TASCHEN’s latest offering is an absolute must for all comic book fans – The Stan Lee Story goes behind the scenes with the legendary co-creator of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Black Panther, The X-Men, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Thor.
This glorious ‘Baby Sumo’ book comes in an edition of just 1,000 copies, each one signed individually by the man himself. In eye-popping full colour, with a protective acrylic slipcase which is a work of art in itself, The Stan Lee Story took eight years to create. It tells the epic story of Stan’s life from his childhood in New York during the Depression-hit ‘30s, to making Marvel the world’s number one comic publisher, to his most recent incarnation as Chief Creative Officer of global entertainment company POW!
Born Stanley Lieber, Stan started his career as a lowly assistant at Timely Comics in 1940 and just two years later, aged only 19, became editor-in-chief. As both editor and writer, he took the company through tumultuous times — World War II and the Korean War, the threat of government censorship, and changing tastes — and in 1961 was instrumental in rebranding Timely as Marvel, revitalising an ageing industry and kickstarting a golden “Marvel Age of Comics.”
Working with legendary art partners such as Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John
Romita, and Jim Steranko, Lee began to imagine his most famous creations. Never one to slow down, he moved to Hollywood in 1980 and started another phase of his remarkable career, developing TV and film projects that later evolved into the Marvel movie franchise, now one of the biggest cinematic draws across the world (watch carefully, and you’ll spot Stan in one his regular cameo appearances in many of them!).
Stan’s extraordinary and inspiring story is told in this magnificent book by renowned comic writer, editor, and historian Roy Thomas, who succeeded Stan as editor-in-chief at Marvel and has known him well for many years, giving him unparalleled insight into the man and his work.
Featuring a treasure trove of comic book art, an in-depth biography by Roy Thomas, a foreword by Stan himself, and intimate photographs sourced from the family’s private collection, this is must for any Marvel fan.
This Collector’s Edition of 1,000 numbered copies, each one hand signed by Stan Lee, includes:
Foreword by Stan Lee
Detailed biography by Roy Thomas
Complete facsimile comic book reprints of both Stan’s greatest hits and many rarer items, true to original size
Separately bound reissue of Stan Lee’s 1947 book Secrets Behind the Comics!
Over 1,000 images, including photographs and artefacts from the Lee family’s personal collection, along with new reproductions of rare comic books and original art owned by some of the world’s leading collectors.
All printed on archival paper and presented in a beautiful acrylic slipcase.
All Marvel characters are © MARVEL.
“Few creators have left as profound a mark on popular culture.”
— The New York Times
The contributing author:
Stan Lee is known worldwide as the man whose superheroes took Marvel to the very top of the comic book industry. His co-creations include Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and many more. Stan is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel and Chief Creative Officer of POW! Entertainment, where he has created numerous new characters and stories.
The author:
Roy Thomas has been writing for movies, television, and especially comic books since 1965. With notable runs on Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, Conan the Barbarian, The Incredible Hulk, and Star Wars, he was as a Marvel editor from 1965-80 and editor-in-chief from 1972-74. He currently edits the comics-history magazine Alter Ego and writes two online Tarzan strips as well as the occasional comic book.