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Amazing Fantastic Incredible: a Marvelous Memoir


Summary: Told through comic book format, we learn of the journey of Stanley Lieber, first as an assistant for Timely Comics then later as his current role as the Face of Marvel Comics, a.k.a. "Stan 'the Man' Lee." He is so universally recognized as Marvel comics that his cameos in Marvel's superhero movies are a way for others to pay respects to the man for all of the work he put into the company (especially after the debacle involving DC Comics and Superman creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster).  Throughout much of the history of comic books, Stan Lee has been a constant in the success of Marvel Comics.  We learn of his many roles that he played in the company, as well as the trials and tribulations/ups and downs of the comic book industry. We also get to see how Stan's personality and character helped to create/co-create so many of Marvel's heroes and promoted them.

Why I Picked It Up: Having been a reader of Marvel Comics since the early 1970's, I've always known about Stan Lee.  To me, he was always the brains behind the success of Marvel Comics.  But, having read Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, I discovered that he didn't always do it by himself, that he had help with some of the heroes.  Plus, there were times when he wasn't even at Marvel HQ during the "70's, instead he had moved to Los Angeles and let others handle the comics.  Untold Story also gave some insight into Stan's personal life as well. So, I chose Amazing Fantastic Incredible as a way to counter and compare; I wasn't disappointed.

Why I Finished It: I've always wanted to be a writer (hence this blog), so I've naturally gravitated towards other writers' biographies and personal stories.  I want to know why they became writers, what their writing process was like, and how they were able to achieve success.  Reading Amazing Fantastic Incredible allowed me to see who Stan Lee was directly from the words of the man himself.  His personality easily comes through in the illustrations and panels. I was able to see how his energy propels his mind forward, aiding in his creativity, and igniting so many stories.  Admittedly, there were some events that were vaguely covered by Stan, but having read The Untold Story, I was aware of what was omitted or was explained differently (like Marvel HQ during the tumultuous '70s).  However, none of that prevented me from getting to know Stan Lee and enjoying his autobiography.

Recommendations: For anyone who reads comic books (particularly Marvel), for people who are enjoying the recent Marvel movies and want to know why this (Stan the) Man keeps popping up, or for individuals who just like reading about success stories. This book does a good job in letting us know who Stan Lee is and why we should appreciate the time we have with him now. Excelsior!

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