SUP E RH E RO E S
Washington Green proudly presents the second instalment to Superheroes, a portfolio of iconic comic book covers, masterminded by the legendary Stan Lee. This collection of twelve limited editions celebrates some of the most iconic characters ever to come out of Lee’s reign at Marvel. Chosen, curated and signed by Stan Lee himself, we present Spider-Man, The Hulk and The Avengers. Penned and inked by some of the greatest artists to emerge from the comic book industry, these iconic covers pay homage to some of the most influential characters that have dominated our society over the many years of Stan Lee’s time at Marvel. The comic book has stood the test of time, as relevant today as ever, and there is much to be said for the life lessons and moral teachings that can be found behind the capes. 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. There is a long-established heritage for this form of communicative art, with sequential art predating comics by thousands of years. From cave paintings to Egyptian hieroglyphs, Roman monuments to historic textile tapestries, there has always been a need for art which represents human triumph, struggle, trial and tribulation. Communicating the very essence of character, Superheroes stands graphic novels alongside these artistic outpourings, elevated by fantasy but grounded by the true essence of human nature. 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. 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, and there will always be capes.
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