#stan's soapbox

[captainpirateface]

Stan Lee got it.

It's revolting OVER HALF the country to this very day does not.

We need more Stans in the world.

[eliah]

[themarvelproject]

Stan’s Soapbox from Marvel’s Bullpen Bulletins (1968)

[why-i-love-comics]

Stan’s Soapbox -  February 1980

[arianalilyblack]

We will always miss you.. 😢

[melangeofdistraction]

[theultradork]

[cgbcomics]

[user80139184]

[friend-of-ferret]

March 1969

My favorite Stan’s Soapboxes 4/?

[amandajoyce118]

Friday Five: Stan’s Soapbox

Losing Stan Lee this week feels like a heavy blow for comic book fans. He, whether people like it or not, became the face of the industry because his name was attached to so many iconic characters and because he engaged with fans long before the age of social media. Did he solely create every character he gets credit for? No. Neither did most of the other artists and writers credited with creating characters because there is an entire team of people who work on a single comic book issue. He co-founded Marvel, created storylines, drew characters, worked as editor-in-chief, and had more movie cameos that any sane person needs. He was far from perfect, but throughout his work both in and out of comic books, there’s one thing that he always tried to teach: equality. 

The X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans, and any other group of “others” in the pages of Marvel Comics were all used to teach readers to accept differences. He embraced love and rejected hate like so many of the other creators that are a part of Marvel Comics. He championed the idea that differences weren’t bad, but made us human. And while he was the editor for Marvel Comics, he brought that idea into Stan’s Soapbox.

If you’re a comic book fan who somehow never heard of Stan’s Soapbox, you’ve probably been reading in the post-Stan age. The Soapbox ran at the back of nearly every single comic book issue put out during Stan’s tenure. From 1965 until 2001, Marvel comics featured the Bullpen Bulletin. In 1967, Stan Lee started a small section at the back of the comic where he could respond to letters, announce which employees got married or decided to leave. Sometimes, he also promoted upcoming projects. But they were always interesting.

In honor of Stan, here are some of my favorite of his Soapboxes from over the years, all from before I was even born.

(And yes, if you love them, or are just fascinated by comic book history, you can actually buy a collected volume of them.)

Five: August 1969

I just think it’s refreshing that, once upon a time, a company explained its price increases, okay?

Four: June 1967

Also refreshing? A comic book publisher thanking fans for buying their products.

Three: March 1970

I like the idea that “a story without a message… is like a man without a soul.”

Two: 1976

This one seems seasonally appropriate. See, Stan didn’t always preach his own views. Sometimes, he reprinted poetry too.

One: December 1968

This might be his most famous, and the one journalists love to bring up. It’s also the one many people have been quoting since his death.

[why-i-love-comics]

Stan’s Soapbox - November 1968

[magik-and-chaos]

[friend-of-ferret]

January 1970

My favorite Stan’s Soapboxes 3/?

[michaelminneboo]

Stan Lee tries to figure out Saturday morning animated cartoon shows ands asks the readers for help.

From: Marvel Team-Up: #96 (August 1980)