Remembering Stan Lee

I can’t remember exactly when I fell in love with comics. I know that Saturday morning cartoons introduced me to the world of superheroes. I think Batman was the first character that I liked but then I started liking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and later the X-Men. Shortly after I started watching the X-Men I became familiar with Stan Lee. When I heard his voice introducing a story or a character, it built a sense of excitement. Stan Lee was a promoter. He loved the comic world and he had a way of making his audience love the comic world.

I didn’t realize it when I was a kid but there was another reason Stan Lee led to my love of comics. Like I said, I was familiar with other heroes besides Marvel characters. I liked those characters and I still like them. However, it was the Marvel characters that I fell in love with. After hearing more about Stan Lee, I realize that his characters from the 1960’s became a template for the kinds of characters that I love to read about.

When I look at Stan Lee’s legacy, I see comic book superheroes that are relatable. I see heroes that have problems that I understand. Even if I don’t have the exact same problems, I can understand their issues.

I think about how Spider-Man was a young man named Peter Parker who struggled with all kinds of life problems. Peter struggled to pay his rent, his boss is really difficult, and he has a rough dating life. (My high school dating life was a disaster– I became semi-famous for my “Why I can’t get a girlfriend” speech.)

The X-Men became symbolic for groups of people who felt oppressed or persecuted. The Fantastic Four was just like a family. They had family disagreements and bickering that went on.

The Hulk had his anger issues. He had superpowers but it was a curse. He could easily lose control and his rage could lead to a terrible rampage. (Could you imagine how fun/terrible it would be to have this problem? Last week when I got done shoveling the 12.8 inches of snow, the plow came and put a huge amount of snow back in my driveway. Sure it would have been fun to go into a Hulk-rage and smash the snowplow. But then I would have probably had to go to jail. See the problem.)

Iron Man had a serious heart condition which threatened to end his life. Daredevil was blinded as a child and had to live with a disability. There are many other examples but these are some of Lee’s main contributions.

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Many of these Marvel heroes, even though they had incredible powers, were similar to regular people. They faced problems, at times they made big mistakes, they struggled with morality, but in the end, they did the right thing by protecting the innocent and fighting evil-doers. As I think about these characters, I do not see gods who are superior to humanity. Rather I see humans who have been given incredible powers and they use those powers in a way that benefits others.

When I look at these characters, I can see myself. They have lives that aren’t terribly different from mine. While I don’t have superpowers, I do face similar problems and temptations. I would hope that I could be heroic like them if the situation ever arose. If I was in a situation where I could help someone, I would hope that I could do it just like Spider-Man, Iron Man, or Daredevil. As a dad, I hope my daughter thinks of me as a hero – someone who is always there to protect her.

As a Christian, when I evaluate the Stan Lee style of hero, I see people who need a Savior just as much as I do. If these characters were actual people, they would not be better than the rest of us. They would be sinners who need a Savior. If you have read some of my previous commentaries on Superheroes, you will see that is the approach I take when speaking about superhero entertainment. What characteristic of Tony Stark or Bruce Banner or Stephen Strange could be helpful to evaluate my own characteristics? As I evaluate such characteristics does it tell me something about my morality, my sin, or my need for a Savior?

I know that some people think that comics are a juvenile form of entertainment. While there are times that the stories are basic good vs evil stories, there are other times when the stories delve into deep topics that provoke interesting insights. Most comics are not written from a Christian perspective. And yet, when they analyze human nature, there can be application to all people, including Christians.

I am incredibly grateful for the kind of characters that Stan Lee created. I can appreciate these characters on many levels. Another bonus is that the universe created by Stan Lee has lots of fun and excitement. It is nice to see humor as the heroes defeat the villains. I like humor in my daily life so I like heroes who see the value of humor in their daily life.

I appreciate Stan Lee’s legacy and I will cry like a baby when I am sitting in a movie theater in the future and it says, “In Loving Memory of Stan Lee.”