Remy: The Legend of Stan Lee
A ballad to the man who stood up to the Comics Code
Remy recalls a time when experts were claiming that "Hitler was a beginner compared to the comic-book industry," and he recounts how Stan Lee took a stand.
Written and Performed by Remy
Video Produced by Meredith and Austin Bragg
Music tracks and background vocals by Ben Karlstrom
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LYRICS:
Stan Lee was the creator of comics aplenty
He did Spider-Man, X-Men, and your mom in the '70s
OK, not really, but a legend yes was he
But there was another role that Stan Lee had
Besides writer/actor/maybe your dad
And that role was as a defender of free speech
You see back in the '50s it wasn't cool to be clownish
Or geeky or nerdy or quirky or brownish
And many found violence in comic books unsound
One best-selling author found the comics concerning
Moral crusaders took the comics to burnings
And lawmakers on both sides found some common ground…
So the Senate held hearings on comic books
(That's right, Senate held hearings on comic books)
With scientific claims you'd swear came from a commode
So comic book creators across the nation
Facing the threat of regulation
Created a censoring body they called the Comics Code
Which takes us back to our hero Stan
Who was putting out an issue of Spider-Man
When the Comics Code folks said "we won't approve"
Then to no Merry Marcher's dismay
Stan told the Code folks "not today"
And he published it with the Comics Code seal removed
Now, present day, we cringe and writhe
At the thought of banning books—but why?
Why such strong reactions to an infringed right?
Well it was each woman, was each man
Who was brave enough to take a stand
Go against the grain and claim that "that ain't right"
So from all your readers once thought foolish
Hypothetical kids who maybe weren't the coolest
We thank you for not going with Plan B
So let's all pause and raise a glass
to the legend who done kicked their…
I see no reason we shouldn't toast to Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee
We love you, Stan.