Bill Maher's Scorning Words Towards Stan Lee's Passing & The Comic Community

Bill Maher disrespects Stan Lee’s legacy and questions if comics are desensitizing generations with fanatical ideas. 🤬 I typically refrain from these sort of discussions publicly. It’s not my jam to be political, controversial or on anyone’s agenda bandwagon... BUT... His comments and statements kindles a fire within all of us, as we know his brazen dialogue is a ploy to ruffle feathers, drawing attention to himself, and all on the media hype of Stan Lee's passing. Read the attached article link in this post before proceeding further.

In 50 years, Mr. Maher, we're certain your legacy would appear much different than that of the hope Stan shared... In your same breath, you walk on the back of a legendary human being for no reason, other than to make fun of people who don’t read the same “big boy” literature as you. Shame shame shame. Judging someone is wrong, judging someone who just passed and bashing the efforts of an entire empire because it doesn’t jive with your libertarian agenda... is bigotry. In Maher’s spite-filled rant on his blog site, he said, “Donald Trump would only be voted in as President in a place where comic books are important.” — Just wow...

For a sick kid, who grew up introverted and bullied, comics became the one ray of hope in a young 7 year old’s imagination. Ultimately, I became an artist and graphic designer because of Marvel Comics, mimicking Jack Kirby's craft and the stories Stan Lee wrote. Does that mean I too am a whimsical fantasy driven human being with no moral compass or strive to be productive in society? Careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing, those quick to judge with lack of understanding about a community in which you know absolutely nothing about. Don’t be jealous that the cameo king of comics didn’t just create superheroes, he created an entire universe in just over a decade. "The guy who created Spider-Man and the Hulk has died, and America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess..." Maher wrote.

Lee’s heart for everyone alone became a beacon of light for generations of introverts, bully victims, chronically ill, thinkers, scholars, actors, artists, leaders, writers and professionals... who were deemed “different” by a society and culture we lived in. You’re just another bully in the hallway to me Mr. Maher, and I’ve officially evicted bullies from my destiny. It's so easy to attack someone, when you haven't walk a mile in their shows Mr. Maher. Scale back all the fame, all the fortune, all the hate, trash-talk and verbal skewing, and your empire is a shameful representation of the American dream. To inspire, offer hope and tell stories with a moral compass in mind, that's a grand idea.

Stan Lee wrote about something so profound in 1968, in a weekly column called, “Stan’s Soapbox,” a topic of bigotry, racism and violence. I’ll just let the editorial piece speak for itself. Look below in the comments for this attached article. This was the same year the world saw the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr, and so Stan responded with heart.

Steps off my own soapbox, picks up a pencil and sketches my next masterpiece.

-Joe