I Am Stan - by Tom Scioli

About the Book

"The very first graphic novel biography of the legendary Stan Lee, co-creator of many of Marvel's beloved superheroes, from Eisner-nominated comics creator Tom Scioli"--

Book Synopsis

The first graphic novel biography of the legendary Stan Lee, co-creator of many of Marvel's beloved superheroes, from Eisner-nominated comics creator Tom Scioli.

Everyone knows Stan Lee: His work at the creative helm of Marvel Comics resulted in the creation of many of the superheroes we know and love today, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and more. During his decades-long career at Marvel, Lee turned the comic book publisher into a cultural juggernaut that shaped and defined the burgeoning industry.

In I Am Stan, critically acclaimed artist Tom Scioli reveals the man behind the comics and cameos using the same medium Stan Lee revolutionized. This stunning graphic novel takes readers from his early days in the comics industry through his rise at Marvel (then Timely Comics), where his career was touched by other iconic creatives including Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Their collaboration would lead to the creation of the most iconic superheroes of today, and bring about the Marvel Age of the 60's and 70's that introduced new industry stars like Steve Ditko, and John Buscema. Readers will follow Lee's trajectory from his daily life at Marvel to his later years as a spokesperson for the company and for comics as a whole, and finally to his last years away from the spotlight. Scioli provides a clear-eyed view of Lee's triumphs at Marvel as well as the controversies that surrounded the creator at the end of his life.

Told in Scioli's inimitable, vividly cinematic illustration style, I Am Stan reveals Stan Lee's life through the medium he knew best and reveals the inner workings of the legendary creator.

Review Quotes

"Who better than Scioli--an artist who has spent his career in vocal emulation of Kirby--to expound on the life of the writer with whom his hero worked so closely, to such popular and lasting results? Through impeccable timing, Scioli can express in just one or two panels what other artists do in ten. It results in stories that feel like an accrual of defining moments."--The Comics Journal

"[An] evenhanded, subtly critical portrait of a man both given too much credit for being the architect of the Marvel Universe, and, at times, maybe not enough."--The Chicago Tribune

"Each of [Scioli's] pages works like a self-contained strip that reveals yet another dimension of his controversial subject . . . a graphic masterpiece."--Air Mail

"I Am Stan is more than just a biography; it's a love letter to the world of comics. It's a book that will resonate with fans of Stan Lee but hopefully also with anyone who appreciates passionate storytelling."--The Beat

"An impressionistic and anecdotal telling, both personal and professional, that vividly builds a portrait of one of the most important figures in pop culture history . . . one of the best graphic novels of the year."--Broys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter

"Scioli has created the most compelling and layered portrait of Lee to date. A brilliant achievement."--Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] fast-paced, comprehensive history of a comics industry great . . . It's an apt memorial to a great creative mind."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Tom Scioli is an Eisner-nominated writer and artist who specializes in comics and graphic novels. He's the author of the non-fiction graphic biography, Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics, the forthcoming I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee, as well as several science-fiction and superhero originals like American Barbarian, The Myth of 8-Opus, and Godland. He has also reinvented established series with Fantastic Four: Grand Design, Super Powers, Transformers vs G.I. Joe, and a cyberpunk reimagining of Go-Bots. He is known for his singular drawing style, kinetic page layouts, and imaginative writing and is one of a small number of auteur cartoonists who writes, draws, colors, and hand-letters his comics. He's also the host of the pop culture centered Total Recall Show and a frequent contributor to the Cartoonist Kayfabe podcast.