Marvel Comics owes much to the late and greatStan Lee, the legendary writer and co-creator of some of the company’s most iconic heroes and villains, with his legacy as a fan-favorite creator still influencing and guiding the way Marvel interacts with their fanbase — something other companies, comic industry-related or not, need to take note of.
Fortunate enough to work alongside some of the greatest comic artists to have ever done it — Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, especially —Stan Lee helped create The Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Daredevil, and Spider-Man, as well as most of each’s associated villains, with his influence on the world of comics being impossible to understate.
And though Stan passed away in 2018 at the ripe old age of 95,Stan’s enthusiasm when meeting and dealing with fans by “creating a bridge with the audience” has continued to inspire Marvelas a company, especially current X-Men editor Tom Brevoort, as revealed in anew interview with AIPT.
Stan Lee Cared About Interacting With Fans, Leading Marvel To Follow His Example
According to an AIPT Interview With X-Men Editor Tom Brevoort
Speaking with AIPT aboutX-Men: Hellfire Vigil #1, a special one-shot that follows the X-Men as they mourn the loss of Krakoa, it’s noted how Brevoort always has a willingness to engage with readers, with the question, “What has encouraged you to do so?” leadingBrevoort to cite Stan Lee as an influential part of how he treats fans.
Saying, “It kind of goes back to theStan Lee philosophyof creating a bridge with the audience, helping them, and letting them feel like they’re a part of the mythology and the things we’re crafting and creating,” Brevoort acknowledges these bridges can sometimes become “a heated battlefield,” particularly if fans aren’t happy with how characters/books are being treated.
The editorial column “Stan’s Soapbox” was a way for Stan Lee to further interact with fans.
Going on to explain howengaging with fans and hearing them out is a “responsibility”as well as something he “should be doing,” Brevoort says that since he genuinely likes talking with readers, he never minds the feedback as long as it’s constructive and not abusive, agreeing that it’s “perfectly fair” to disagree with or dislike what Marvel does sometimes.
Knowing that when it comes to the X-Men, “We’re all fans. We all love the characters. We all love this world,” Brevoort remarks on how he wants people to feel “welcomed tothe universe of X-Men” and able to “share their perspective on it and their point of view” — an outlook that Stan Lee constantly put into practice himself.
Stan Lee Understood That Fans Are an Integral Way To Improve Marvel’s Comics and Characters
Tom Brevoort Is Striving To Follow in Stan’s Footsteps
A staple in the fan community thanks to his constant con appearances,signature MCU cameos, influential legacy as a comic creator, and more,Stan Lee was a guy who always put readers first, with Stan understanding the impact his stories and characters had on people, especially when it came to icons like Spider-Man.
Talking about how, when he was a reader rather than an editor, Brevoort says he would have been “all over the message boards” back in the day, it’s clear he also understands, like Stan, why putting the time into getting to know fans while building bridges with them is an essential part of the Marvel Comics reading experience.
And while most companies don’t always have their own version ofStan Leeto guide their creativity and engage their fanbase with, most would do well to make connections with the people that help their content to flourish, as taking a moment to listen could pay dividends down the line not just financially, but creatively as well.
