Stan Lee helped erect one of many pillars of recent popular culture because the co-creator of the Marvel Universe. Alongside artists together with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Lee helped convey iconic characters comparable to Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers to life. But over the course of eight a long time, he had a hand in different tasks from anime to different comedian e-book universes. Here’s a set of the tasks that Lee helped co-create following his tenure at Marvel.
Just Imagine (DC Comics)
For years, followers questioned what would have occurred if Lee utilized his abilities towards creating the long-lasting characters of DC. They obtained their want when Lee was approached by the “Distinguished Competition” for the Just Imagine… collection. Just Imagine… was a collection of one-shots that includes Lee teaming up with artists together with Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons and future DC writer/chief artistic officer Jim Lee to reinterpret DC’s icons for a brand new universe. And the outcomes have been radically totally different: Batman is African American and wears a extra demonic costume, Superman is a member of the Kryptonian police, and Wonder Woman is an activist empowered by an Incan solar god. It’s one of many extra fascinating Elseworlds in DC’s historical past, and the characters are set to reappear in a brand new anthology this December.
Mighty 7
Lee would finally begin creating his personal heroes. Among them have been the Mighty 7, a gaggle of aliens who crash-landed on Earth. In a meta plot twist, Lee himself would encounter the aliens and supply them sanctuary whereas drawing inspiration for a brand new comedian collection. There have been plans to show Mighty 7 into a serious multimedia franchise, together with an animated collection and an ongoing comedian. However, it bumped into a number of roadblocks, together with a lawsuit when Lee launched the unique pitch because the “Super 7.” Eventually, three problems with a comic book and an animated film starring Christian Slater and Sean Astin have been launched.
The Traveler/Soldier Zero/Starborn (BOOM! Studios)
Perhaps Lee’s most profitable post-Marvel comics got here from the partnership between BOOM! Studios and his POW! Entertainment model. The partnership yielded three titles: The Traveler, Soldier Zero, and Starborn. Soldier Zero, written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Javier Pina, finds a paraplegic warfare veteran bonding with an alien soldier. The Traveler, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Chad Hardin, has its hero touring by time and battling a gaggle of villains referred to as the Split-Second Men. Unlike different time vacationers, he is not above messing with the space-time continuum to attain victory. And lastly, Starborn from author Chris Roberson and artist Khary Randolph inverts the area saga system as a struggling author finds out that his father is well-renowned within the galaxy – however as a tyrant, not a hero. All three of those comics characteristic the identical excessive ideas and flawed characters that Lee helped to pioneer over at Marvel.
Ultimo
Lee did not simply cease at Western comics. He teamed up with Shaman King creator Hiroyuki Takei to create Ultimo. The manga options twin mechanical boys, Ultimo and Vice, who have been meant to be the final word representations of excellent and evil respectively. Ultimo finally ends up assembly a teen named Yamato Agari, and collectively the 2 battle different mechanical beings. The collection, whereas that includes a plot that would not be misplaced in a typical shonen story, selected to discover the character of excellent and evil which makes it a compelling learn. And as soon as once more, Lee cameos within the manga as Dr. Dunstan bears a hanging resemblance to him.
HeroMan
Lee’s different main anime/manga collection is Heroman, which he co-created with anime studio Bones. Teenager Joey seeks to purchase his personal private robotic referred to as the Heybo, however is brief on money. He finally discovers a damaged down Heybo, and is stunned when a bolt of lightning makes it develop to skyscraper measurement. Joey and the Heybo – which he names “Heroman” – battle the invading alien pressure referred to as the Skrugg. Bones’ work on the anime collection served as a precursor to the motion sequences that got here to outline My Hero Academia and Super Crooks, and Lee proved to be extraordinarily adept at developing with a premise that is good for an anime collection.
Stripperella
Though Lee is well-known for his successes, he is additionally been concerned in various tasks that did not click on with followers. One of these tasks was the short-lived animated collection Stripperella, starring Pamela Anderson because the titular heroine. The complete idea looks like the underside of the barrel for Lee’s artistic endeavors: Strpperella’s alter ego is called Erotica Jones (sure, actually), she has quite a lot of outlandish powers together with “breast enhancements” (sure actually) and she or he is outwardly enticing sufficient that males actually catch on fireplace whereas gazing her (sure actually). Eventually, Striperella was minimize brief resulting from Lee and a former stripper who really glided by Stripperella submitting lawsuits in opposition to Spike TV.
The Condor and Mosaic
A greater instance of Lee dipping his toe into animation got here within the type of two direct-to-DVD animated motion pictures in 2007, titled The Condor and Mosaic respectively. Mosaic facilities on faculty pupil Maggie Nelson (Anna Paquin) who positive aspects shape-shifting powers after a freak storm. The Condor has skateboarder Tony Valdez (Wilmer Valderrama) struggling an accident that leaves him paralyzed, till his mates create an armored swimsuit for him. Once once more, a pair of comedian creators helped convey Lee’s imaginative and prescient to life as Scott Lobdell and Marv Wolfman scripted Mosaic and The Condor respectively. And each movies have ties to his Marvel legacy as Steven E. Gordon – the character designer behind X-Men: Evolution – directed The Condor. Not to say Paquin’s function as Rogue within the X-Men collection.
The Reflection
Lee had yet another anime collection up his sleeve: the restricted collection The Reflection. It takes place in a world the place a mysterious occasion has granted superhuman skills to a choose few, named the “Reflected”. Studio Deen, the animators behind anime classics together with Ramna 1/2 and Fruits Basket, ship a stylized type that appears prefer it was actually ripped from the pages of a comic book e-book. And director Hiroshi Nagahama performs with colours to create a wealthy and vibrant world. Lee as soon as once more makes an look within the collection – although this time, he is taking part in the primary villain of the collection!