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Stan Lee Thinks You Suck!

Started by PeasOfCrap,

39 posts in this topic

PeasOfCrap

PeasOfCrap

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http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/03/promise-is-promise.html#comments

 

It was in a book he wrote in 1947 — called Secrets Behind the Comics — that the 24-year-old future head of Marvel, Stan Lee, offered readers a chance to have their comic book artwork reviewed for the price of $1. So imagine his surprise when, 25 years later in 1972, an aspiring artist named Russell Maheras attempted to take him up on his offer by sending Lee his Souperman spoof along with a fee, kindly doubled to take inflation into account, of $2. Lee's gracious response can be seen below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvel Comics Group

 

December 7, 1972

 

Mr. Russell Maheras

 

 

Dear Russ:

 

Okay, never let it be said that sweet ol' Stan ever reneged on an offer (even if it was made 25 years ago!) A promise is a promise! And besides, I can use the two bucks.

 

However, rates have gone up in 25 years, so all your buck and the buck for postage will buy you is a footnote! Hence footnote--

 

Do you have talent? Yeah, it seems that way. Have you a sense of humor? Apparently. Is your artwork of professional caliber? Not yet. Why not? Glad you asked--

 

Your anatomy is still weak-- practice it, study it, work on it. Don't worry too much about inking yet. That can come later. The pencilling is the important thing to begin with. Your layouts are good. You seem to have the ability to tell a story pictorially-- which is important in comics, obviously. But, if you really wanna become a pro, you're kidding around too much. Nobody's impressed with "Souperman" takeoffs now. We were doing them 30 years ago. Do real serious stuff. For example, pick a character you think you could handle-- HULK for example. Then do a serious, no-kidding story about him-- using your own drawings and layouts (no swipes). That's the only way to really tell if you have the stuff or not. When you think your work is as good as what's already appearing in the mags, send it in to us-- or DC, or anybody. Till then, keep studying.

 

Worth $2.00?

 

(Signed, 'Stan')

Excelsior!

 

P.S.-- Your backgrounds are pretty good, too.

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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1. A letter signed by Stan is worth FAR more than the $2

2. The fact he received THAT much personalized feedback from an editor, let alone a known editor, is an amazing exception to the rule.

3. Actually seems like Stan was pretty generous in his feedback!

 

Cool!

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JamesRobertSmith-migration

JamesRobertSmith-migration

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I'll say this for Stan Lee...he was TREMENDOUSLY loyal to comic book fans. He was, person by person, building on the fan base that eventually became the loyal followers of Marvel Comics. I'll keep my "co-creator" opinions to myself here, but what I will say, and will always say, is that NO ONE was a better pitch man for comic books than Stan Lee.

 

And as for my own take...in 1965 when I was eight years old I sent a letter to Marvel and...wonder of wonders!...I got a personal letter from Stan Lee. Not a mass produced letter with a faux signature, but an actual letter from Stan covering the questions I had posed about Daredevil and Spider-Man with his big ol' signature tagged on. And at this time he was a BUSY man. The fact that he took the time to write a personal reply to an eight-year-old kid in Decatur GA speaks volumes for his dedication to the comics industry.

 

And, no, I don't have that letter anymore. I saved it for many years, but finally lost it when my family moved from our home in the north Georgia mountains to another one on the coast when I was 18 years old. But for many years I kept that letter and its envelope in the headboard of my bed (there was a shelf with a sliding door on the headboard). I would go to sleep every night with the letter like a talisman above my head.

 

 

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Conan_Aficionado

Conan_Aficionado

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I'll say this for Stan Lee...he was TREMENDOUSLY loyal to comic book fans. He was, person by person, building on the fan base that eventually became the loyal followers of Marvel Comics. I'll keep my "co-creator" opinions to myself here, but what I will say, and will always say, is that NO ONE was a better pitch man for comic books than Stan Lee.

 

And as for my own take...in 1965 when I was eight years old I sent a letter to Marvel and...wonder of wonders!...I got a personal letter from Stan Lee. Not a mass produced letter with a faux signature, but an actual letter from Stan covering the questions I had posed about Daredevil and Spider-Man with his big ol' signature tagged on. And at this time he was a BUSY man. The fact that he took the time to write a personal reply to an eight-year-old kid in Decatur GA speaks volumes for his dedication to the comics industry.

 

And, no, I don't have that letter anymore. I saved it for many years, but finally lost it when my family moved from our home in the north Georgia mountains to another one on the coast when I was 18 years old. But for many years I kept that letter and its envelope in the headboard of my bed (there was a shelf with a sliding door on the headboard). I would go to sleep every night with the letter like a talisman above my head.

 

 

that's a great story, thank you for sharing.

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GL1

GL1

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I'll say this for Stan Lee...he was TREMENDOUSLY loyal to comic book fans. He was, person by person, building on the fan base that eventually became the loyal followers of Marvel Comics. I'll keep my "co-creator" opinions to myself here, but what I will say, and will always say, is that NO ONE was a better pitch man for comic books than Stan Lee.

 

And as for my own take...in 1965 when I was eight years old I sent a letter to Marvel and...wonder of wonders!...I got a personal letter from Stan Lee. Not a mass produced letter with a faux signature, but an actual letter from Stan covering the questions I had posed about Daredevil and Spider-Man with his big ol' signature tagged on. And at this time he was a BUSY man. The fact that he took the time to write a personal reply to an eight-year-old kid in Decatur GA speaks volumes for his dedication to the comics industry.

 

And, no, I don't have that letter anymore. I saved it for many years, but finally lost it when my family moved from our home in the north Georgia mountains to another one on the coast when I was 18 years old. But for many years I kept that letter and its envelope in the headboard of my bed (there was a shelf with a sliding door on the headboard). I would go to sleep every night with the letter like a talisman above my head.

 

 

 

Good story!

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Marvelfangirl

Marvelfangirl

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I'll say this for Stan Lee...he was TREMENDOUSLY loyal to comic book fans. He was, person by person, building on the fan base that eventually became the loyal followers of Marvel Comics. I'll keep my "co-creator" opinions to myself here, but what I will say, and will always say, is that NO ONE was a better pitch man for comic books than Stan Lee.

 

And as for my own take...in 1965 when I was eight years old I sent a letter to Marvel and...wonder of wonders!...I got a personal letter from Stan Lee. Not a mass produced letter with a faux signature, but an actual letter from Stan covering the questions I had posed about Daredevil and Spider-Man with his big ol' signature tagged on. And at this time he was a BUSY man. The fact that he took the time to write a personal reply to an eight-year-old kid in Decatur GA speaks volumes for his dedication to the comics industry.

 

And, no, I don't have that letter anymore. I saved it for many years, but finally lost it when my family moved from our home in the north Georgia mountains to another one on the coast when I was 18 years old. But for many years I kept that letter and its envelope in the headboard of my bed (there was a shelf with a sliding door on the headboard). I would go to sleep every night with the letter like a talisman above my head.

 

Cool story
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catrick339

catrick339

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1969 or so, fan letter to Fantastic Four.

 

Got the blue postcard with a typed message, Signed By Stan! Still have tucked away in the basement Crypt of Comics! Anyone else keep their blue postcard from Stan and the Gang?

 

Stan was a GREAT huckster! Still is for that matter.

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jools&jim

jools&jim

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I received essentially the same advice (study anatomy and perspective, keep it simple, etc.) when, at age 12 or 13, I sent my pitiful work to Jim Steranko back in the late '70s.

 

In addition to a hand-written note from Steranko, I also got my drawings back, which he'd taken the time to correct...AND ink. It was a very gracious gesture which I've never forgotten...

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SolitaireOne

SolitaireOne

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In addition to a hand-written note from Steranko, I also got my drawings back, which he'd taken the time to correct...AND ink. It was a very gracious gesture which I've never forgotten...

Sweet-sassy! What, no pics to share? :wishluck:

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comicnoir

comicnoir

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I sent a letter to Marvel asking if I could borrow some original art for a mini-con I wanted to put on. I was quite young and naive. Didn't think it would even be looked at. Got a reply back on Marvel stationary from legendary Flo Steinberg, very sweet letter saying "no". Wish I still had that letter.

 

Next a few years later, my friend and I sent our drawings and concepts to revive Nick Fury with a whole new logo and name called "Nick Fury and His Agents of SHIELD". Another nice rejection from who, I can't remember (wasn't Stan). They sent back our stuff.

 

Within a year they started reprinting SHIELD stories with our logo, calling the series "Nick Fury and His Agents of Shield". I might have been 14.

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jools&jim

jools&jim

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In addition to a hand-written note from Steranko, I also got my drawings back, which he'd taken the time to correct...AND ink. It was a very gracious gesture which I've never forgotten...

Sweet-sassy! What, no pics to share? :wishluck:

 

Sadly...VERY sadly...no. Near as I can tell, it was all trashed by my mom with a bunch of my old grade school and middle school papers and drawings while I was in college and too caught up in Rock-and-Roll, chasing girls, and partying to even spare a thought for everything I ever loved as a kid. What a dope! Then my parents moved several times after that, so even if the drawings survived my late teens and early 20s, they certainly disappeared then. :sorry:

 

I do still have the poster-cover to "Steranko's History of Comics" vol. 1 which Steranko also autographed for me at the same time -- it was packed in with my comics, so it survived the purge.

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Drummy

Drummy

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The word 'genius' gets thrown around too often these days, but Stan Lee was/is a genius when it came to both product promotion and human connection.

 

I don't think a lot of what he did was a show -- he legitimately loves comics, fans, and the industry. That response doesn't surprise me at all given the little I know of him. There's a lot of authenticity in his public persona.

 

Dan

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

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The word 'genius' gets thrown around too often these days, but Stan Lee was/is a genius when it came to both product promotion and human connection.

 

I don't think a lot of what he did was a show -- he legitimately loves comics, fans, and the industry. That response doesn't surprise me at all given the little I know of him. There's a lot of authenticity in his public persona.

 

Dan

 

Stan's work is why I collect comics. I'm sure I'm not alone.

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Unca Ben

Unca Ben

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The word 'genius' gets thrown around too often these days, but Stan Lee was/is a genius when it came to both product promotion and human connection.

 

I don't think a lot of what he did was a show -- he legitimately loves comics, fans, and the industry. That response doesn't surprise me at all given the little I know of him. There's a lot of authenticity in his public persona.

 

Dan

 

Stan's work is why I collect comics. I'm sure I'm not alone.

+1
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