Early Career (1939-1950's)
In 1939, Stan Lee was hired as an assistant at Timely Comics. As an assistant, Lee did simple tasks such as filling the inkwells for the artists or brought them lunch. Occasionally he would help with proofreading the comics. Stan Lee made his published debut with "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge," part of the Captain America Comics #3 line. He was a "text-filler," which meant that Lee wrote the dialogue in the comic book, but did not draw anything in this book. This was the first issue to feature Captain America's shield-toss, a well-known and signature move for the iconic superhero. |
Late in 1941, Jack Kirby promoted Stan Lee to interim editor. Lee was nearly nineteen at the time, which was very young to be in such a high ranking position. However, Lee proved to be most talented and did extremely well in his job, and kept the position for years to come.
Stan Lee (then Stanley Lieber) served in the U.S. Signal Corps during World War II. He wrote slogans and drew cartoons. He became known as a "playwright," a title only given to nine men. He served from early 1942 to 1945, when he resumed his position as interim editor. Less than ten years after Lee served in World War II, Marvel Comics was created, then called Atlas Comics. There, Stan Lee wrote many different genres of comics, including dramas, Westerns, and what he is now known for today, science fiction comics. |