STAN LEE AND THE RISE AND FALL OF THE AMERICAN COMIC BOOK

Stan Lee made his name with the Marvel universe and was widely known as the creator of the superheroes X-Men, Spiderman, and the Fantastic Four. This book, first published in 2003, follows Stan's career and ends with his struggle to be credited as creator of Spiderman with the legal aspects still ongoing. The authors are at pains to point out that Lee was co-creator of the big Marvel names, revitalising the Marvel Universe in collaboration with artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and responsibility was never going to be clear cut. Joining the family firm in his teens Lee was in a privileged position but he worked hard for market share, enabling his artists Kirby and Ditko to do their best work using the Marvel Method, which involved working to Lee's synopsis. The three-way collaboration left all the men scarred. Following the decline of Timely comics with characters such as Captain America, Lee turned the company round as both an editor and marketing manager. Ditko specialised in stylish figures whose tortured body language suggested simmering emotional turmoil. He was responsible for the moral framework of the Marvel Universe where the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the X-Men co-existed in a symbiotic world that was able to be infinitely extended. Lee became a public figure at the age of 38 and never stepped away from the spotlight. Even after creating the Hulk, the Silver Surfer and other iconic names he stayed on the front line lecture circuit at the request of the company. "I'm a real ham" he said, describing his love of an audience. He was the guest of honour at numerous comic-book festivals from the 1970s, earning hefty bonuses and the Popular Culture Award of Excellence. 304pp, paperback, photos.