Jack Kirby’s son attacks Marvel’s lack of recognition in Stan Lee’s documentary

“Stan Lee, a centennial legend”, arrives on Disney+ with a documentary by David Gelb that traces the extraordinary career of the comic book publisher, fundamental to the success of wonderful comics. Lee is credited with creating the main characters of the House of Ideas and, thanks to his mastery of the media image and his unforgettable cameos in Marvel films, he has won the affection of the public.

After his death in November 2018, he established himself as the world’s most famous comic book author, and this documentary only reinforces that perception.

However, it seems the documentary doesn’t address the necessary nuances. Shortly after its streaming release, Neal Kirby, son of Jack Kirby and partner of Lee for many years he posted a statement on his daughter Jillian’s Twitter account in which he attacked Stan Lee, the age-old legend.

Neal Kirby, who with his father co-created much of the pantheon of characters from wonder, questions the focus of the documentary. “

I understand that as a ‘Stan Lee documentary’ most of the storytelling is focused on his voice,” Neal admits in the statement, once he had the opportunity to view the documentary which was initially screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. .

It’s no secret that there has always been controversy about the roles played in the creation and success of Marvel characters,” Neal continues.

“Stan Lee was fortunate enough to have access to corporate media and use it to create his own mythos around the creation of Marvel’s pantheon of characters. He became the voice of Marvel. Thus, for several decades, he was the ‘only’ man standing and, fortunately, long-lived, also the last man standing (my father died in 1994).”

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The legacy of Jack Kirby: the forgotten co-creator behind the shadow of Stan Lee

Kirby shares the opinion of many othersbelieving that Lee’s media persona has prevented other authors from receiving the recognition they deserve.

Are we to assume that Lee was involved in the creation of all Marvel characters? We have to assume that there has never been another co-creator who walked into his office and said, ‘Stan, I have an idea for a character’?” Kirby asks.

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According to Lee, he was always the one with the ideas. In the documentary, Lee spends a lot of time talking about how he created the Fantastic Four, but he only makes a brief reference to my father.”

Additionally, Neal points out Lee’s shortcomings as a creator, noting that his father and others have made up for these shortcomings.

It is widely accepted that Stan Lee had limited knowledge of history, mythology and science. Instead, my father had a wealth of knowledge on these topics, which I and many others can personally attest to. As Einstein sums it up well: “More knowledge, less ego.” ‘The less knowledge, the greater the ego'”.

The importance of recognizing the role of Jack Kirby and other collaborators in the creation of Marvel characters shouldn’t be overlooked. While Stan Lee was an iconic figure and his contribution to the comic book industry is undeniable, it’s imperative that we recognize and give credit to those who also contributed to the creation of these iconic characters.

Jack Kirby’s legacy goes far beyond his association with Stan Lee. His influence on the world of comics is undeniable and his ability to create imaginative universes and memorable characters is admirable. It’s only fair to acknowledge their work and talent, as well as that of other collaborators who have also made their mark on Marvel’s history.

Rather than perpetuating the narrative that Stan Lee was solely responsible for creating Marvel characters, it’s essential to have a more complete and fair view of history. Recognizing the working together, individual contributions, and creative collaboration of different people is what allows you to truly understand the legacy of Marvel Comics.