It’s been 85 years since Marvel Comics was founded, and the Marvel Universe still puts Stan Lee’s storytelling goals first. The publisher, founded in 1939 as Timely Comics, rose to fame in the ’60s with superhero comics created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko, and later became Marvel Comics. The success of the comics led to the formation of Marvel Studios in the ’90s so that Marvel could adapt its stories for film and television. Marvel has changed dramatically over the years, but the brand has remained true to Lee’s primary goals.
To mark Marvel’s 85th anniversary, the Marvel Entertainment YouTube channel released a celebratory video featuring highlights of Marvel’s success. From comic book panels to the upcoming MCU films, the video shows Marvel’s growth. At the end of the tribute video, Lee can be heard explaining his narrative goals for the brand, which are “Create stories with human characters [that] Anyone can understand.Although Lee passed away in 2018, his words still ring true in every project made in the MCU timeline since then.
The Marvel Universe has always lived up to Stan Lee’s expectations for superhero characters
Despite some criticism, this goal remains
There’s no doubt that the MCU has had a rough time over the past few years, but despite the criticism, the studio has always stayed true to Lee’s goals for his superhero characters. Despite the failures of the MCU, it’s the series’ fun and human characters that keep fans coming back. Iron Man In 2008, every main character had a humanity that audiences could relate to, even if that character was an Asgardian god or a genetically engineered superhuman.
Some MCU movies or shows can get lost in their own plots, especially when there are so many elements. The core of the project is always the characters. The audience knows that these characters are different from them, but they can still relate to them because of their humanity and emotions. Whether it’s Tony Stark experiencing PTSD or Peter Parker feeling sad, their superhuman abilities are put aside and the audience empathizes with them. The strength of the MCU is that it allows the audience to resonate with their characters even though they are in completely different worlds.
Stan Lee’s story goals are key to the success of the Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is more than just a flashy action movie
Superhero media draws in audiences with flashy fight scenes and dramatic conflicts, but relatable stories are what make audiences fans. Lee’s goal with his stories is to humanize each character, which is a big reason for the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Otherwise, the series would be action movies that don’t require audiences to invest emotionally. The biggest stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all have some kind of protagonist that audiences can resonate with, like Natasha’s understanding of family in “The Avengers.” Black Widow or Thor in Thor Franchise rights.
It’s no secret that the MCU has struggled during the Multiverse Saga, as it’s been a time of great change for fans who’ve been following since Phase 1. With all six of the original Avengers dead, inactive, or sidelined, it’s been difficult for some fans to adjust to the new generation of heroes. While criticism of the new MCU heroes has been that they lack compelling stories or feel off-kilter, there’s no denying that these characters have always had a humanity that evokes a certain level of relatability.
The future of the Marvel Universe makes related characters more important
The Marvel Universe is about to usher in a bigger breakthrough
For the MCU, staying true to Lee’s narrative goals for Marvel is more important than ever for the future of the franchise. Avengers: Armageddon and Secret War The world is getting bigger in preparation for what promises to be the biggest battle the Marvel Universe has ever seen. When all the stories involve complex concepts like multiverse travel, characters with human qualities are needed to lay the foundation for the multiverse legend and support the story.
Likewise, with new powerful characters like the Sentinels and Cyclops about to appear in the MCU, they need some way for audiences to understand and relate to them. In order for these extremely powerful characters to not seem too towering and out of reach, the studio had to find a way to imbue them with human qualities and emotions. Considering that the MCU has been able to keep Stan Lee’s original narrative goals alive for 85 years, there’s no reason for them to stop now.