The start of the 2000s was an interesting time for Stan Lee. The godfather of Marvel had cemented his reputation as an immortal of the comic book medium with a legacy that, at the time, overshadowed that of the struggling company. As Marvel was nearly escaping bankruptcy at the end of the 90s, the creator of its greatest characters decided the time had come to branch out. Whether he was searching for greener pastures or just stretching his creative muscles, Lee took on several non-Marvel projects in the 2000s that ranged from campy to downright regrettable. But from this eclectic collection of strange tales, nothing was more bizarre than the Guardian Project, a superhero-focused collaboration with the National Hockey League.Launched prior to the 2010-11 NHL season, the Guardian Project sought to capture an audience that never actually seemed to exist. Stan Lee created 30 superheroes based on the NHL’s then-active teams, with NBC Universal partnering to create comics and animated spin-offs for the new characters. Unfortunately, the low-quality Guardians failed to resonate with hockey or comic fans. They were an instant flop, and their early demise led to lawsuits, company closures and an everlasting point of mockery for a professional sports league. While the NHL is no stranger to PR failures or out-of-touch marketing gimmicks, the venture was an uncharacteristic miss for the eternally influential Stan Lee that stands as possibly the strangest work in his overall legacy.Stan Lee’s work with Marvel Comics is legendary. As the co-creator of characters like Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Black Panther, and the Avengers, his work shines as a beacon of ultimate success in the comics world. However, the light dulls slightly when considering the works Lee has produced outside his flagship company. He partnered with TV network Spike to launch the raunchy Striperella, which lasted for one season with its Lee-written tie-in comic going unreleased. The author’s Just Imagine… series saw Lee create strange new versions of DC’s most notable characters. In 2008, he even penned a political humor book titled Stan Lee Presents Election Daze: What Are They Really Saying? When it was announced in 2010 he would collaborate with the NHL, it hardly seemed out of place for the eclectic creative.RELATED: Stan Lee’s DC Heroes are Making a Comeback – But Who are They?RELATED: When it Comes to Stan Lee’s Legacy, One of His Greatest Enemies Was…Stan Lee
The start of the 2000s was an interesting time for Stan Lee. The godfather of Marvel had cemented his reputation as an immortal of the comic book medium with a legacy that, at the time, overshadowed that of the struggling company. As Marvel was nearly escaping bankruptcy at the end of the 90s, the creator of its greatest characters decided the time had come to branch out. Whether he was searching for greener pastures or just stretching his creative muscles, Lee took on several non-Marvel projects in the 2000s that ranged from campy to downright regrettable. But from this eclectic collection of strange tales, nothing was more bizarre than the Guardian Project, a superhero-focused collaboration with the National Hockey League.
Launched prior to the 2010-11 NHL season, the Guardian Project sought to capture an audience that never actually seemed to exist. Stan Lee created 30 superheroes based on the NHL’s then-active teams, with NBC Universal partnering to create comics and animated spin-offs for the new characters. Unfortunately, the low-quality Guardians failed to resonate with hockey or comic fans. They were an instant flop, and their early demise led to lawsuits, company closures and an everlasting point of mockery for a professional sports league. While the NHL is no stranger to PR failures or out-of-touch marketing gimmicks, the venture was an uncharacteristic miss for the eternally influential Stan Lee that stands as possibly the strangest work in his overall legacy.
Stan Lee’s work with Marvel Comics is legendary. As the co-creator of characters like Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Black Panther, and the Avengers, his work shines as a beacon of ultimate success in the comics world. However, the light dulls slightly when considering the works Lee has produced outside his flagship company. He partnered with TV network Spike to launch the raunchy Striperella, which lasted for one season with its Lee-written tie-in comic going unreleased. The author’s Just Imagine… series saw Lee create strange new versions of DC’s most notable characters. In 2008, he even penned a political humor book titled Stan Lee Presents Election Daze: What Are They Really Saying? When it was announced in 2010 he would collaborate with the NHL, it hardly seemed out of place for the eclectic creative.
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