Blogs:

Newsarama Blogs Home > Article: Stan Lee teams with Virgin to make superhero comics

Stan Lee teams with Virgin to make superhero comics

April 19th, 2008
Author JK Parkin

The L.A. Times has the scoop on a deal that’ll be formally announced at the New York Comic Con — Virgin Comics is teaming with Stan Lee to create a line of superhero comics. The Times reports:

The new venture will have Lee as the editor overseeing a line of superhero comics that will launch next year with a tentpole title he is writing himself. That project — the title of which remains under wraps — will center on a superhero team that sounds similar to his classic work on the Avengers at Marvel. (Lee ended his exclusive relationship with Marvel in the 1990s but still has ties to the company and even has cameo roles in the upcoming Marvel films “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk.”)

“It will be a team of 10 heroes and they will be dealing with personality conflicts, personal problems and chemistry within the team,” Lee said in an interview this week. “I’m going to get started working on it right away and I’m very excited about doing something that will be fresh and breaking new ground. I can’t give away the details or the names yet, but I have some exciting things in mind.”

It’s been a good week for Stan Lee; on Thursday he received the New York Comics Legend award, and on Wednesday, it was announced he was helping to launch a series of animated films. Virgin’s New York Comic Con experience hasn’t been too bad either; they announced Friday that Grant Morrison was creating an online animated series for them.

 
19 Responses to “Stan Lee teams with Virgin to make superhero comics”
  1. John Lynch Says:

    Well good for him :) He’s not my cup of tea these days, although I might check out an issue despite that.

    I do like the fact that this is a new universe (I’m always supportive of such endeavors), although I do find I have doubts as to how well he’ll succeed in differentiating this from the Avengers he wrote.

  2. joe bloke Says:

    hey, it’s stan! of course. i’ll give it a go.

  3. FilthyGnome Says:

    Stan The Man. Here’s for hoping he’s still got a touch of the ol’ magic :)

    Either way, i’ll get it =)

  4. Anal Surprise Says:

    He tried this once before with StanLee.net, didn’t he? It didn’t do very well. I believe most of the criticism was that the world of comics had evolved and he didn’t. But I wish him the best of luck anyway. If anyone deserves to work in comics, it’s Stan.

  5. Tim Johnson Says:

    previous mention (at least indirectly) that the world of comics had evolved and Stan had not. Maybe the evolution is the problem and not Stan’s lack of it. When comics are $3 average for 24-32 pages of mostly splash panels. No wonder an entire story can’t be told in a single issue anymore.

  6. Allen Smith Says:

    While I have my doubts about how long lived this project will be, as usual I’ll wait and see whether it’s any good. Of course, it depends a lot on the artists involved.
    Stan won’t necessarily be doing the writing (it says “editor” above), so I’m wondering who the writers will be also.

  7. Kenn Thomas Says:

    Without the likes of Jack Kirby, I’m sure Stan Lee will produce his usual rather dull children’s entertainment. Kirby created the Marvel universe, was unfairly compensated and is still under-credited. Rather than fueling an entire entertainment industry as Kirby did, everyone seems to know that this Lee project will simply burn up Virgin’s initial investment and then will disappear quickly.

  8. jon666 Says:

    Stan now has gone to a new low. Virgin. India based type of legendary crap that will sell there. None of the books sell. Is there anyone out there that has brought a Virgin book? Retailers don’t order them, or if they do, save them for Free Comic Day where a the end of the day all what is left, you guessed it. Because it is crap from India.

    Stan I love your writing, loved some of the books that you did even with DC, but lately… Just take your millions, sit back and relax. It is time Stan. It’s OK.

    If you had to go back to write comics, go to Dark Horse, BOOM!, Viper, Tokyopop, Viz, even Image, co-create something with Allan Moore for God sake, or go back to MARVEL or DC, write a webcomic, please not Virgin!

    I can smell it now. Stan still is the Man, not at Virgin.

  9. Todd Says:

    Stan’s time has long passed.

  10. Zenstrive Says:

    and so Virgin’s crappy efforts to leverage so so comic books with famous names continue….

  11. dale powers Says:

    well more crap from stan,like the guy on #7 said.he stole so much from kirby.let stan tell it,he created everything in marvel comics.go away stan,let some fresh ideas come to light!there are so many new creators out here!i’m one of them.i have over 150 myself!

  12. Chris Says:

    That is great news, I am really happy with the quality of the Virgin books

  13. Dr. G Says:

    I’ll always root for Stan Lee, but let’s not forget “Stripperella.”
    Then again, it’s better off forgotten…

  14. Codename_Mat Says:

    Stan Lee? I´m sold already. I´ll definetly give it a try, I owe this man so much fun over the years…what else could I do?

  15. roberto guedes Says:

    Go, Stan! Go!!!

  16. G.Guile Says:

    “Because it is crap from India.”

    You should really be less ragingly xenophobic and try reading some of Virgin’s comics. There are the good and the bad, no worse than the grind Marvel/DC continue to churn out.

    Although the decided lack of men-in-tights could be a problem for your average whiny comic fan.

  17. David E.Sheridan Says:

    honestly ive never even seen any virgin books but the teaser art does make me want to give it atry regaurdless of mr.Lees said involvment!

  18. Roman God Says:

    Stan+Jack=Galactus
    Stan-Jack=Ravage 2099

  19. Seley Says:

    Thanks very much, its very nice article, this was the one I am looking for.
    Latest Valentine discounts, deals and much more http://www.bestcouponfor.com/valentine

Leave a Reply »