True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee"The definitive, revelatory biography of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee, an artist and entrepreneur who reshaped global pop culture at a steep personal cost. Stan Lee-born Stanley Martin Lieber in 1922-is one of the most beloved and influential entertainers to emerge from the twentieth century. He served as editor in chief of Marvel Comics for three decades and, in that time, launched more pieces of internationally recognizable intellectual property than anyone other than Walt Disney: Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, Black Panther, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor...the list seems to never end. On top of that, his carnival-barker marketing prowess more or less single-handedly saved the comic-book industry and superhero fiction. Without him, the global entertainment industry would be wildly different-and a great deal poorer. But Lee's unprecedented career was also pitted with spectacular failures, controversy, and bitter disputes. Lee was dogged by accusations from his longtime collaborators Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko over who really created Marvel's signature characters-icons for whom Lee had always been suspected of taking more than his due share of credit. A major business venture, Stan Lee Media, resulted in stock manipulation, bankruptcy, and criminal charges. And in his final years, after the death of his beloved wife, Joan, rumors swirled that Lee was a virtual prisoner in his own home, issuing cryptic video recordings as a battle to control his fortune and legacy ensued. Abraham Riesman is a veteran culture reporter who has conducted extensive new interviews and research, turning up never-before-published revelations about Lee's life and work. Lee's most famous motto was: "With great power comes great responsibility." True Believer chronicles every triumph and every misstep of an extraordinary life, and leaves it to readers to decide whether Lee lived up to the responsibilities of his own talent"-- |
Contents
WHAT IT TAKES | 3 |
Escape at Any Cost To 1939 | 17 |
Means of Ascent 19391945 | 40 |
Quiet Desperation 19451961 | 65 |
What Price Victory? 19611966 | 105 |
Lonely at the Top 19661972 | 148 |
Chafing in the CSuite 19721980 | 182 |
Lost in Hollywood 19801998 | 208 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Riesman allegedly Amazing Spider-Man American Anderson appears artist asked Bleeding Cool blog bullpen called Stan cameo Captain America Celia Champion character claimed comic books created creative creators Danny Fingeroth decades Disney editor Entertainment Evanier eventually Excelsior Fantastic Four film freelance friends Goodman hero Hollywood https://www Hulk Ibid idea interview with Abraham issue Jack Kirby Jewish Jews Keya Morgan Kirby & Lee Kirby's knew Larry Lieber later Lee's Lieberman look loved magazine Mair Mark Evanier Martin Martin Goodman Marvel Comics movie never Olivarez Peter Paul recalls recording reported Romanian Roy Thomas says script Simon Spider Stan and Joan Stan Lee Archives Stan Lee Media Stan's started Steve Ditko story strip superhero talk tell There's thing tion told TwoMorrows Publishing wanted writer/artist writing X-Men York