MARV E L t h e l e gacy co l l e c t i on
In 2019, Castle Fine Art was given access to one of the largest collections of Marvel comic book art in the United States. From these archives, a selection of rare editions – all hand-signed by the late, great Stan Lee – was curated into a dynamic and eminently desirable collection of Marvel fine art. Never before exhibited in the UK, these graphics provide a snapshot into the early modern era of Marvel comics. Fans will instantly recognise the significant illustrations by some of the world’s most acclaimed comic book artists. Each image is represented in three editions: a deluxe edition of 4, a collector’s edition of 10 and a standard edition of 99. However, they were not all ultimately printed in their entirety – and even fewer were signed – making these graphics even more collectible. Created using specialised techniques and materials, the striking artwork reflects the vivid and powerful legacy of Marvel. The comic book has stood the test of time, as relevant today as ever before, there is much to be said for the life lessons and moral teachings that can be found behind the superhero masks. The popularity of these iconic characters goes beyond the appeal of their special talents, they tapped into a need from society, an inherent demand for a figure of inspiration, someone to look up to, a role model for an ever pressured society fraught with worry. Humanity today is certainly in want of credible role models. Driven by our media obsession, all too often we so freely give this title to sports personalities and stars from the music and film industry. What defines a hero? What makes a role model? It is not surprising that devoid of real human idols, we have carried these fictional comic characters with us year after year, as beacons of hope in an ethically-challenged world. Though Stan Lee never set out to make political comment with his comics, his characters faced the same challenges that we as readers deal with in
society today. Influenced by the world around him, there are obvious connotations to be found in the characters and communities that he created. It is often suggested that the Hulk came about as a reaction to war, and provided a disturbing embodiment of the societal fears of a nuclear age. Spider-Man addressed issues of personal identity and social acceptance through a universally relatable character in Peter Parker, and The Avengers championed the individual over the government; the renegade outsiders pulling together for the good of mankind. Rather than to provide whimsical escapism through his stories, Stan Lee stood up to a society that was afraid to push boundaries, holding up a mirror to its problems and waning moral compass. Generations past and present have grown up in a world where comic books and movies reassure us that superheroes will, inevitably, swoop in and save the day when the world is faced with invasion, danger or destruction. Or, indeed, all three. The binary certainties of youth – good triumphs over evil, for example – converged through the pages of Marvel comic books, bringing with them a sense of justice and morality, teaching younger readers empathy and integrity while reminding older readers not to lose their childhood compassion. A comic can inspire, elevate, condemn, divide, unite and revolutionise. Through the application of pen and ink a comic can be as socially reflective as any political discussion, as emotive as any gallery masterpiece, as uniting as any sporting championship and as relied upon as any religious tome. Whilst there are questions left unanswered, divisions left adrift, and insecurities left unresolved, there will always be comics. This new collection demonstrates the eternal power of the comic book world and celebrates the cultural significance of some of the world’s greatest ever role models.
STAN L E E 1922-2018
Stan Lee was an iconic American comic book writer, editor and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Born Stanley Leiber in New York city December 28th 1922, he signed his name as Stan Lee when he wrote his first comic book script ‘Captain America Foils the Traitors Revenge’, in 1941. Stan Lee had a gift for inventing plots with more depth and substance than the distinguished competition. He created characters with interesting personalities, who spoke like real people. They suffered personal hang-ups and the bad guys possessed previously unseen psychological complexity. Lee’s first creation alongside Jack Kirby, launched under the Marvel brand, made history in November 1961. Lee added wit, subtlety and hidden morals to a genre that was previously locked into flat portrayals of good versus evil; a style of story writing that endures to this day. He collaborated with several comic book artists, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and went on to co- create Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Silver Surfer, The Avengers and many more fictional characters. Stan Lee’s Marvel Revolution also extended beyond the characters and storylines, to the way in which comic books engaged the audience and created a
community between the readers and the creators. Additionally, he pioneered and advocated the use of comic books to comment on social issues of the time, including bigotry, injustice and discrimination. This got him into some hot water with the rather conservative Comics Code Authority but Lee wouldn't yield, he continued to pursue what he believed in and what he knew his audience craved; thus the code changed. In summary, Stan Lee and his collaborations with some of the greatest comic book artists ever to have lived, changed the game. In 1984, Stan Lee was awarded The National Medal of Arts by the United States Congress, the highest honour awarded to an individual artist in the United States. Previous recipients include Georgia O'Keefe, William de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and Bob Dylan. In November 2018, fans of all ages across the world united to mourn the passing of Stan Lee. As the mastermind behind some of the most popular characters ever to grace the pages of Marvel comics, the 95-year-old was as much a legend to the generations he inspired as the superheroes whose trials and triumphs he crafted on his trusty typewriter.
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