George R.R. Martin is a massive comic book fan, and it’s easy to assume that he idolizes the likes of Stan Lee who created so many beloved superheroes and stories that we’re all fond of today. Surprisingly, the author doesn’t want to follow in his footsteps for one sensible reason.
Martin created so many figures in the vast world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Heck, it is not easy to keep track of all their names, but at the end of the day, they were his own creations. Unlike him, the late comic book writer wasn’t able to own many of his characters.
George R.R. Martin reveals why he does not aspire to be like the legendary Stan Lee
As George R.R. Martin busies himself with finishing The Winds of Winter and attending to his other live-action projects, he also dreams of seeing his franchise branch out to various sagas that do not necessarily involve the Iron Throne. While thinking of the future, he reflected on what he would want to be other than the creator of Game of Thrones.
He thought about George Lucas of Star Wars, Gene Roddenberry of Star Trek, and Stan Lee of Marvel Comics. These were three of the biggest names in Hollywood that have become synonymous with their creations. When asked who Martin would want to be, he said, “I don’t know. Not Stan Lee at the end,” via The Hollywood Reporter.
This is quite shocking to hear as Lee was a prominent figure in the world of comics, and Martin grew up reading a lot of Marvel stories, so why exactly would he not want to be like Lee? “He had no power, no influence. He wasn’t writing any stories,” said Martin, who is turning 76 this year.
He explained that Lee could not exercise his right to dictate what happens to his characters, basically because they have been sold to the company. Martin noted that Lee only became the face of Marvel, especially since he’s the one they bring to conventions to meet fans. Finally, he dropped a bombshell truth: “To be sidelined on the world and characters that you created, that would be tough.”
Indeed, this was something that haunted the late star for many years after he stopped writing comic books.
Stan Lee regretted not seeking copyright for his Marvel heroes
In a Disney+ documentary, Lee expressed frustration over not having complete control and ownership of the characters he helped create at Marvel. He regrets that he never sought to copyright many of these heroes, which he admitted was his huge mistake.
From this point of view, we understand what Martin was trying to say. We know that he previously complained about the major changes in House of the Dragon, and we might see this continuing in the next installments. Hopefully, he’ll gain back control and eventually save the television franchise from doom.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
