Jack Kirby’s son alleges that the recently released documentary regarding Stan Lee’s significance in Marvel Comics’ history failed to adequately acknowledge his father’s substantial contributions.
In the wake of its debut at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, the documentary titled “Stan Lee” prompted Neal Kirby to issue a statement through his daughter’s Twitter account. Neal expressed his perception of the film as a self-glorifying homage to Stan Lee, given its heavy reliance on Lee’s personal account of his life and professional journey.
Neal Kirby Highlights Stan Lee’s Prominence and Asserts Jack Kirby’s Role in Marvel’s History
Neal Kirby acknowledged that as a documentary primarily focused on Stan Lee, it is natural for the narrative to be centered around Lee’s perspective, both literally and metaphorically. He acknowledged the longstanding controversy surrounding the contributions and successes of Marvel’s characters. Neal emphasized that Lee’s prominence as “the voice of Marvel” stemmed largely from his interactions with media outlets and his long lifespan, passing away in 2018 at the age of 95, long after the Marvel Cinematic Universe had established itself as a major cultural phenomenon.
Neal further asserted that the significant role played by Jack Kirby in the creation of the Fantastic Four is widely recognized by many comic historians, despite Lee being credited as a co-creator of these iconic superhero characters. As of the time of the report, requests for comment from Disney+, Stan Lee’s production company Supper Club, and the film’s director David Gelb had not received immediate responses from PEOPLE.
In his statement, Neal highlighted that the documentary places a greater emphasis on Stan Lee’s conflict with fellow Marvel comic book artist Steve Ditko regarding their respective contributions to the creation of Spider-Man. Neal then referred to his own childhood, during which he had the opportunity to observe Jack Kirby’s work firsthand during Marvel Comics’ influential era.
The debate over creator’s rights and the contrasting views of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s roles in Marvel’s history
Neal Kirby pointed out that Jack Kirby’s first screen credit appeared after Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Larry Lieber in the closing crawl of the 2008 film adaptation of Iron Man, despite Lee’s numerous cameo appearances in Marvel movies and shows. Neal emphasized the long-standing battle for creator’s rights and urged for a more accurate portrayal of this chapter in literary and art history.
In a 1990 interview, Jack Kirby himself expressed the belief that he was the one responsible for creating characters like the Fantastic Four and Thor, considering Stan Lee as primarily an office worker during Marvel’s formative years in the 1960s.
The documentary relies on archival material exclusively from Stan Lee’s personal archives to explore his life and career, as stated in the Disney+ synopsis. The film, titled “Stan Lee,” is currently available for streaming on Disney+.
