HOW STAN LEE’S DUMBEST IDEA MADE HIS BEST SELLER

WARNING: Some ideas are just dumb though, outcome not always guaranteed

The Stan Leegacy

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Stan Lee was one of the most creative people of our time, who was able to bring silly ideas from his mind into some of the greatest entertainment we’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Maybe you have read the comics, or maybe you’re just a modern Gen Z person like me and can only ever reference the movies.



Either way, you know that we get immersed in the Marvel Universe, and sometimes get too emotionally attached to the characters and storyline. All because of the creator, Stan Lee.

But how does a man like that think of such brilliant ideas? 



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Well, as it turns out, one of the best-performing Marvel characters that you know and love, came from an idea that was rejected by his publisher.

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‎Fly Man?

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“Stan, I want you to come up with another superhero,” his publisher said to him. 

Another superhero. Stan would really have to think on this. He sat and pondered, and as this happened, he saw a fly land on his wall. A wild thought crossed his mind. 



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“Fly man,” he thought. No. “Mosquito Man,” he thought next. Also a no.



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Stan was stuck in the insect category for this superhero, but they all sounded bad. Except for one. One that had a bit of a ring to it. 



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Spider-Man.

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No One Likes Spiders

This was the perfect name. Not only did he get the name, but he was starting to create the character in his head. 



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He was a teenager. Most superheroes were not teenagers. 



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He had personal problems. Most superheroes didn’t have personal problems.

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He went into his publisher’s office the next day, and said, “I’ve got it. Spiderman. He is a teenager, who has personal problems.”



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His publisher stopped the enthusiasm very fast. He told Stan the idea was stupid. For starters, no one likes spiders, so the name is out. Second, superheroes aren’t teenagers, only sidekicks are. And personal problems? Superheroes don’t have pErSoNaL pRoBlEmS. Stan was shut down. 


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But it wasn’t over just yet.

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Dying Comic

Stan Lee could not quite get spider man out of his system. It was too catchy. Too unique of a story for the world not to know about it. 



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A magazine was about to be killed. Don’t worry, no magazines were hurt in the making of this newsletter or in the creation of Spiderman. This magazine was called “Amazing Fantasy.” It was not pulling in enough money, and Stan was sending out the last issue and had an idea. 



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The book is dying, so no one will really care what I put in this last edition. So why not put Spiderman in it? That is exactly what Stan did.

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One month later, when the sales figures came in, the publisher ran into his office and said,



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”STAN STAN, do you remember that character we both loved so much, Spiderman? Let’s do him as a series.” 



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Imagine audible laughter here since we both know that the publisher gave Stan three reasons this idea was horrible, and it ended up reviving a dead comic. For some context, that edition Stan wrote is one of the most valuable comic books ever. In September 2021, a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 sold for $3.60 million. In November 2022, a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 sold for $336,000.

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Stupid Is The New Genius

“If you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, don’t let some idiot talk you out of it.”



- Stan Lee



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Look at what those comic books sold for again. Not only that, think about the history of a character we’re talking about. This went on to become a TV series, a movie series with different actors, an animated movie series, and how could we forget the one where they all came together into the same universe. Don’t tell me I spoiled it, the movie has been out forever now. 



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There was a reality where when Stan listened to what people said to him as absolute truth, he listened. That version of Stan said, “My publisher knows best and I will do as he says.”


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If that happened all we’d probably see on Disney Plus would be...

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‎But Stan was smarter than that. He knew there was something there, and he had the nerve to go against what his publisher said. The idea could have failed, but it didn’t. It did the complete opposite. 



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It became one of the most iconic Marvel characters to date. 



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When we think of ideas, we may filter it through what other people think, either in our minds, or by asking them. We may be fired up, excited, and think we identified the perfect moment for us to strike. Yet the moment we tell someone else who doesn’t quite see it the same way we do, we take what they say as truth.



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They tell us it is “unrealistic” or “not the best idea” or whatever other basic thing we hear from the people around us. But only you know if it is a truly good idea or not. If you have the conviction to be excited about it, that is extremely powerful. 



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Stop letting the outside voices influence what you know you should do. You are Stan Lee. The voices of the people are you are the publisher. Are you going to listen to them? 



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Or are you going to create the next Spiderman?

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And yeah, maybe Elon will call you baby too.