Shocking: Stan Lee Documentary Reveals Unseen Side of Marvel Legend

The Impact of Stan Lee: A Personal Journey

A Childhood Introduction

When I was very young, I remember my first exposure to Marvel Comics. I was at the store with my mom, and I saw several paperbacks, each one containing some early issues of Marvel series. I went home that day with “The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1,” “Fantastic Four Vol. 1,” and “Incredible Hulk Vol 1.” Each of them started with the origin appearances for the characters, reprinting their earliest story arcs. By the time I finished those three books, I was completely onboard, sold on not only those particular characters but also the Marvel approach.

At the time, the characters had been around for just over fifteen years. Marvel was definitely a commercial force, but it also still felt young enough that I was able to claim it as my own. My parents may have had Superman and Batman growing up, but Spider-Man and The Human Torch and Ben Grimm and the Hulk… they were mine. They were human and they were fallible. They fascinated me immediately, and in the four decades since then, comic books have been in and out of my life, depending largely on time and money.

A Lifelong Bond

Even when I stopped actively collecting or reading titles, I would try to occasionally check in. There was something about the characters that made them feel like they were part of my life, like friends I’d lost touch with but who I knew would always be there if I reached out. Every time I came back to Marvel, there’d be some new twist, some reinvention, some way they would try to keep the characters alive and relevant. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. But there was always a sense that they’d built that foundation strong enough that they could experiment and fumble and still find a way to make it all work.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Covering the last decade of Marvel movies has been a challenge and a pleasure. I was there early, covering the production of comic book movies starting with “Batman and Robin” and “Spawn,” two films I sent information about to Ain’t It Cool News back in the prehistoric days of the Internet. Even before Nick Fury mentioned a larger world to Tony Stark onscreen, I’d had those conversations with Kevin Feige and Avi Arad, and I knew they were hungry to create a larger world where these heroes could interact.

Avi saw that as the ultimate toy commercial, a chance to create endless variations on the same basic action figure line, but Kevin saw it as a toybox for storytellers. He saw it as a chance to try to convey to the larger mainstream audience the exact things that made the Marvel faithful fall in love in the first place. That’s what works best in comic book movies. You have to love the thing you’re making. You can’t do it because it’s cool, or because it’s a trend, or because you think it could be commercial. You have to love these things. Richard Donner’s “Superman The Movie” is brimming over with affection for the Man of Steel, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” is absolutely giddy about web-swinging, and Tim Burton’s “Batman” feels like it is dizzy in love… maybe with the Joker instead of Batman, but the love is real nonetheless.

From “Iron Man” on, the Marvel Studios movies have been made with a genuine and deeply-seeded passion for the source material and for the characters themselves. Over the course of the 18 films they’ve made so far, they have had good films and mediocre films and, occasionally, great films, but one thing has been true in every one of the films they’ve made so far: they care about these characters and the way they fit into this world they’re building. And what is that world? What is the cumulative weight of 18 films of world-building? Because the world they presented in the original “Iron Man,” directed by Jon Favreau, was pretty much ours, complete with MySpace. Tony Stark was a weapons dealer, a billionaire, and a giant ashole. Steve Rogers was frozen in ice somewhere, Bruce Banner was already on the run, and the nation of Wakanda was a secret, carefully guarded from the outside world. Hank Pym had done some secret government work as well, so clearly there had been some superp.

Stan Lee: The Final Chapter – A Must-Watch Documentary

The Documentary’s Purpose

The late Stan Lee co-created some of the most enduring icons of the last century. There’s almost no one alive who hasn’t heard of Spider-Man, the X-Men, or the Avengers. When Stan Lee died at age 95 back in 2018, everyone celebrated his legacy. Yet few knew how filled with chaos his last few years actually were. Now, via The Hollywood Reporter, we’ve learned of a new documentary called “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter.” It’s from filmmaker Jon Bolerjack, who was at Stan’s side for the last four years of his life, documenting everything. And a lot of what he saw was that those around him were taking advantage of the legendary creator.

You can see a trailer for this Stan Lee-centric documentary, via Bolerjack’s Kickstarter campaign, right here: Kickstarter Campaign.

The Kickstarter Campaign

Bolerjack was by Stan Lee’s side as he went to convention after convention, signing and taking photos for hours with Marvel fans, despite his very advanced age. All in an effort by those around him to milk the Stan Lee cash-cow for as long as they could. Although allegations came to light around the time of Lee’s death about elder abuse from those inside his inner circle, Bolerjack claims he has hours of footage of that bad behavior recorded in his documentary about Stan Lee. He also has hours of footage of legendary comic book creators like Mark Waid (Daredevil) and others sharing their stories about what they saw firsthand.

The Importance of Storytelling

This documentary appears heartbreaking, but it’s good that the truth will finally be known about Stan Lee’s life. To learn more about “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter,” be sure to head over to the film’s official Kickstarter page. When I was very young, I remember my first exposure to Marvel Comics. I was at the store with my mom, and I saw several paperbacks, each one containing some early issues of Marvel series. I went home that day with “The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1,” “Fantastic Four Vol. 1,” and “Incredible Hulk Vol 1.” Each of them started with the origin appearances for the characters, reprinting their earliest story arcs. By the time I finished those three books, I was completely onboard, sold on not only those particular characters but also the Marvel approach.

At the time, the characters had been around for just over fifteen years. Marvel was definitely a commercial force, but it also still felt young enough that I was able to claim it as my own. My parents may have had Superman and Batman growing up, but Spider-Man and The Human Torch and Ben Grimm and the Hulk… they were mine. They were human and they were fallible. They fascinated me immediately, and in the four decades since then, comic books have been in and out of my life, depending largely on time and money. Even when I stopped actively collecting or reading titles, I would try to occasionally check in. There was something about the characters that made them feel like they were part of my life, like friends I’d lost touch with but who I knew would always be there if I reached out. Every time I came back to Marvel, there’d be some new twist, some reinvention, some way they would try to keep the characters alive and relevant. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. But there was always a sense that they’d built that foundation strong enough that they could experiment and fumble and still find a way to make it all work.

Lilo & Stitch: A Fresh Take on a Beloved Classic

The Live-Action Remake

The trailer for the live-action and CGI mashup “Lilo & Stitch” movie is here. And yes, it is just as adorable as the teasers we’ve seen so far. While it still seems a bit soon to be reimagining an animated film that just came out in 2002, I have to remember that wasn’t yesterday. In fact, 2002 was over twenty years ago, so there’s a whole new generation of kiddos who will beg their parents to go see “Lilo & Stitch.” That’s wild. In it, we see how Stitch ends up on Earth and meets Lilo, a lonely and frankly adorable little girl. Stitch is so adorable and weird and gahhhh I really do like this trailer.

The Talented Cast

Together, they all learn about Ohana and how no family is perfect. Of course, there’s antagonistic forces hoping to catch Stitch and ruin the good time they are having. I personally love the idea of Courtney B. Vance playing a black suit wearing baddie. Here’s a quick synopsis and cast rundown for “Lilo & Stitch” to go along with its trailer:

“Lilo & Stitch” is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. “Lilo & Stitch” is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers. Disney.

The Power of Ohana

This film will hit theaters on May 23.

The Impact of Stan Lee: A Personal Journey

A Childhood Introduction

When I was very young, I remember my first exposure to Marvel Comics. I was at the store with my mom, and I saw several paperbacks, each one containing some early issues of Marvel series. I went home that day with “The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1,” “Fantastic Four Vol. 1,” and “Incredible Hulk Vol 1.” Each of them started with the origin appearances for the characters, reprinting their earliest story arcs. By the time I finished those three books, I was completely onboard, sold on not only those particular characters but also the Marvel approach.

At the time, the characters had been around for just over fifteen years. Marvel was definitely a commercial force, but it also still felt young enough that I was able to claim it as my own. My parents may have had Superman and Batman growing up, but Spider-Man and The Human Torch and Ben Grimm and the Hulk… they were mine. They were human and they were fallible. They fascinated me immediately, and in the four decades since then, comic books have been in and out of my life, depending largely on time and money.

A Lifelong Bond

Even when I stopped actively collecting or reading titles, I would try to occasionally check in. There was something about the characters that made them feel like they were part of my life, like friends I’d lost touch with but who I knew would always be there if I reached out. Every time I came back to Marvel, there’d be some new twist, some reinvention, some way they would try to keep the characters alive and relevant. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. But there was always a sense that they’d built that foundation strong enough that they could experiment and fumble and still find a way to make it all work.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Covering the last decade of Marvel movies has been a challenge and a pleasure. I was there early, covering the production of comic book movies starting with “Batman and Robin” and “Spawn,” two films I sent information about to Ain’t It Cool News back in the prehistoric days of the Internet. Even before Nick Fury mentioned a larger world to Tony Stark onscreen, I’d had those conversations with Kevin Feige and Avi Arad, and I knew they were hungry to create a larger world where these heroes could interact.

Avi saw that as the ultimate toy commercial, a chance to create endless variations on the same basic action figure line, but Kevin saw it as a toybox for storytellers. He saw it as a chance to try to convey to the larger mainstream audience the exact things that made the Marvel faithful fall in love in the first place. That’s what works best in comic book movies. You have to love the thing you’re making. You can’t do it because it’s cool, or because it’s a trend, or because you think it could be commercial. You have to love these things. Richard Donner’s “Superman The Movie” is brimming over with affection for the Man of Steel, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” is absolutely giddy about web-swinging, and Tim Burton’s “Batman” feels like it is dizzy in love… maybe with the Joker instead of Batman, but the love is real nonetheless.

From “Iron Man” on, the Marvel Studios movies have been made with a genuine and deeply-seeded passion for the source material and for the characters themselves. Over the course of the 18 films they’ve made so far, they have had good films and mediocre films and, occasionally, great films, but one thing has been true in every one of the films they’ve made so far: they care about these characters and the way they fit into this world they’re building. And what is that world? What is the cumulative weight of 18 films of world-building? Because the world they presented in the original “Iron Man,” directed by Jon Favreau, was pretty much ours, complete with MySpace. Tony Stark was a weapons dealer, a billionaire, and a giant ashole. Steve Rogers was frozen in ice somewhere, Bruce Banner was already on the run, and the nation of Wakanda was a secret, carefully guarded from the outside world. Hank Pym had done some secret government work as well, so clearly there had been some superp.

Stan Lee: The Final Chapter – A Must-Watch Documentary

The Documentary’s Purpose

The late Stan Lee co-created some of the most enduring icons of the last century. There’s almost no one alive who hasn’t heard of Spider-Man, the X-Men, or the Avengers. When Stan Lee died at age 95 back in 2018, everyone celebrated his legacy. Yet few knew how filled with chaos his last few years actually were. Now, via The Hollywood Reporter, we’ve learned of a new documentary called “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter.” It’s from filmmaker Jon Bolerjack, who was at Stan’s side for the last four years of his life, documenting everything. And a lot of what he saw was that those around him were taking advantage of the legendary creator.

You can see a trailer for this Stan Lee-centric documentary, via Bolerjack’s Kickstarter campaign, right here: Kickstarter Campaign.

The Kickstarter Campaign

Bolerjack was by Stan Lee’s side as he went to convention after convention, signing and taking photos for hours with Marvel fans, despite his very advanced age. All in an effort by those around him to milk the Stan Lee cash-cow for as long as they could. Although allegations came to light around the time of Lee’s death about elder abuse from those inside his inner circle, Bolerjack claims he has hours of footage of that bad behavior recorded in his documentary about Stan Lee. He also has hours of footage of legendary comic book creators like Mark Waid (Daredevil) and others sharing their stories about what they saw firsthand.

The Importance of Storytelling

This documentary appears heartbreaking, but it’s good that the truth will finally be known about Stan Lee’s life. To learn more about “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter,” be sure to head over to the film’s official Kickstarter page. When I was very young, I remember my first exposure to Marvel Comics. I was at the store with my mom, and I saw several paperbacks, each one containing some early issues of Marvel series. I went home that day with “The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1,” “Fantastic Four Vol. 1,” and “Incredible Hulk Vol 1.” Each of them started with the origin appearances for the characters, reprinting their earliest story arcs. By the time I finished those three books, I was completely onboard, sold on not only those particular characters but also the Marvel approach.

At the time, the characters had been around for just over fifteen years. Marvel was definitely a commercial force, but it also still felt young enough that I was able to claim it as my own. My parents may have had Superman and Batman growing up, but Spider-Man and The Human Torch and Ben Grimm and the Hulk… they were mine. They were human and they were fallible. They fascinated me immediately, and in the four decades since then, comic books have been in and out of my life, depending largely on time and money. Even when I stopped actively collecting or reading titles, I would try to occasionally check in. There was something about the characters that made them feel like they were part of my life, like friends I’d lost touch with but who I knew would always be there if I reached out. Every time I came back to Marvel, there’d be some new twist, some reinvention, some way they would try to keep the characters alive and relevant. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. But there was always a sense that they’d built that foundation strong enough that they could experiment and fumble and still find a way to make it all work.

Lilo & Stitch: A Fresh Take on a Beloved Classic

The Live-Action Remake

The trailer for the live-action and CGI mashup “Lilo & Stitch” movie is here. And yes, it is just as adorable as the teasers we’ve seen so far. While it still seems a bit soon to be reimagining an animated film that just came out in 2002, I have to remember that wasn’t yesterday. In fact, 2002 was over twenty years ago, so there’s a whole new generation of kiddos who will beg their parents to go see “Lilo & Stitch.” That’s wild. In it, we see how Stitch ends up on Earth and meets Lilo, a lonely and frankly adorable little girl. Stitch is so adorable and weird and gahhhh I really do like this trailer.

The Talented Cast

Together, they all learn about Ohana and how no family is perfect. Of course, there’s antagonistic forces hoping to catch Stitch and ruin the good time they are having. I personally love the idea of Courtney B. Vance playing a black suit wearing baddie. Here’s a quick synopsis and cast rundown for “Lilo & Stitch” to go along with its trailer:

“Lilo & Stitch” is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. “Lilo & Stitch” is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers. Disney.

The Power of Ohana

This film will hit theaters on May 23.