| Stan Lee, in my mind, has to be one of the | | | | to increase their lot in life. Now this is |
| all time most recognizable individuals in the | | | | just my opinion so don't rant back at me as |
| | | | being |
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| "Comic Book Industry". Most lovers of comic | | | | unfair.As luck would have it, a federal |
| books have known his name all their | | | | judge agreed and ruled in favor of Lee. How |
| | | | much |
| collecting lives. For those of you who don't | | | | |
| know his name, I am sure you have heard of | | | | monetary compensation does this mean? Well |
| | | | to put it in perspective, the two Spider- |
| his creations. The X-Men, the Fantastic | | | | |
| Four, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, and the | | | | Man movies thus far, have reaped on the |
| | | | order of 800 million dollars apiece, in world |
| | | | |
| very well known Spider-Man are all from the | | | | |
| mind of Stan Lee. For the last forty years | | | | wide ticket sales. This settlement could |
| | | | mean tens of millions of dollars for Lee, but |
| or more and as an employee of Marvel Comics, | | | | the |
| he has entertained us through the art of | | | | |
| | | | battle is not over. Marvel, will quite |
| comic book imagination.Well, by now you | | | | probably appeal the verdict and the case may |
| would think that an individual of this | | | | be tied |
| caliber would be taken seriously | | | | |
| | | | up in the courts for years.Now don't go |
| and treated with respect from his employers. | | | | feeling too badly for Stan Lee. He is still |
| Apparently not! In 2002 Stan Lee decided | | | | pulling down a salary from |
| | | | |
| he had to file a lawsuit against the comic | | | | Marvel on the order of a million dollars. |
| giant, Marvel. It appears the agreement | | | | Still not to shabby in my mind. And Lee has |
| between | | | | |
| | | | mixed feels because he has been loyal to |
| Lee and Marvel was that 10% of the income | | | | Marvel for 60 years. To have his lifelong |
| generated from TV and movies using Lee | | | | |
| | | | employer trying to, shall we say, stiff him, |
| characters, was to be his. Seems Marvel | | | | for being so loyal, I'm sure, does hurt. Had |
| didn't see it that way. Typical of | | | | it |
| conglomerates, | | | | |
| | | | not been for Lee, Marvel may not have been |
| isn't it? The boys in the suits seem to want | | | | in the financial position they are today.At |
| to make all the rules. Stan at one time had | | | | 82, Stan Lee does have a comfortable and |
| | | | successful life. And if even his settlement |
| even been a suit. Among other positions held | | | | is |
| at Marvel, Lee had even been president of | | | | |
| | | | held up in the courts for years, Stan won |
| the company for a while.Years ago when Stan | | | | the first round. He didn't bow down to the |
| Lee had created most of his characters, he | | | | |
| had done it through a | | | | corporate hammer. Just another "Joe working |
| | | | class hero" yelling out, hey guys, let's play |
| write-for-hire agreement, so he doesn't own | | | | |
| the characters. Stan was then, just a "meat | | | | |
| | | | by the rules.Dave Gieber, a former rocket |
| and potatoes" kind of guy, trying to put | | | | engineer, has decided to take up residency on |
| meat and potatoes on the table. But over the | | | | the Internet. |
| | | | |
| years, he was very instrumental in putting | | | | He is the owner and editor of several |
| Marvel Comics on the map.When the 10% deal | | | | websites, one of which was built around one |
| was formally put together, apparently most | | | | of his |
| individuals involved | | | | |
| | | | childhood passions; . You can visit here to |
| didn't realize the windfall that comic book | | | | |
| character movies would become. Now is that | | | | |
| | | | keep up to date on the world of comic books |
| any reason to hold back Stan's piece of the | | | | and comic book collecting. Feel free to sign |
| pie? I think not. Just corporate bigwigs | | | | |
| trying | | | | up for my comic book ezine. |
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