“I Have Been On The Right Side of History Since I Started Working in Comics…” – The Truly Conflicting Conundrum of Tony Isabella

Let me preface this piece by stressing that there is no degree of snark intended when I describe longtime comics pro Tony Isabella as a “conundrum”- he is the first individual written about here that I simply can’t resist having some degree of conflict over- such is my sincere and legit admiration for his burn-the-bridges […]

“You’ve Heard The Legend- Which I Think Is True…”- A Flip Thru’ the Supermarket Sleaze of 2018’s ‘Entertainment Weekly- Stan Lee: A Life of Marvel’

I’ve seen this shit. You’ve seen this shit. These compiled “special” issues of various articles from the pop culture media put out to celebrate any figure who has some topical traction and visibility at the moment- I saw a special edition magazine last week at the grocery store dedicated to Madonna, whom I remembered is […]

“Always The First Person In The Room to Point Out It Wasn’t Just You…” The Slog That is 2002’s ‘Stan Lee’s Mutants, Monsters & Marvels’

I had known about this truly intolerable documentary, in actuality a long-form interview conducted by the equally intolerable Kevin Smith, since it initially appeared in 2002 when I was considerably younger. I’d like to stress that I avoided it completely then, largely due to my immense dislike of Smith which was quite possibly formed by […]

“It Was a Dichotomy that Made No Sense”- Reexamining 2011’s ‘Lee & Kirby: The Wonder years’

I’ll admit to being a bit conflicted upon reviewing Mark Alexander’s sentimental study of Stan Lee & Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four run from 2011, ‘Lee & Kirby: The Wonder Years‘, published by TwoMorrows Publishing (and doubling as the 58th issue of The Jack Kirby Collector, albeit in a deluxe, trade paperback format) for what I’d […]

“You Sort of Believe It Actually Happened”- Examining Roy Thomas’s Comments On ‘The Great Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Debate’

At the time of this writing, Roy Thomas has just turned 83. And, in reaching another milestone in his Eighth decade I’d argue one of the more significant ones is the bestowment of the glorious nickname “The Forever Boy” by his own personal Scott Thorson/Manager/Leech John Cimino. Honestly, when this was brought to my attention, […]

“I Always Had So Many Outside Interests”- Stan Lee’s Love of Comics

We often see Stan Lee described with sobriquets such as the “Geek Godfather” and “Comics Maestro” and it’s truly understandable that the general public would keep up their association with this collective image of the man. But what occurs to me as someone who has spent years and years reading through nearly every article and/or […]

“Selfy With God”- A Look At The Banal, Misguided & Nauseating Tribute Art After Stan Lee’s Death

It’s now been half a decade since the untimely passing of Stan Lee, creator and co-creator, editor and art director, modern Mark Twain and/or Shakespeare– surely, there won’t be a dry eye in the house once we get through this highly moving selection of tribute art that arose in the days after Lee’s death in […]

“The Following May Be of Interest to Stan Lee Historians…” – The Pathological Needs of Mark Evanier

Patrick Ford at The Marvel Method group brought something to my attention: a blatantly untrue statement by lifelong grifter and sociopath Mark Evanier regarding the syndicated Spider-Man newspaper strip. This in itself is nothing worth writing about- Evanier is a repeat offender when it comes to tilting towards the side that best suits him at […]

“I Guess Ditko and Jack are The Only Two Guys Who Know That…” A Brief Oral History of Stan Lee’s Responses To Kirby’s Creator Claims

(This has been compiled for the purposes of research; it is by no means complete. However, it contains the bulk of Stan Lee’s recorded public statements/responses to Jack Kirby’s claims of being the primary creator of the Marvel Universe. You will see at times that Lee is consistent in his narrative and repeats talking points. […]

“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. […]