When you look like a drained Podling from the Dark Crystal you’re bound to be a bitter SOB. So one might understand why a slug like Bill Maher would slam someone who was receiving a lot of heartfelt eulogies after their passing. I mean, he knows that his days are numbered and he would never in a million years receive that kind of adulation. So what is an old Fraggle to do? Lash out of course. And lash out he did at comic book legend Stan Lee and those of us who deigned to consider comic books a valid form of storytelling.
Hopefully one day I will have the luxury of spending time laying out a 3,000 word response to maggot’s like Maher’s imbecilic ramblings. For now, I will have to take comfort that the bulk of the planet has lit him up like a New Years Christmas tree. In addition to the well earned backlash, Stan Lee’s company POW! Entertainment has put together a response of their own that I think closes this sad chapter in 2018:
“Mr. Maher: Comic books, like all literature, are storytelling devices. When written well by great creators such as Stan Lee, they make us feel, make us think and teach us lessons that hopefully make us better human beings. One lesson Stan taught so many of us was tolerance and respect, and thanks to that message, we are grateful that we can say you have a right to your opinion that comics are childish and unsophisticated. Many said the same about Dickens, Steinbeck, Melville and even Shakespeare.
But to say that Stan merely inspired people to “watch a movie” is in our opinion frankly disgusting. Countless people can attest to how Stan inspired them to read, taught them that the world is not made up of absolutes, that heroes can have flaws and even villains can show humanity within their souls. He gave us the X-Men, Black Panther, Spider-Man and many other heroes and stories that offered hope to those who felt different and bullied while inspiring countless to be creative and dream of great things to come.
These are but a few of the things we the fans of Stan Lee also consider “adulting,” because life both as a child and grown-up can indeed be a struggle. Stan is the author of millions of happy childhood memories and the provider of so many of the positive tools of adulthood.
Our shock at your comments makes us want to say “‘Nuff said, Bill,” but instead we will rely on another of Stan’s lessons to remind you that you have a powerful platform, so please remember: “With great power there must also come — great responsibility!””
-Team Stan
A classy response to a classless man.
