I have been reading comics since the 60s. I can honestly say I was there at the rise of Marvel, thanks to men like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and countless others. I even remember writing a letter to Stan, hoping it would get added to the letters page and collect an infamous “no-prize” for my efforts.
The death of Stan Lee was not a surprise. His health had been failing and it was inevitable after the death of his wife, Joan, last year. But it does sadden me that a man, whom I never met but considered a mentor, is gone from my life.
Stan Lee was one of the reasons I became interested in fantasy, writing, and creating my own characters. My first original superhero was called Vulcan, a boy who found a meteor that imbued him with energy-based powers. Very cool! I even wanted to be a comic book artist, but I went the writing route because I wasn’t the best artist. My skills just never really improved.
I became a writer because of people like Stan Lee. He created some of the most iconic characters that are known around the world. The 60’s Spiderman cartoon theme song can be hummed by anyone who calls themself a nerd. That’s why it pisses me off when asshats like Bill Mahr dis the accomplishments of someone like Stan Lee.
As much as he inspired writers like me, he equally inspired scientists even more. I mean, think about it. Geeks who read comic books studied science and math to be like Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, or in a worse case scenario, Doctor Doom. He inspired the generations of scientists, doctors, physicists, and chemists who will take us to the future.
That’s the importance of someone like Stan Lee. It’s not just about comic books. It’s about the characters, the stories, the magic, and the science behind it. He gave us it all.
I will cry when I see his last cameo in Avengers 4. It will mean the end of an era for many of us who were with Stan from the very beginning. God bless you, Stan Lee, and, always and forever… Excelsior!
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Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook at Amazon. The Dark Tides is available for purchase as a paperback/ebook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse publishing. The Outlander War, Book Three of the Forever Avalon series is coming soon from Austin Macauley Publishing.
For me, these late night D&D sessions fueled an already active imagination. Combine that with missing your wife and newborn baby daughter and it can lead to some rather strange dreams. During my first deployment, I started having a recurring dream of being with my wife and daughter on an island of fantasy and magic, lost in time and space. That dream evolved and grew with each of my deployments and subsequent birth of my other children.
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” — Bruce Lee
“Enter the Dragon” is by far his most popular movie, and my favorite too. Of all the kung fu movies ever made, this one is a masterpiece. I think I like it the most because it was the first, and only movie, that Bruce Lee acted in English. He really was a great actor. Plus, you can’t compare the fight scenes in it with movies like “The Matrix” or “John Wick” because they did it without the wire work or special effects. It was all Bruce Lee.
Recently, another of my anime obsessions has led me to the “Fate” series (Fate/Zero. Fate/Stay Night, and Fate/Apocrphya). There are more than these three in the series, but that’s all I’ve watched so far. It’s not just the intricate storylines, the fast-paced fighting, or the beautiful animation that drew me in. As a fantasy writer, the heroic spirits are what truly facinated me.
One of my favorites of this series was the reimagined Frankenstein monster. She (yes, I said “she”) was a beautiful creature with immense power. When I first saw her, I did not even think Frankenstein, and yet there are incredible subtleties within this character that you don’t expect. She doesn’t speak, except in grunts and groans. She wields a lightning mace (that resembles the equipment from Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory) that can release an electrical strike that can wipe out a forest. There are unusual attachments on her head, incuding something resembling a unicorn horn, that’s almost “steampunk” in nature. Yet, through all this power and ferocity (she is a Bezerker class) there is a delicate child inside. In one scene, she sits in a field, looking at flowers, reminding me of the monster from the movie, and yet, I don’t see the monster. And neither did her master. She was, at times, breathtaking.
Every story has to have an interesting protagonist, but it also must have an equally villainous antagonist. Most people think being bad is easy, but its not. We’re taught at a very young age that being evil is stupid. I remember the days of Snidely Whiplash, Boris and Natasha, and Dick Dastardly. Their plans always failed because of their mistakes.
Speaking of the stories, that’s one of the things I truly love in anime. The plots made be similar across different genres, but the stories are incredible versatile and diverse. They combine fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and action/adventure in so many different ways. I also love the “underdog to hero” story in many of them. It’s the heart of most of these stories; specifically, good versus evil. That’s the basis for a lot of them and its the best story there is. Now matter how bad it can get, good wins in the end. They take the morale high ground, even if the main protagonist is a pervert (i.e., High School DxD) or a nobody (i.e., Is it Wrong to pick up Girls in a Dungeon).
As writers, we are constantly working on our craft. I try to write daily, even if its just adding a few sentences or a paragraph to my next novel. When researching different tips for writers, the one thing I always come across is READ, READ, READ! As writers, we need to read other stories to help us with style, plot development, and even a sense of direction. When you read someone else’s work, you have a feel for them , as a writer, and see into every technical aspect of the story. You see every part of it, like the bricks in a building, creating a structure that’s a beautiful sight to see.
“All good writings begin with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” — Anne Lamott
I spent more than 30 years in the Navy as a Navy Journalist and Public Affairs Officer. That training and work experience gave me the tools I needed but did not satisfy my needs for more creative writing. I fight my own self doubt every day, but it’s a battle I have to win. Being a writer, an accomplished writer and storyteller, is something I desire more than anything. It’s not for the fame, the glory, or the recognition. It’s just for the satisfaction of having someone read my stories in the hope that it gives them a good feeling or a chance to escape.
Mark Piggott | Fantasy & Steampunk Author 