Stan Lee

Bernice Murphy (Trinity College Dublin)
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Stan Lee was the most visible advocate of the comic book for over forty years. He was the avuncular, media-savvy face of the industry’s most successful brand name, Marvel Comics, and the creator of many of the forms most popular and (enduring) characters. Lee’s reign as “The Comic Book King” corresponded with the development and maturation of the art form itself: whereas comic books, or “funnies” as they were once known were considered an interest suitable only for children and those with irredeemably juvenile interests, the comic book has become a respected, lucrative and at times remarkably innovative form of expression – a process of maturation in which Lee played a major part, as both creator and businessman. His long career parallelled the development of the genre…

2528 words

Citation: Murphy, Bernice. "Stan Lee". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 February 2005; last revised 18 June 2022. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5828, accessed 19 March 2024.]

5828 Stan Lee 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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