Powerful Letters in the back of Comics…

[ChrisInBaltimore]

About a week or so ago, I decided to start re-reading ASM 50-150 as I'd filled in my gaps in the run. I don't usually read the letters pages, but I give them a quick skim for fun. Just now, I was caught off guard by sort of a powerful message:

 

 

It seems like Stan Lee was firmly against the war.

 

Has anyone seen other similar letters?

[Unca Ben]

About a week or so ago, I decided to start re-reading ASM 50-150 as I'd filled in my gaps in the run. I don't usually read the letters pages, but I give them a quick skim for fun. Just now, I was caught off guard by sort of a powerful message:

 

 

It seems like Stan Lee was firmly against the war.

 

Has anyone seen other similar letters?

 

I wouldn't say he was against the war. Back in those days, and technically a few years before, Marvel was blatantly anti-communist. Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers all went to Vietnam, or a thinly veiled analog of same, and fought the Communists and Viet Cong.

 

Of course Stan, who kept pretty close to his college age readers, was cautious in later years not to alienate any groups. There were plenty of letters ranging from John Birchers to (what was then considered) college radicals.

 

P.S. -and edit: coincidentally, I am re-reading FF 44- 102 and while perusing the letters pages I was reminded of the letter you pointed out.

[bababooey]

There was a thread a couple years ago discussing that letter right here.

 

Oddly enough, the OP of that thread was outed as being a previously banned boardie. Here is goonchild/bluetooth's last post

 

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Oh huh I vaguely remember that discussion. Interesting...

[ChrisInBaltimore]

About a week or so ago, I decided to start re-reading ASM 50-150 as I'd filled in my gaps in the run. I don't usually read the letters pages, but I give them a quick skim for fun. Just now, I was caught off guard by sort of a powerful message:

 

 

It seems like Stan Lee was firmly against the war.

 

Has anyone seen other similar letters?

 

I wouldn't say he was against the war. Back in those days, and technically a few years before, Marvel was blatantly anti-communist. Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers all went to Vietnam, or a thinly veiled analog of same, and fought the Communists and Viet Cong.

 

Of course Stan, who kept pretty close to his college age readers, was cautious in later years not to alienate any groups. There were plenty of letters ranging from John Birchers to (what was then considered) college radicals.

 

P.S. -and edit: coincidentally, I am re-reading FF 44- 102 and while perusing the letters pages I was reminded of the letter you pointed out.

 

Interesting points. I'd never thought about it like that.