Why Stan Lee Was The Most Important Writer for My Generation

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday the comic book legend Stan Lee died aged 95. Whilst he justly recognised as a legend in comic book circles perhaps what generations not born in the sixties and seventies understand is that he was the writer that for the most part made children (mainly let's face it boys) want to read.

I cannot speak for comics/graphic novels nowadays but in my experience they were the stepping stone for the love of books I hope I've reflected in this blog. Of course he had super heroes saving the world/galaxy/universe against [insert super villain here] but with the kapow came reality. He got make that mixture between fantasy and reality believable which DC Comics rarely reached.

Take, well everybody's chatting about Spiderman, so let's take Daredevil instead. The guy (Matt Murdock) is blind. Blind. If you see blind people in the media at that time the most they ever did was to speak wisely from a chair with dark glasses on. Not Daredevil though. He fights with his heightened other senses he gained with the accident he had as a child with a lorry carrying radioactive waste

That accident made him blind (reality) but gives him super powers (fantasy). So we the young readers are being introduced to the life of a blind man that doesn't patronise the man within (he is also a lawyer).

Now some of his creations were with artists/co-writers and the extent is a matter of debate and to be honest beyond my knowledge. But Stan Lee was also creator of The X-Men. Again it tapped a childhood feeling that you're different. As an only child I was used to being alone without other kids to play with for long spells as I didn't have a sister or brother. I was different in that regard I seem to remember in junior school. Being comfortable with being alone was considered odd. And yet there were the X-Men. Together because they were different. I could relate to that.

And the point is that you were inspired to explore the world of books as a whole. It gave you a confidence to read books without pictures in them.

When you hear about the decline of men reading books. Perhaps one of the reasons is that there does not seem to be a writer capable of bridging the gap between childhood and adult books on a regular basis that would appeal to boys (perhaps the only exception being J K Rowling).

So perhaps Stan Lee should be remembered not just for being a great comic book writer. But also being a writer whose creations inspired some people to write, but for most of us to explore and love the world of books as a whole.

Until the next time.