The Stan Lee Universe. DannyFingeroth and RoyThomas, Editors. Raleigh, NC: Two Morrows Publishing, 2011.

Abstract

The Stan Lee Universe. Danny Fingeroth and Roy Thomas, Editors. Raleigh, NC: Two Morrows Publishing, 2011.As year 2012 brings a ninetieth birthday to Stan Lee, he continues to participate in media projects. Beginning his career with Timely Comics in 1941 at nineteen, he has entertained kids and adults longer than any other living American. He innovated in comic book production methods and in co-creation of superhero archetypes for characters like Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and The Fantastic Four. Along way he helped build a fantasy-based franchise that in several ways rivaled Disney's-a fact ratified by Disney's 2009 acquisition of Entertainment for 4.24 billion dollars.The Stan Lee Universe is a unique collection made possible by credentials of its editors plus fact that Lee and so many early collaborators are still alive and friendly. Danny Fingeroth was a Spider-Man writer/editor for a several years and wrote stories for The Incredible Hulk and entire Darkhawk series. He worked with Lee as did Roy Thomas, who wrote X-Men and Avengers for Marvel, eventually serving at helm as Lee's successor. Those relationships permit Fingeroth and Thomas to create a festschrift that focuses on production-the so-called Marvel Method-and creative direction that Lee gave to comic artist teams. Notable writers, pencilers, inkers, editors give testimonials and describe their work relationships with Lee. Another dimension of this book is reproduction of materials from University of Wyoming American Heritage Center archives of Lee. He donated ninety-one boxes of materials that include manuscripts, drafts, interviews, correspondence with comics professionals, fan mail and difficult to find substantial articles about Lee such as a 1966 A Comeback for Comic Books by Roger Ebert and Finding Marvel's Voice by Dave Kasakove on origins of Marvel Bullpen Bulletins and Stan's Soap Box. One especially significant archival inclusion from 1974 is the Saga of Silver Surfer Graphic Novel, which reproduces amiable correspondence, Lee's outline, Kirby's drawings and dialogue, then Lee's editorial revisions. Taken in its entirety, this book is exceptional in its collection of photographs and reproductions of correspondence, comics pages, and works-in-progress.The value of archival materials is also evident when brought to bear on some of maddeningly vague, undocumented statements of Lee's coauthored biography Excelsior (2002). …