Stan Lee and Disney

I was kind of avoiding blogging about this, but someone asked me why I didn't even reference something that is such a big deal for comics and movies. Well, the entire reason I haven't is because I just don't like Stan Lee. Before anyone gets bent out of shape about me saying that, let me qualify it.

I think Stan "the Man" Lee was great for comics for many many years. Was. I always enjoyed finding him in Marvel movies for his little cameos. But the problem is that he has never updated himself, and his schtick has gotten long in the tooth. I would have to say the moment he jumped the shark was when he did the superhero reality show, "Who Wants To Be A Superhero". Lame. And normally I wouldn't blame someone like Stan Lee for his involvement, we will all do something stupid in our lives for money (mine involved an orangutan, 3 cases of bananas, 2 pounds of butter and a hotel room), but this was Stan's idea, he was the host and the executive producer. He is implicit in that piece of crap.

Need more proof? Plots for his new work with Pow! (The company Disney bought that was announced the other day):

Mosaic

It is the story of an aspiring young actress named Maggie (Paquin) who gains chameleon-like powers after she is exposed to an electrical storm and a magic rune. Her powers are from a secret and ancient race called the Chameliel, who are able to hide in plain sight due to their shape shifting abilities. Maggie and a Chamelial named Mosaic (Morrow) must battle another Chameliel named Maniken who is intent on gaining the power of his dead wife and ruling the world.

The Condor

It is the story of a professional skateboarder named Toni Mendez who was severely injured the day his parents died. Though it seemed like he'd never walk again, Toni was outfitted with the nano-technology his parents worked on, regaining his mobilty with superhuman abilities as a side effect. But it turns this technology was used by the ones who set up his parents' death.

What the hell? That's the best "The Man" can come up with? Dunno what I expected actually, he was responsible for Stripperella, after all.

Ok, ok, enough Stan Lee bashing. I guess my point here is that the future of comics is not a man who started at Marvel over 65 years ago. The future is the great young writers and artists out there today. Stan Lee tapped out his own personal "House of Ideas" many, many years ago with legendary ideas like the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk.

It is time to turn over the reins to the young men and women like Bendis, Millar, Morrison, Whedon, Vaughun, Gail Simone, or even some of the older guard like Peter David, Mark Waid, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Kurt Busiek and Neil Gaiman. I could go on forever with the amoount of amazing talent we are currently blessed with, those are just off the top of my head.

I just hope, in the end, that Stan Lee doesn't embarrass himself or the superhero genre with some of his "ideas" and does better than the two I mentioned here and come up with at least one last iconic character we can all remember him for, all over again.

Excelsior!

CG