rightful place U P as a pop visionary. . . . An entertaining, persuasive book.” R H —Boston Globe G A E E O L “Raphael and Spurgeon’s celebration of [Stan Lee’s] long career is a pleasure to N & read and an inspiration for would-be superheroes everywhere.” —Hollywood Reporter “The definitive history of this particular slice of American popular culture.” —Kirkus Reviews “An absorbing portrait of a man and an industry.” —Miami Herald “An insightful examination [that] offers keen insights on how the industry has risen, fallen, survived and teetered on the edge of extinction. It illuminates the role Lee played in a long-running drama every bit as compelling as those depict- ed between the garish covers of Marvel Comics.” —CNN.com T he face of Marvel Comics and the cocreator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and hundreds of other colorful heroes, Stan Lee is known as a dazzling writer, a skilled editor, a relentless self-promoter, a credit hog, and a huckster—a man equal parts P. T. Barnum and Walt Disney. This book, based on interviews with Stan Lee and dozens of his colleagues and contemporaries, as well t A as extensive archival research, is at once a professional history, an appreciation, and h n e d a critical exploration of Stan Lee and his many accomplishments. a t m H JORDAN RAPHAEL has written for the New York Times, the Los e E r R Angeles Times, the Globe and Mail, and other publications. i c i a S n E TOM SPURGEON edited The Comics Journaland has c A written for Seattle’s The Stranger; his syndicated news- o N D m paper comic strip, Wildwood, appeared in over 12 mil- i F c A lion homes daily. b L $16.95 (CAN $25.95) o L o O k F Distributed by Independent Publishers Group www.ipgbook.com 6x9 paperback_6x9 paperback 7/28/11 3:53 PM Page 1 BIOGRAPHY S R P A “By the final page [of this biography], there is no questioning Lee’s rightful place U P as a pop visionary. . . . An entertaining, persuasive book.” R H —Boston Globe G A E E O L “Raphael and Spurgeon’s celebration of [Stan Lee’s] long career is a pleasure to N & read and an inspiration for would-be superheroes everywhere.” —Hollywood Reporter “The definitive history of this particular slice of American popular culture.” —Kirkus Reviews “An absorbing portrait of a man and an industry.” —Miami Herald “An insightful examination [that] offers keen insights on how the industry has risen, fallen, survived and teetered on the edge of extinction. It illuminates the role Lee played in a long-running drama every bit as compelling as those depict- ed between the garish covers of Marvel Comics.” —CNN.com T he face of Marvel Comics and the cocreator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and hundreds of other colorful heroes, Stan Lee is known as a dazzling writer, a skilled editor, a relentless self-promoter, a credit hog, and a huckster—a man equal parts P. T. Barnum and Walt Disney. This book, based on interviews with Stan Lee and dozens of his colleagues and contemporaries, as well t A as extensive archival research, is at once a professional history, an appreciation, and h n e d a critical exploration of Stan Lee and his many accomplishments. a t m H JORDAN RAPHAEL has written for the New York Times, the Los e E r R Angeles Times, the Globe and Mail, and other publications. i c i a S n E TOM SPURGEON edited The Comics Journaland has c A written for Seattle’s The Stranger; his syndicated news- o N D m paper comic strip, Wildwood, appeared in over 12 mil- i F c A lion homes daily. b L $16.95 (CAN $25.95) o L o O k F Distributed by Independent Publishers Group www.ipgbook.com 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page i and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page i 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page iii and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page iv Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Raphael, Jordan. Stan Lee and the rise and fall of the American comic book / by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon. p. cm. ISBN 1-55652-541-9 (paperback) 1. Lee, Stan. 2. Cartoonists—United States— Biography I. Spurgeon, Tom, 1968– II. Title. PN6727.L39Z88 2003 741.5'092—dc21 2003004378 Cover art: Jeff Wong Cover design: Todd Petersen Interior design: Pamela Juárez ©2003 by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon All rights reserved Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated 814 North Franklin Street Chicago, Illinois 60610 ISBN 1-55652-541-9 Printed in the United States of America 5 4 3 2 1 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page v For Stan 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page i 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page vii Contents Introduction and Acknowledgments ix Prologue xi Part I  “From Humble Beginnings . . .” 1 Stanley Lieber 3 2 Martin’s Cousin-in-Law 10 3 Stan Lee, Playwright 19 Part I I  “Excelsior!” 4 Bring on the Bad Guy 37 5 The Biggest Comic-Book Company in North America 49 6 Jolly Jack and Sturdy Steve 64 7 The Escapist 72 Part III  “The Marvel Age of Comics Has Truly Begun” 8 The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine 81 9 Secret Origins 86 10 What Marvel Did 95 00 (i-xvi) front matter_00 (i-xvi) front matter 7/28/11 3:57 PM Page viii Part IV  “A Marvel Pop-Art Production” 11 Live and on Campus 109 12 Stan Lee, Editor 116 13 Moving on Up 126 Part V  “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” 14 Friends of New Marvel 137 15 Building the Brand 157 Part VI  “Flame On!” 16 Stan Lee, Author 171 17 Stan in Hollywood 184 Part VII  “This Man, This M onster” 18 The Evil Empire 201 19 Step Right Up! 213 Part VIII  “It’s Clobberin’ T ime!” 20 In Stan’s Image 233 21 Millionaire on Paper 247 Part IX  “If This Be My D estiny” 22 Stan the Man 259 23 Ever Upward 266 Source Notes 271 Index 289