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When you think Marvel Comic, you think of Stan Lee and the amazing impact he has had on bringing the Superhero genre to the mainstream. Stan Lee shares his thoughts on the comic book world at large too.

What do you think of the Stan Lee action figure?

Stan Lee: You know, when I spoke to Hasbro about a year ago and they asked me if they could make a figure like that, I swear I thought they were joking. I said, "Sure, why not?" The next thing I knew, I saw and ad. I mean, I can't believe it. Me as an action figure? At least they don't call them dolls anymore. Luckily, somebody came up with the phrase action figure so now guys don't mind buying them.

CraveOnline: In your career, is there anything you still want to do?

Stan Lee: Well, I haven't starred in a movie yet. I haven't been threatening Sean Connery's career in any way and I haven't ever written a novel. I thought I would when I was young but then I found out I don't have the patience for it which is why I probably have limited myself to comics because I can write a comic book in one day. The idea of spending week after week working on a novel, I think I'm not geared for that. That's about it.

CraveOnline: Do you miss being the Marvel head honcho?

Stan Lee: That was so many years ago, I almost can't remember it. The thing that was most fun about that was the people I worked with because I was lucky enough to work with probably the most talented artists and writers and colorists that the world has ever known. Now out here in Hollywood, I'm also working with tremendously talented people and so I don't think things have changed all that much.

CraveOnline: What were your thoughts on the Civil War series?

Stan Lee: Well, I read quite a few of them and I was very jealous. I wish I had thought of it. Whenever they come up with really clever ideas like that it makes me sorry I’m still not at the comic book company because it’s fun doing those things. And I’m a little upset that they can come up with so many great concepts without me, but I guess I’ve got to live with that.

CraveOnline: What was your last contact with Steve Ditko?

Stan Lee: Quite a few years ago I met him up at the Marvel offices when I was last in New York. And we spoke, he's a hell of a nice guy and it was very pleasant. I really don't know what he's doing. I haven't heard from him since that meeting.

CraveOnline: Do you ever get ideas for new comic books or want to go back to writing and illustrating?

Stan Lee: I sometimes feel I’d like to write a comic. I did one recently, well not recently, but I did something called The Last Fantastic Four Story. They asked me to do a 48-page one of what would it be like if I had to write a story that would end the series, how would I end it? So I just finished writing it and John Romita, Jr. drew it, and I think it will go on sale pretty soon. And that’s the most recent one I’ve done. And then of course I did the Feedback comic for Who Wants to Be a Superhero?. But I don’t have a chance. And I did the Stan Lee Meets series a year ago where I meet the various heroes themselves. But mostly I’m spending time with my new company, POW! Entertainment, and we’re working on movies and television and video games and DVDs and whatever I can find a way to write. We have the first deal now with Disney, which is very exciting.

CraveOnline: What comics are you enjoying reading right now?

Stan Lee: You know, to tell you the truth I don’t have time to read them. Sometimes my assistant will bring a couple of books and slap them on the desk and say, “Hey, these look really cool, you ought to look through it”, so I’ll just thumb through the pages and look at the artwork. But as you can imagine, the other work that I do keeps me so busy and anything that I do that takes me away from it I shouldn’t do. And even a show like Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, you have no idea how time consuming this is. And I love doing things like these interviews. Now I could have read two comic books in this time, but to me this is more fun and more important.

CraveOnline: Do you see all the Marvel movies in theaters like the rest of us?

Stan Lee: I think my answer will surprise you. I have not seen The Fantastic Four movie yet because I don't have time to go to the movies. I will probably see it when it comes out on a DVD. Most of the others, I've seen because I go to the premiere where they have a special showing and a red carpet and all of that. I wasn't going to go to the one of the Fantastic Four because they had it in London. I just don't have time to go to the movies so if I don't see it at a special showing, I have to wait until I get the DVD which is quite enjoyable. I like watching them on DVD because I can stop them whenever I want, I can go back and see something over again. Usually my own cameo of course.

CraveOnline: How do you like the way Tim Story is handling the Fantastic Four series?

CraveOnline: How big a kick do you get out of the cameos?

Stan Lee: Well, luckily Tim Story, the director, is a comic book fan and he remembered that sequence from the comic book. I wish I could take credit for the cameo. Tim told me what it would be and I was thrilled. I didn't come up with the idea. I love doing those cameos. As a matter of fact, I was very disappointed they didn't have one for me in Batman or Superman.

CraveOnline: Do you have one in Iron Man?

Stan Lee: I've already done it and wait 'til you see it. It is probably the most unexpected and the most startling one yet.

CraveOnline: What do you think of the new Incredible Hulk series?

Stan Lee: Well, I think it’s a great idea because the Hulk is a terrific character and I think there were just a few things wrong with the first movie. And I think those things can be rectified and remedied in the second movie and I think the second movie will really surprise everybody. I think it will be an enormous hit.

CraveOnline: Were you unhappy with the Ang Lee one?

Stan Lee: I was too busy admiring so many of the things that the director did because he tried to get a unique, really comic book feeling into it, the way he laid one scene over another. And I thought that the way the special effects were done with the Hulk himself was very good. There were just some story points which I think made it a little less pleasing to the audience than it could have been.

CraveOnline: So you were on the set of Iron Man. How do you feel that’s shaping up?

Stan Lee: Oh man, that’s going to be a big one, mainly of course because of my cameo. But Robert Downey, Jr., he is one of the finest actors. To get him to play a superhero, that’s a real coup. I’ve only seen a little bit of it, but he is magnificent in the role. The director, Jon Favreau, has this thing down cold and the rest of the cast is great. And if you could really overlook my silly cameo I think the movie is going to be a monster hit, because it’s something totally different than anything we’ve seen before.

Stan Lee: Well, I would think that Marvel was just trying to give them their money’s worth. I think there were three villains in the third Spider-Man. There was the Green Goblin, there was Sandman, and there was Venom, of course. So again I think they were just trying to give everybody his or her money’s worth, but it could be that maybe it would have been better to just have two or one and devote more time and attention. You never know. You do a movie, you just never know how things will work out.

CraveOnline: With Wolverine, Magneto, Thor and such in the works, are there any you’re particularly excited about?
 
Stan Lee: I am excited about the Wolverine one, Magneto especially because we’ve seen a lot of Wolverine. I feel we haven’t seen enough of Magneto, who’s one of my favorite characters. And of course Thor and Captain America, and there will be others. They’ll be doing Dr. Strange, every character that Marvel has. Every good, colorful character will eventually be on the screen sooner or later.

Stan Lee: How about that? And that did very well. And I didn’t even create that one and they still had the courage to put that on.