With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story review by Bobby Blakey
You would be hard pressed to find someone out there that has never heard the name Stan Lee. The man is responsible for not only giving us the amazing Marvel characters on film that we have loved the last few years, but a generation of heroes and stories that have been apart of all of our lives. In 2010 filmmakers Terry Dougas, Nikki Frakes and Will Hess debuted a documentary on Lee and now Well Go USA is bringing home With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story.
​
The film explores the vivid life and imagination of Stan Lee, the 91-year-old comic book legend who co-created over 500 legendary pop culture characters including Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Thor and The Hulk. Featuring interviews with both Stan Lee and colleagues including Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart, Samuel L. Jackson, and Eva Mendes. The film is the tale of one man’s determination to tell incredible stories that have enchanted the world for over 40 years. This is a great film that not only serves as a life story of the iconic Lee, but also the birth of the Marvel Universe that are both one and the same. I saw this documentary a few years ago on TV, but sitting down to watch it again it felt new again. That is just how engaging his story, life and personality is. Seeing the amount of celebrities that are a part of this story both involved in the world of comics and those that are just fans further show the impact he has had.
​
Lee’s journey through the industry is interesting enough, but as a comic fan it is more interesting to hear the stories of how all of these characters were created and the social time that impacted their directions and development. Knowing where they have all gone over the years and hearing these stories make them so much more insane. There is just something special about what Lee and artists like Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby did that will never be repeated, but will forever have an impact.
​
As Lee gets older his legacy grows with him and it is great seeing his career being cemented on film for generations to come. There will never be another like Lee or that generation of creators, but hopefully this movie will not only be a documentation of his legacy, but also inspiration for creators for years to come. In addition to the film, this release also includes interviews, commentary, a character gallery and over 90 minutes of featurettes so grab your copy of With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story available now from Well Go USA.