American comic book writer & creator (1922- )
The power of prayer is still the greatest ever known in this endless eternal universe.
STAN LEE
The Avengers, #14
The "problem" is that Comic-Con is so damned successful. People who are there seem to have a wonderful time. The very size of it makes it exciting. Wherever you look, there's something exciting. The attendees are always looking around for a familiar face. It's either 'There's a movie star!' Or, 'There's a TV star!' Or, 'There's the guy who drew the Green Lantern!' It means so much to the fans. It makes them feel like they're where it's happening. It's like Woodstock.
STAN LEE
The Washington Post, July 23, 2010
A superhero's catchphrase should be like a really memorable advertising slogan. It sticks in your head and you can't stop humming it. And let's face it, superheroes are just really selling themselves as products.
STAN LEE
"Spidey Bites: Stan Lee's Secret for Saving Spider-Man the Musical?", Vanity Fair, March 10, 2011
I'm very proud of being a hack. It's why I've lived as long as I have, I think.
STAN LEE
"Spidey Bites: Stan Lee's Secret for Saving Spider-Man the Musical?", Vanity Fair, March 10, 2011
I'm sort of a pressure writer. If somebody says, "Stan, write something," and I have to have it by tomorrow morning, I'll just sit down and I'll write it. It always seems to come to me. But I'm better doing a rushed job because if it isn't something that's due quickly, I won't work on it until it becomes almost an emergency and then I'll do it.
STAN LEE
interview, March 13, 2006
With great power there must also come ... great responsibility!
STAN LEE
Amazing Fantasy, #15, August 1962
I'm proud of everything that was done that was successful. I did the hiring and the firing and I'm proud of the fact that we were able to hire people as talented as the artists that we had, like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and Gene Colan and John Romita and Gil Kane. I'm proud of the fact that I worked with them and I like to think that we brought out the best of these artists and writers. It was a great time. I look back at that time when Marvel was starting I think I couldn't have been with a better group of people.
STAN LEE
Denver Post Online, May 23, 2013
Comic book should be written as one word. So from now on, I want you to remember that. I never want to see the word comicbook written as two words. They are not funny books. They are not comic books, they are comicbooks! Remember that, or incur my wrath.
STAN LEE
Youtube video, "Stan Lee Hates 'Comic Books' - Stan's Rants", Stan Lee's World of Heroes
In the early days, I was writing scripts for virtually all the books, and it was very hard to keep all the artists busy; poor little frail me, doing story after story. So I'd be writing a story for Kirby, and Steve Ditko would walk in and say, 'Hey, I need some work now.' And I'd say, 'I can't give it to you now, Steve, I'm finishing Kirby's.' But we couldn't afford to keep Steve waiting, because time is money, so I'd have to say, 'Look Steve, I can't write a script for you now, but here's the plot for the next Spider-Man. Go home and draw anything you want, as long as it's something like this, and I'll put the copy in later.' So I was able to finish Jack's story. Steve in the meantime was drawing another story. Then Don Heck would come over and say, "Hey Stan, I need something to do." I'd say, "Well, I can't write it for you Don, but here's the plot for Iron Man, you go and draw it, and I'll put in the copy later." That way I could keep five, six, ten artists busy; they were drawing, and as they'd bring in the strip, I'd put in the copy. Okay, it started out as a lazy's man's device--or maybe a guy who just didn't have enough time--but we realized this was absolutely the best way to do a comic. Because any artist who really belongs in this field--and of course our artists do--is a storyteller himself. He tells stories with pictures; he has imagination, he knows continuity, he knows how a story should be told.... Don't have the writer say, 'Panel one will be a long shot of Spider-Man walking down the street.' The artist may see it differently; maybe he feels it should be a shot of Spider-Man swinging on his web, or climbing upside-down on the ceiling or something.
STAN LEE
1975 San Diego Comic Con Panel, The Collected Jack Kirby Collector, vol. 4
I never thought that Spider-Man would become the world wide icon that he is. I just hoped the books would sell and I'd keep my job.
STAN LEE
interview, March 13, 2006
If we don't blow ourselves up, the future will be wonderful.
STAN LEE
interview with Steve Aoki, Neon Future Sessions
That's what everybody tells me. "I would've had a great comic-book collection, but my mother made me throw them away." But when I was growing up, my mother didn't care. As long as I was reading, she didn't care if my room was filled with comics. I could have saved everything. I was just too stupid to do it.
STAN LEE
"Spidey Bites: Stan Lee's Secret for Saving Spider-Man the Musical?", Vanity Fair, March 10, 2011
If you're writing about a character, if he's a powerful character, unless you give him vulnerability I don't think he'll be as interesting to the reader.
STAN LEE
interview, March 13, 2006
Excelsior!
STAN LEE
closing signature line on "Stan Lee's Soapbox" editorial pages
I just figured that Bruce Banner had probably been a friend of Reed Richards, and Reed had given him some elastic trousers. There's an explanation for everything, but you may not be technically advanced enough to follow me on all of this.
STAN LEE
"Spidey Bites: Stan Lee's Secret for Saving Spider-Man the Musical?", Vanity Fair, March 10, 2011
'Nuff Said!
STAN LEE
often-used line on "Stan Lee's Soapbox" editorial pages