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The bluntly titledStan Lee, directed by David Gelb, certainly aims to like Lees most die-hard fans.
It reinforces their sincerely held belief that the comics maven was the singular creative force behind the Marvel universe.
I have not come to do a fact-check or a takedown.
Ivealreadydone thatmany, manytimes.
Its conclusions were written about everywhere, fromThe New Yorkerto SpainsEl Pais.
I foolishly thought it might change the narrative about him.
This documentary is proof that I was wrong.
The venerable and highly lucrative Stan Lee Myth is safe.
For now, at least.
Stan Lee is, very literally, a trademarked brand.
There has been something of a backlash to the film so far.
Thetweetin which the letter was released was retweeted by more than 5,200 people.
This kind of pressure is justified and necessary.
It also may be futile.
We are not living in a rational or scientific age anymore.
People want tobelievein something, and belief is nearly impervious to correction.
Marvel is the most successful pop-culture franchise in the world.
The Marvel books with Stans name on them are held up as scripture perhaps dated but of paramount importance.
Theyll either be furious with you or cheerfully ignore you, but they wont believe you.
Only praise and affection are appropriate for their dead god.
But it also does a disservice to Stan, in its way.
Right now, the Stan Lee Myth is intact because were familiar with it.
But I hold out hope that, many centuries from now, it wont be so familiar.
His original fans, the boomers, are dying off, and we will all follow suit one day.
Stan will no longer be a living memory, a familiar face, a fatherly influence.
He already is myth, but he will someday be ancient history.
Perhaps that will mean objective looks at his electrifying and ethically questionable existence.
Maybe people will learn to stop venerating fallible humans as magnanimous gods.
We can only pray.
