Who is Stan Lee's favorite Marvel character?

[nervmeister]

I've always been wondering this.

Favorite Hero?

Favorite Villain?

Favorite Character Overall?

[DMike]

Probably Spider-Man since he still writes those newspaper comic strips to this day.

[StoneGold]

Not to mention Spidey made him the most money. And I think it's pretty safe to say that Doom is his favorite villain. And I know he says that Diablo is his least favorite, but honestly, I think he just sort of pulled a random name out of the hat for that one.

And I don't know exactly what you mean by neutral, but when in doubt, pick the character the creator says is most like himself.

http://accordionguy.blogware.com/Photos/2003/11/j_jonah_jameson.gif

[Beacon]

I don’t know about the whole “Diablo being something he picked at random when asked about his least favorite villain” thing. He seemed genuinely disappointed that he never really knew where he wanted to go with the character.

[Chou Blaster]

Spider Man is more than likely his favorite hero. (He made him and well money deals.)

And his favorite villain is Dr.Doom.

Not sure about absolute favorite.

[StoneGold]

I don’t know about the whole “Diablo being something he picked at random when asked about his least favorite villain” thing. He seemed genuinely disappointed that he never really knew where he wanted to go with the character.
Really? Because every time I've heard him talk about it, it sounds like he doesn't remember who Diablo is. I always just assumed he randomly picked the name out of OHOTMU or something.

[Beacon]

Really? Because every time I've heard him talk about it, it sounds like he doesn't remember who Diablo is. I always just assumed he randomly picked the name out of OHOTMU or something.

*shrug*

I’ve only really read on comment from him on the character but that was the impression I got. If you’ve read multiple ones (which your use of “every time” indicates you have) that cause you to think otherwise then you’re probably right.

[StoneGold]

*shrug*

I’ve only really read on comment from him on the character but that was the impression I got. If you’ve read multiple ones (which your use of “every time” indicates you have) that cause you to think otherwise then you’re probably right.
Yeah, I've heard the story a few times, occasionally from Stan himself. And a lot of his stories, you get the feeling that he doesn't necesarrily remember the event himself, but he gets asked the question so many times, he made sure to remember the story.

[Beacon]

Yeah, I've heard the story a few times, occasionally from Stan himself. And a lot of his stories, you get the feeling that he doesn't necesarrily remember the event himself, but he gets asked the question so many times, he made sure to remember the story.

Yeah, I’ve gotten the “I don’t remember most of my stories because that was a long time ago and my memory wasn’t especially good then either* ” vibe from him in a lot of interviews but that’s part of why I assumed he was being genuine in his feelings about Diablo. After all, if he thought of him as a bit of an embarrassment then that would explain why he could remember him in the first place.

*Which is actually his answer for why he used alliteration so much in his characters’ civilian names; he wouldn’t have been able to remember them otherwise

[K Von Doom]

At the time, Stan didn't want anyone else writing the Silver Surfer. Might mean something.

[Tommy]

I know Stan waffles sometimes between his overall fav char being Dr. Doom or Spider-man.

But he really loves those two.

[Beacon]

At the time, Stan didn't want anyone else writing the Silver Surfer. Might mean something.

That's kinda odd considering Kirby was the one who actually created Norrin

[Alpha to Omega]

That's kinda odd considering Kirby was the one who actually created Norrin

Actually Kirby intended for the Surfer to be cold and emotionless robot like servant, Stan disagreed and made him a philosopher and liked the character so much he wrote the first Silver Surfer series and after it's cancellation wrote specials and even tried to get a movie made.

[StoneGold]

That's just one of those instances. Because Stan fully admits that he never wrote the Surfer into the story, that Jack just threw him in there. But yeah, it was Stan that made him the character that he is.

[Beacon]

Actually Kirby intended for the Surfer to be cold and emotionless robot like servant,

Really? I just assumed that the character was entirely Kirby’s (you know, like Strange was entirely Ditko’s) and Lee just ran with the characterization Jack gave him when Stan scripted the comics. You learn something new every day :)

[StoneGold]

Really? I just assumed that the character was entirely Kirby’s (you know, like Strange was entirely Ditko’s) and Lee just ran with the characterization Jack gave him when Stan scripted the comics. You learn something new every day :)
It really makes you wonder what the Fourth World stuff would have been like if Stan had been scripting.


Probably less boring. Come on, admit it, you know you want to.

[Beacon]

It really makes you wonder what the Fourth World stuff would have been like if Stan had been scripting.


Probably less boring. Come on, admit it, you know you want to.

Heh, Jack Kirby was a Legend but the only one of his New Gods that I can stand in large doses is Scott Free. I'm sure Stan's Fourth World would have been more fun if only because it'd almost have to be. Besides, it isn't like there are a lot of females among them for Lee to write poorly ;)

[Goldenbane]

Heh, I like all the talk about Stan Lee's memory. I swear in one interview I saw he was like...

"Let's see, first I created the Fantastic Four, then I created the Hulk, after that I created Daredevil and then the X-men...finally I hit the nail on the head with Spiderman."

LOL...Spiderman was like one of the first heroes he created, and X-men and Daredevil followed a bit later.

Anyway, I agree with the general concensus that Spiderman and Doom are Stan's faves. I'm surprised at his least favorite though...Diablo? I thought for sure he'd have hated the Matador!

[Mark Spiridakis]

Probably Spider-Man since he still writes those newspaper comic strips to this day.

I agree. :D

[SpartanX]

Although Spider-man has given him the $$$, he said Daredevil was his favorite creation.

[StoneGold]

Although Spider-man has given him the $$$, he said Daredevil was his favorite creation.
Which just goes to show, whatever movie is coming out, that's Stan's favorite creation.

"What do you mean I didn't create Wolverine? My name was at the top of the book, right?"

[berk]

I think it's the Silver Surfer, or at least was for a long time, well past the cancellation of the solo title Stan wrote. This might even be a matter of record; I'm pretty sure I've read quotes and interviews with Stan Lee in which he said as much.

Regarding the difference between Stan's version of the Surfer - which is more or less the one that we read in the FF - and Jack Kirby's, IIRC it's been postulated, based on an analysis of what can be seen of Kirby's original artwork, that, taking Galactus as a stand-in for God, Kirby's version was a rebel angel story as opposed to Stan's redeemer story. KIrby's Surfer, like Milton's Satan, rebels against tyrannical and arbitrary God who is his creator and master, apparently without any deep concern for mankind, which just happens to provide the specific circumstances for a rebellion that would have inevitably come at some point. This was a little too harsh for STan, who saw the character as a Christ-figure, saving mankind from a wrathful old-Testamnet God-figure.

Personally, I would love to have seen Kirby given free reign to follow the implications of his own creation in whatever direction he chose, without editorial interference. IMO, based on their solorecords, Stan was never much good at big conceptual science fiction stories. I find his Surfer series pretty repetetive and unimaginative, in contrast to Kirby who when given even limited creative freedom, exploded with originality, mind-bending concepts and ground-breaking innovations.

[StoneGold]

in contrast to Kirby who when given even limited creative freedom, exploded with originality, mind-bending concepts and ground-breaking innovations.
Like black men on skis who represent death.


Seriously, African American death avatars on skis, who saw that one coming?

[Beacon]

Which just goes to show, whatever movie is coming out, that's Stan's favorite creation.

Well the guy’s ability to promote Marvel is legendary so it really isn’t much of a shock.

Like black men on skis who represent death.


Seriously, African American death avatars on skis, who saw that one coming?

The KKK?

[berk]

Like black men on skis who represent death.


Seriously, African American death avatars on skis, who saw that one coming? Yeah, even I have to admit, not his best-conceived character.

But that's the nature of Kirby's genius: he'll give you higher highs and lower lows than Stan's more pedestrian talent. I think Stan might have prevented gaffes like the Black Racer, but at the price of watering down the conceptual underpinnings of the New Gods to the point where it would have been little more than a rehash of Thor or some other, even more standard superhero paradigm.

[Ultraman Max]

His favorite character seems to change from interview to interview, which sorta shows what Stonegold said about whichever one has a movie out. I've seen/heard him list on different occassions: Dr. Doom, The Thing, J Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man, and The Silver Surfer.

Though when asked his least favorite he almost always lists Diablo, the first time I recall him doing such was an interview on The Jon Stewart show (not The Daily Show, the syndicated late night talk show from the nineties). In that instance he listed Surfer as his favorite, but like I said, that's changed interview to interview.