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Title: Stan Lee: And the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book by Jordan Raphael, Tom Spurgeon ISBN: 1-55652-506-0 Publisher: Chicago Review Press Pub. Date: September, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.82 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The True Story of Marvel
Comment: Stan Lee is one of the best-known names in comic books. He's credited with creating some of the most beloved superheroes of our time including The Hulk, The Fantastic Four and Spider-man. What most people don't really know is the real story behind the creation of these characters. Anyone who's read Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay will notice a great deal of similarities between Stan Lee's origins, which the authors meticulously recreate, and the fictionalized settings Chabon created for his book. Raphael and Spurgeon have written a fair and honest tribute to the work of Lee and in doing so, tell the story of the comics medium as a whole. Stan Lee: The Rise and Fall of the American Comic is about as smart and entertaining as biographies come.
Rating: 5
Summary: Well-researched, even-handed, and hugely entertaining.
Comment: Ignore the rather pitiful review from the writer who takes rather a lot on themself by claiming that all comic fans (and "Star Trek" fans as well) want is to hide from the awful attentions of the "mainstream" (i.e.; the real world), and be left alone. Having spent much of my life as a comics/SF/fantasy enthusiast,I can testify that many of them take great comfort in the idea that they are special, persecuted, and somewhat beyond the comprehension of non-fans, the "mainstream", and other people they conceive of as "outsiders". Well, they're not. This book is in no way, shape, or form "tabloid journalism" as claimed, but an excellent and thought-provoking examination of a pivotal, highly creative, yet slightly ambiguous figure in pop-culture. Lee's talent and influence are nowhere denied by the authors, and yet it's hard not to be a little uncomfortable with the efficiency with which he wound up assuming virtually all credit for creating a lot of hugely profitable superheroes that were, pretty clearly, co-created and plotted by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. I've never really thought that Stan deliberately hogged the glory; It's just that he was so effusive, so outgoing and personable, whereas Kirby and the extremely private Ditko were not, that fans just sort of gravitated toward the idea that Stan was the mastermind. He could certainly have done more to dispel this notion, but it was good for business, and having seen Stan give a lecture once in the early 70's, I can bear witness to the fact that the audience regarded him as almost a holy object. It can be awfully hard to make yourself contradict complete adulation. The result was that Kirby and Ditko were, for years, relegated to the status of simple illustrators, drawing the pictures that brought to life what we all presumed were Lee's great imaginative visions, rather than as the indispensible creative forces that they were.Read Jack Kirby's immediate pre-Marvel CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN stories, compare them to the early FANTASTIC FOUR, then tell me who you think deserves the most credit for the FF.This very readable book does a very fine job of covering the life of the man,without either worshipping or denigrating him unfairly, but using Lee as a prism through which the history of the "silver age" of comics is viewed. And it's a lot of fun, as well. Far from crawling into a hole and asking to be "let alone", I say, "more please".
Incidentally, if you're interested in the subject of the history of the modern comic book, I can highly recommend THE COMIC BOOK HEROES, by Jones and Jacobs, a terrifically readable behind-the-scenes history of above-ground comics from the beginnings of the silver age. But, be careful to pick up the large,revised and updated version; it's almost completely rewritten from the original 80's version, which pulls most of its punches. The revised edition is the one with the behind-the-scenes coverage; you know: the stuff that the publishers like to publicly pretend never happened.
Rating: 1
Summary: Excelsior!...not.
Comment: The book claims to be unbiased, but has phrases like 'hero or huckster'.
Throughout the book, various stuff has been shown in a negative light;
They say something along the lines of "Stan Lee is the creator of various superheroes from Spider-Man to the X-Men...or so he'd have you believe. In truth, he is only the COcreator." No sh*t, Einstein.
They then claim Stan Lee is trying to steal the fame of Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko. No use pointing out Ditko is now a recluse and Jack Kirby is dead.
Or they'll point out with glee, although Lee is credited with creating X-Men and Daredevil, it is the talents of Frank Miller and Chris Claremont who brought them to the fame they are today. They treat it like a scandal being brought forth, but anyone familar with the superheroes KNOW Miller defined Daredevil and so forth. Again, easy facts that nearly everyone knows twisted into a negative light.
The book concludes with a statement that is basically "Comics sell bad. The art is good, but the writing is cliched. The days of the Golden Age are long gone." If this was the 90s, fine. But right now comics are getting mainstream press, great writers among other stuff. Although comics aren't selling as well as they're used to be, they are hitting a remarkable rise.
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Title: The Comic Book Makers by Joe Simon, Jim Simon ISBN: 1887591354 Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross by ALEX ROSS ISBN: 0375422404 Publisher: Pantheon Books Pub. Date: 21 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: The Silver Age of Comic Book Art by Arlen Schumer ISBN: 1888054867 Publisher: Collectors Press Pub. Date: October, 2003 List Price(USD): $49.95 |
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Title: Excelsior! : The Amazing Life of Stan Lee by Stan Lee ISBN: 0684873052 Publisher: Fireside Pub. Date: 07 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Baby Boomer Comics by Craig Shutt, Jim Mooney ISBN: 087349668X Publisher: Krause Publications Pub. Date: November, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.99 |
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