Celebrate the legacy of Stan Lee as the co-creator of such legendary characters as Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the X-Men, The Avengers, and hundreds more.
Stanley Martin Lieber is one of the most iconic, influential, creative American visionaries of the 20th century. That’s why the documentary about his life, simply titled “Stan Lee,” is an absolute must-see for fans. Utilizing audio interviews, never-before-seen home video footage, and other recordings, director David Gelb captures the complete origin story of the comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer, which is told through Stan’s own words. It’s a celebration of the journey that Stan “The Man” took to become one of the most influential people in the world of pop culture.
A good amount of comic book aficionados will likely already be very familiar with a lot of the history being presented, but there’s always an opportunity to learn something new about Lee. The documentary explores Stan’s life from his early years as a child, to his time as a young man who met and married his soul mate, to his evolving creative process that led to the creation of Marvel Comics, to his beloved acting cameos in the MCU. Gelb paints an intimate portrait that gives a complete history of the icon, even if it is an overly positive puff piece.
Gelb leaves the negativity out of his documentary, touching only briefly about the controversy around the discussion of who should be credited as the real creator of Spider-Man (which has been the topic of many a late night discussion among comic book fans), and goes for the feel-good narrative. You’ll get chills hearing about the origins of some of Marvel’s most beloved superheroes, and another boost of dopamine from Lee’s insistence on taking an anti-bigotry stance with his creation of the X-Men.
Lee forever changed the face of comic books by crafting adventures that were set in the real world, and by writing stories that were aimed at adults. This transformed the entertainment landscape and paved the way for comics to be taken more seriously, no longer being dismissed as something that’s a throwaway for kids.
Lee’s contributions to cinema are explored too, culminating in a terrific compilation of all of the man’s legendary MCU cameos. The documentary is so entertaining, which is important when its subject is a man who understood the art of entertainment and having fun (and devoted his life to it, too).
“Stan Lee” is made for the fans, and it is a fitting tribute to a visionary creator who brought joy to so many.
