“I’m From a Generation You Fellas Know Nothing About” – Revisiting The Kirby Artwork Struggle, The Most Important Comics Story of The 1980s’

The story of Jack Kirby’s fight to regain his original artwork from Marvel Comics during the first part of the Eighties is one that is well known to most fans and one that has routinely been covered, albeit in passing or in context as part of a larger piece devoted to Kirby, Lee, or Marvel. […]

“I Tried Not to Make Very Much Money Off His Memory…” Appraising Mark Evanier’s Cliff Notes Version of a Kirby Biography

I was reluctant to even tackle this, believe it or not- such is my immense dislike of Mark Evanier. That dislike has been formulated over the years strictly from my own observation and comprehension skill; listening to the ever-changing stories and contradictory statements, being legitimately taken aback at his lack of awareness when sharing his […]

“Stan Lee is God”- Reviewing Tom Scioli’s Same-Old, Same-Old “I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of The Legendary Stan Lee”

This is a review of the newest in a long list of Stan Lee biographies, the second Lee bio which is in graphic novel format as well as the second creator biography done by the truly talented Tom Scioli. Scioli had already made the right choice with his first endeavor, the well-received “Jack Kirby: The […]

“Par for the Course for The Kirby Family”- A Look Back at 20/20’s Marvel Anniversary Special

When the long-running television news program 20/20 aired on ABC the evening of July 24th, 1986, it had to be a rather exciting event for comic fans and professionals alike. In 1986 the cultural assimilation of Marvel into pop culture was still over two decades away; being featured on “mainstream” news was another step forward […]

“Just Too Damn Sensitive For Their Own Good…” How The Politics Of Roy Thomas Influenced His Dismissive Attitude & Shit Writing

Believe it or don’t, I’d much rather keep this site apolitical. It’s only that bringing up someone’s political beliefs- which of course they are entitled to- must today be brought up in a larger context, insomuch as it pertains to their public statements and creative work and how that creative work may or may not […]

“He Looked A Lot Like The Old One…” The Second Life & Grand Delusion of Roy Thomas

Roy Thomas is ubiquitous, seemingly everywhere and far more visible in the world of comics than he has been in decades, partially due to the rise of general interest in the Marvel Universe itself and partially due to the machinations of his omnipresent manager, John Cimino. Thomas’s presence and billing as Stan Lee’s protege and […]

“As far As I’m Concerned, There’s No Controversy”- Disentombing 2011’s Breezy ‘With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story’

You’re sick of it. I’m sick of it! When I publicly declared that I would comprehensively review every documentary and every biography of Stan ‘The Man’ Lee, I never knew how quickly I’d fatigue from the slog of the same ol’ folk tales and talking heads praising and regurgitating the usual tired tropes. To add […]

“He Kinda Looks Like A Supervillain”- A Look at the Clues- And Responses- To Funky Flashman

This is not an article which attempts to inform you on the history behind Jack Kirby’s character Funky Flashman, a brilliant send-up and factually correct satire of Stan Lee. That’s been covered numerous times to varying degrees of success and factual correctness, notably on the excellent According to Kirby blog. No, today we’re going to […]

“Look, Stan’s relationship to the truth is very interesting…” Evaluating the Exhausting ‘Stan Lee: A Marvelous Life’

Among the various comments I’ve seen regarding Four Color Sinners, one stood out to me, and its content was not surprising: when our article about POW! Entertainment’s many failed ventures were shared to someone’s Facebook page, a guy remarked- without reading, natch– that this was the product of a “Stan hater.” This is to be […]

“Fabled and Notorious THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY…” EXHUMING 2015’s DISGRACEFUL & Offensive ‘Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible!’

When it premiered in 2015, “Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir” received credit from the press for being in the graphic novel format, as if this were some innovative approach in biographical storytelling. It was just another instance of the media giving Stan Lee credit for something that numerous creators before him had already done […]