October 13, 1983: Syndicated article shows Lee’s frustration with Hollywood
Marvel icon Stan Lee with artisti John Romita
Stan Lee looked West and saw Hollywood as the future of Marvel. The superheroes he and his colleagues had created were part of modern American folklore. While studio executives showed interest, none of the comic book characters had yet made it to the big screen.
Lee was in an odd position in Hollywood. He was already a big name, which made it difficult (if not impossible) for him to learn the business from the ground up. Lee had the mighty Marvel content, which opened doors, but simultaneously raised expectations on the part of his bosses that the path to success would be smooth. Lee was also used to calling the shots, but Hollywood simply didn’t work that way. Stan had to attempt to win over skeptical television executives.
Stan Lee laments the challenges of turning superhero characters into films
Yet the winds of change seemed to help. In addition to Marvel’s ascension to the top of the comic book world and Lee’s pervasive influence on popular culture, science fiction and fantasy films and television shows were wildly popular. On the small screen, The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978) proved that audiences would respond to a superhero-like lead. Steve Austin (actor Lee Majors) developed into a pop culture phenomenon, spawning comic books (featuring artwork by Lee’s friends Howard Chaykin and Neal Adams), albums, and action figures. The spinoff The Bionic Woman (1976-1978) expanded the cyborg adventures, featuring Jaime Sommers (actress Lindsay Wagner). Her popularity also meant a merchandise line, ranging from action figures and a board game to lunchboxes (a must-have item for elementary school kids).
The Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox, an essential for every kid in the 1970s
The late 1960s had paved the way for superhero and science fiction narratives. In 1968, for example, the films 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes thrilled audiences, generating strong box office returns. These films reinforced a new style of storytelling. Later, a film like Logan’s Run (1976) demonstrated how science fiction could be enhanced by technology and special effects. In 1977, George Lucas’ Star Wars showed the world the genre’s vitality. After all, didn’t Luke Skywalker seem like a futuristic version of Spider-Man, an outsider who must deal with possessing extraordinary powers? And Darth Vader’s similarities to Dr. Doom were clear.
A year later, the mighty Superman (actor Christopher Reeve) flew into the theater, touting the use of special effects to blow the audience’s mind. Just as it had with the Superman and Batman television shows, DC beat Marvel to the punch by getting its superheroes into theaters.
These films proved that technology improvements could power plots and characters. Special effects were finally catching up with the imaginations of writers and artists, opening doors for science fiction and fantasy on large and small screens. The time was ripe for comic book characters to make the transition.
Christopher Reeve as Superman
Lee crisscrossed the nation, attempting to keep his fingers on the comic book division, while increasingly focused on Hollywood. Los Angeles was “Nirvana,” a celestial utopia enabling him to launch a new path without discarding his accomplishments. The trepidation of leaving New York City got swept away in the excitement about the work and sheer magnificence of the West Coast – warm breezes blowing off the Pacific Ocean and hidden hillside enclaves deep in thick woods.