Overview

The definitive biography of Marvel legend Stan Lee, now adapted for young readers. Stan Lee’s extraordinary life was as epic as the superheroes he co-created, from the Amazing Spider-Man to the Mighty Avengers. His ideas and voice are at the heart of global culture, loved by millions of superhero fans around the world. In this young adult edition of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel, award-winning cultural historian Bob Batchelor offers an in-depth and complete look at this iconic visionary. Batchelor explores how Lee, born in the Roaring Twenties and growing up in the Great Depression, capitalized on natural talent and hard work to become the editor of Marvel Comics as a teenager. Lee went on to introduce the world to heroes that were complex, funny, and fallible, just like their creator and just like all of us. Featuring amazingly detailed illustrations by artist Jason Piperberg, the young adult edition of Stan Lee also includes new details from Stan Lee’s life, like how he became a pioneer in crafting female and African-American superheroes and his crucial role in establishing one of the world’s most popular film franchises in history. Candid, authoritative, and absorbing, this is the biography of a man who revolutionized culture by creating new worlds and heroes that will entertain for generations to come.

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9781538162057

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Reviews

Along with lightly massaging his text, the author adds a chapter that takes the Marvel universe story up to Lee's death in 2018 and details the horrific elder abuse that marked his last years. Taking an evenhanded stance on the ugly squabbles that developed between Lee and artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko over who played just what roles in developing the foundational Marvel characters, he nonetheless perceptively argues that Lee's distinctive voice was his greatest contribution because it created and, over decades, established a uniquely human, flawed superhero archetype. But he makes more debatable claims too, for example, about the vast extent of Marvel's cultural influence, and sometimes assumes the role of apologist, as when he soft-pedals the sexism of projects like Savage She-Hulk and Stripperella. Problematically in terms of audience appeal, Batchelor stuffs his account of Lee's career from office boy to international icon with more than enough minor detail about sales figures, corporate maneuvering, marketing deals, failed publications, personnel shifts, and the like to glaze the eyes of most fans. Readers who really can't get enough about the comics biz will gravitate anyway to the marginally longer edition for adults.Nine drawings of Lee and associates and a scanty selection of photos and covers offer inadequate visual relief from the densely packed pages.-- Kirkus Reviews Batchelor's young adult edition of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel vividly depicts the verve of Stan 'The Man' as well as the popular culture of the eras in which he flourished. A great next-step bio for kids who grew up with the Meltzer and Eliopoulos 'Ordinary People Change the World' series--Jeff Massey, writer, Warlord of Oz, Reign of the Witch Queen, Grimm Fairy Tales No public figure engaged with young fans more than Stan Lee. Bob Bachelor captures his amazin' tale, ensuring that Stan the Man will continue to inspire, guide, and entertain for generation to come. --Dean Karayanis, columnist and host, The History Author Show When writing a definitive account of a figure that looms as large as any fictional superhero, such as Stan Lee, the chosen writer must know the subject beyond genial superlatives. ... As a celebrated historian and author, Bob Batchelor expertly delves into the canvas of Stan Lee's creations as well as the creator himself in a discourse that is matchless, an exemplary biography with heart that shares how Stan Lee helped to shape the comic book medium's landscape as well as our contemporary understanding of the power of the individual. --Brian Hawkins, writer, Black Cotton, Devil's Dominion, Van Helsing: Black Annis, Van Helsing: Beast of Exmoor

Batchelor's young adult edition of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel vividly depicts the verve of Stan 'The Man' as well as the popular culture of the eras in which he flourished. A great next-step bio for kids who grew up with the Meltzer and Eliopoulos 'Ordinary People Change the World' serie.s--Jeff Massey, writer, Warlord of Oz, Reign of the Witch Queen, Grimm Fairy Tales No public figure engaged with young fans more than Stan Lee. Bob Batchelor captures his amazin' tale, ensuring that Stan 'The Man' will continue to inspire, guide, and entertain for generations to come. --Dean Karayanis, columnist and host, The History Author Show Taking an evenhanded stance on the ugly squabbles that developed between Lee and artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko over who played just what roles in developing the foundational Marvel characters, he nonetheless perceptively argues that Lee's distinctive voice was his greatest contribution because it created and, over decades, established a uniquely human, flawed superhero archetype.-- Kirkus Reviews When writing a definitive account of a figure that looms as large as any fictional superhero, such as Stan Lee, the chosen writer must know the subject beyond genial superlatives. ... As a celebrated historian and author, Bob Batchelor expertly delves into the canvas of Stan Lee's creations as well as the creator himself in a discourse that is matchless, an exemplary biography with heart that shares how Stan Lee helped to shape the comic book medium's landscape as well as our contemporary understanding of the power of the individual. --Brian Hawkins, writer, Black Cotton, Devil's Dominion, Van Helsing: Black Annis, Van Helsing: Beast of Exmoor

Batchelor's young adult edition of Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel vividly depicts the verve of Stan 'The Man' as well as the popular culture of the eras in which he flourished. A great next-step bio for kids who grew up with the Meltzer and Eliopoulos 'Ordinary People Change the World' series--Jeff Massey, writer, Warlord of Oz, Reign of the Witch Queen, Grimm Fairy Tales No public figure engaged with young fans more than Stan Lee. Bob Bachelor captures his amazin' tale, ensuring that Stan the Man will continue to inspire, guide, and entertain for generation to come. --Dean Karayanis, columnist and host, The History Author Show When writing a definitive account of a figure that looms as large as any fictional superhero, such as Stan Lee, the chosen writer must know the subject beyond genial superlatives. ... As a celebrated historian and author, Bob Batchelor expertly delves into the canvas of Stan Lee's creations as well as the creator himself in a discourse that is matchless, an exemplary biography with heart that shares how Stan Lee helped to shape the comic book medium's landscape as well as our contemporary understanding of the power of the individual. --Brian Hawkins, writer, Black Cotton, Devil's Dominion, Van Helsing: Black Annis, Van Helsing: Beast of Exmoor

Author Information

Bob Batchelor is an award-winning cultural historian and biographer and author of more than a dozen books. His work has been featured in Time, the New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, LitHub, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. Batchelor has served as an on-air commentator for television and radio programs, including The National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, the BBC, and NPR. His all-time favorite Marvel comic book series is What If? and his favorite MCU film is Avengers: Endgame. Batchelor lives in Cincinnati with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.

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