World Famous Comics: Excelsior! : The Amazing Life of Stan Lee
Excelsior! : The Amazing Life of Stan Lee
By: Stan Lee, George Mair Publisher: Fireside Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 256 Publication Date: May 07, 2002 Studio: Fireside
The man behind Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, and a legion of other superheroes tells his own amazing story in a book packed with punch, humor, anecdotes, and a gallery of never-before-seen photographs.
Stan Lee is the most legendary name in the history of comicbooks. The leading creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics, he brought to life some of the world's best-known heroes and most infamous villains. His stories, featuring super- heroes who struggled against personal hang-ups and bad guys who possessed previously unseen psychological complexity, added wit and subtlety to a field previously locked into flat portrayals of good vs. evil. Lee put the human in the super-human. In the process, he created a new mythology for the twentieth century.
In this treasure trove of marvelous memories, Stan tells the story of his life with the same inimitable wit, energy, and offbeat spirit that he brought to the world of comicbooks. He moves from his impoverished childhood in Manhattan to his early days writing comicbooks, followed by military training films during World War II, through the rise of the Marvel empire in the 1960s to his recent adventures in Hollywood.
The story of a man who earned respect by blazing new creative trails in a storytelling form once dismissed as just for kids, Excelsior! is an inspirational story about following one's vision, no matter the odds. Yet it's also the story of how some of the most exciting and memorable characters in the pop-culture universe came to thrill a generation.
awesome ^ this is a great read. it reminds me of my grandpa telling me all of his "back in the day" stories. pick this up
Fun read ^ There's something about this book that draws great parallels to Lee's own Marvel comics - despite the flaws, it's human, and it's a lot of fun. There are plenty of details he could have touched upon more, as you'll gather from the other reviewers. Particularly interesting is his account of his early days at Atlas/Marvel, how he got to be there, his own inhibitions about working in an industry which society deemed 'inferior,' and other such personal issues. He mainly (and wisely) dodges the Kirby and Ditko rifts, for the most part - he extends equal credit to them, and makes himself the better man in the process. Still, for the most part, like I said, he mainly avoids the issue.
The Marvel history is better documented elsewhere, but it's Lee's human touch that makes it more interesting. These are stories - not objective at all, of course - from the man who was in the midst of all of them, and it's certainly a more interesting account than any historian can give.
If you've ever heard Lee speak (and if you're a comic fan, you almost certainly have), then you know he has an inimitable voice - it's something he touches on in the book, even. And that's what makes this book so effective for me - Lee's voice. The entire time I was reading Lee's passages, my 'reading voice' was the exact same as the sound of Stan Lee, and that's an impressive thing. His own sly self-deprecating humor, his corny and warm-natured jokes, his responses to the events going around him in the comic industry - it's all, without a doubt, told in Stan's voice. It's like a documentary narrated by him.
If Stan is the narrator, then George Mair is the director of the documentary. He does an equally good job with it, and it strikes a great balance between the two.
Overall, it's a solid, fun read. There are better-documented accounts of Marvel's history around, and if that's what you're looking for, this might not be the best for you. If you're interested in Stan The Man himself, this is a fantastic book, and it offers -some- insight into the Marvel Style from the one who started it all.
Excelsior! ^ An interesting look into the life of Stan Lee, Marvel Comic Master! It was a detailed and insightful read...I would recommend it to all Marvel fans (would also make well received gift).
Stan LEE ^ My son is a Stan Lee Fan and is grown. He loves the book it is very informative.
STAN IS THE MAN - 'NUFF SAID! ^ The bio-autography (as it's called) on Stan Lee is one of the quickest reads I've torn through in along time. First off, if you're not a comic book fan then there's no reason to look into the book as Lee's life is a tame one free from most scandals. He grew up, spent time in the military, got married, had a daughter, and helped build Marvel Comics into the empire it is today (as well as creating some of the greatest hero characters of all time). Frankly it's the kind of life I'm sure most people would like to have.
That said, it may not be the kind of life that most people would want to read about. However if you are a Marvel fan and want to learn about the trials and tribulations of the creation of Spider-Man, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, et. all then this book is for you. Stan Lee (with George Mair) writes the book in his electrifiyng eloquence extrodinaire that made his Old Stan's Soapbox so fun to read. I found myself smiling quite often at the unique perspective and choice of words that Stan placed on the paper.
I recommend the book and if you're ordering it on Amazon then do yourself a favor and attach one of the Marvel Essentials that reprint some of Stan Lee's finest writing, they're the most cost friendly comic read on the market).
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