There certainly is no shortage of material to cover when discussing the life and career of Stan Lee. The pop culture/geek icon has been more than just a staple in the world of comics since he got started in the industry in 1939; he’s been its face and, more or less, has served as its ambassador to the fans that have kept his characters relevant and popular from their inception. There are tons of people who have been impacted by Stan Lee, who have a true historic understanding of what Stan Lee means as a result of having his hand in the creation of Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man and so many others that the new documentary WITH GREAT POWER: THE STAN LEE STORY fails to capitalize on this wealth of knowledge and respect for Stan by simply relying on “The Man” himself to tell his own story. It’s not a bad thing to have the subject at the center of your film be able to relay his own recollections and accounts. After all, with great power comes great responsibility, right? I just wish THE STAN LEE STORY wasn’t told entirely by Stan Lee. As we’ve come to know, Stan Lee’s enthusiasm for the industry is infectious, but that doesn’t mean his positivity translates well to a film.
It’s awesome to hear Stan Lee recall what went into the creation of Spider-Man or the social relevancy of the X-Men that still applies today – whether to differences in race, sexual orientation, etc. But WITH GREAT POWER is put together where you only feel like you’re ever hearing Stan’s side of the story. Look… I could easily sit for a few hours and listen to the history of Stan Lee from the man himself, but, for a documentary of this nature, it winds up feeling a bit one-sided that you aren’t getting outside perspectives on him and his contributions. He can’t proclaim his own greatness without it coming across as facetious, and there’s not enough established and credible personalities used to step in and do it effectively for him.
It’s still fun to watch Lee in action, and where WITH GREAT POWER really serves him well is showing him away from the public eye, spending time with his wife of 60+ years, Joan. It shows a different side of Stan than the one we’ve become accustomed to – seeing him interacting with the fans, signing books, making sure those who have supported him creatively come away pleased. Here, you get a good look at Stan making sure his wife comes away happy, and what has allowed their relationship to survive after all these years.
Because there’s so much information to squeeze into the film’s lean 80 minute running time, not every piece of his career quite receives the attention it deserves. Some topics are breezed through, while others get a little too much time. For someone of the magnitude of Stan Lee, I would have preferred a more encompassing look at his life from directors Terry Dougas, Nikki Frakes and Will Hess, but WITH GREAT POWER will have to do. Think of it as the Cliffs Notes version of a greater Stan Lee biography. You get the important stuff quickly, and you leave with more information than you probably came in with.
WITH GREAT POWER: THE STAN LEE STORY premieres on Epix this Friday, April 27 at 8:00 p.m.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
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