'Stan Lee' documentary takes Marvel fans through comic legend's childhood and creation process

ByCarolina Olivares OTRC logo
Friday, June 16, 2023
Go inside Stan Lee's Marvel-ous mind in new documentary on Disney+
If you're looking for something to binge, go inside the Marvel-ous mind of the man responsible for bringing to life some of the most iconic characters in the history of comics.

HOUSTON, Texas -- It's the first day of summer and some places like Houston are experiencing extreme high temperatures, so why don't you stay inside, where it's nice and cool, and binge this new special on Disney+?

We all know the name Stan Lee. He's the man who gave life to some of the most iconic characters in the history of comics. So, whether you grew up watching the Marvel movies or maybe you just started making your way across all the multiverses, the new "Stan Lee" documentary directed by David Gelb is something is for everyone.

Gelb told ABC13 that he takes us through Lee's origin story. Starting from when Lee, who grew up poor during the Depression, would pick up whatever he could get ahold of to read in order to entertain himself. He then highlights Lee's passion for creating superheroes who are just like normal people.

"It was taking these superheroes and making them relatable. He didn't have imaginary cities, it was all taking place in New York City, so in familiar environments grounded in the real world, and the characters had hang-ups, they had problems, you know, they weren't these perfect beings," Gelb said. "These are real people that happen to have this extraordinary circumstance of becoming a superhero, and sometimes they don't even want to be the hero. So, this kind of new superhero like the Hulk, like Spider-Man, like Dr. Strange, with complicated human baggage is really what made it something completely different."

In the documentary, we learn that the Marvel series didn't actually come right away or very easy for Lee.

Without giving too much away, Gelb takes us back to the 1960s, where Lee had already been creating comics for year, but none of them were getting the respect they deserved. Gelb highlights the moment Lee was approached by the publisher of a company with the task of creating a team of superheroes that could compete with DC's Justice League.

"It shows that if you can take a risk, if you really believe in something, take that risk and don't let somebody else say that it's a bad idea. Just go for it, and he did it, and it really paid off," Gelb said.

"Stan Lee," the documentary, is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. Disney is the parent company of ABC.

Now all that's left to do is for fans to tap into their inner Avenger and assemble some popcorn, a couch, and a favorite blanket and watch the documentary.

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