One of the first things people realize when they meet me is that I’m a huge geek; I grew up watching Star Trek Next Generation at dinner, and Batman the Animated Series, Spider-Man and the X-Men on Saturday mornings. When Marvel started making their movies, beginning with Blade to mixed success, I was hooked. I loved the fantasy and heroism on the big screen. I took a comics class for my English degree at university to help me further understand that interesting medium; there’s so much happening in each panel, who is focused on, how the text is written/illustrated, shading and lighting, and what’s implied between them in that mysterious white space. Comics have evolved and grown in the last 10 years especially to be more inclusive and diverse, and I think that would make Stan Lee proud.
He passed away yesterday at the age of 95. Despite controversy about his working relationship with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Stan was the face and drive behind Marvel Comics, revitalizing the comics industry with the Fantastic Four, SpiderMan, Captain America, the Hulk and of course my favourites, the X-Men.
Every Saturday morning on Fox at 11am I was infront of my tv (unless I was at camp), or my best friend’s tv, and we would watch then reenact every episode. We knew every character, every story by heart, and over the years they became a part of who I am; Jubilee’s innocence and hope, Rogue’s inner strength, Gambit’s charm, Cyclop’s leadership, Storm’s compassion and fury, Jean’s empathy and heart, Beast’s gentleness and intelligence, Wolverine’s tenacity and Professor X’s vision of a world united. Those characters taught me that people are afraid of what they don’t understand, to fight for what’s right even if people hate you, and that heroes have flaws; they’re people too. Sometimes they’re impulsive or angry or sad and make bad decisions, decisions that affect their friends and family, and sometimes even the world. They live with the consequences of those choices and try to do better, to learn from them and keep moving forward.
This was a common theme in Marvel Comics, thanks to Stan Lee. He used to write little soap box pieces on the backs of the comics, urging people to accept each other, to be every day heroes in fighting bigotry and injustice. This one is the best I’ve seen so far. We need to do what we can to honour his memory and move forward, together. Comics are for everyone. Geek culture and nerdom can be welcoming and inclusive spaces for everyone. Except Nazis. Always punch those guys. It’s what Stan would’ve wanted.
