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Stan Lee probably had more influence than Walt Disney in terms of how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees us. Walt Disney is overwhel

Stan Lee probably had more influence than Walt Disney in terms of how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees us. Walt Disney is overwhelmingly about older stories (Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty), and not anything I feel distinctly "American". The most popular and timeless properties out of Disney (ex: Mickey Mouse) aren't really telling stories or setting cultural trends IMO. Meanwhile, Superman and Spiderman (Okay, I know Stan Lee only partially had influence on Spiderman...) are closer to what people see as distinctly "American".

LarsDu88 3mo ago
You mean Jack Kirby right? LoL
- dragontamer 3mo ago
  Its not like Walt Disney personally wrote or drew all his stuff either. Stan Lee was closer to actually making the story than Walt Disney. But yeah, Jack Kirby would be closer than the other two.
  - LarsDu88 3mo ago
    cough Ub Iwerks
breve 3mo ago
Who would win in a fight between Stan Lee, Jim Henson, and Walt Disney? Maybe Epic Rap Battles of History has the answer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXBJIZ1NXFU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXBJIZ1NXFU
deleted 3mo ago
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jasonfarnon 3mo ago
"Meanwhile, Superman and Spiderman (Okay, I know Stan Lee only partially had influence on Spiderman...) " it's not like he had anything to do with superman
coldtea 3mo ago
>Stan Lee probably had more influence than Walt Disney in terms of how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees us. Seriously doubt it. Both "how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees them" was established way before both the MCU and before superhero comics became anything else than a preoccupation of the nerdy niche. In the 60s, and 70s, and 80s, few fucks were given around the world for the Marvel comic universe (they still sold somewhat, just not that important culturally), and it was definitely not how people got to perceive the US: hollywood, the western, rock n' roll, all those were 100x more important. And Disney was way more important than Marvel at the time too.
- dragontamer 3mo ago
  What work of Disney (company, not the man per se...) is more influential on the modern American Psyche (today, in 2026) than Ironman, X-Men or Spiderman? Moana? Sleeping Beauty? Mickey Mouse? The only major "American identity" film I can think of was Princess and the Frog. Maybe Big Hero 6 (at least the San Francisco half). ----------- The others are correct in that Mark Twain is probably the real answer. But I'm thinking of a modern media (film, comic books, etc. etc). Maybe Wicked and Wizard of Oz counts as two sides of American culture. A push and counter push. -------- Sleeping Beauty? That's French. Beauty and the Beast? Also French. Great Mouse Detective? British. Alice in Wonderland? British. Pinocchio? Italian.
  - anamax 3mo ago
    In the spirit of “The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.” - James D. Nicoll Yes, Sleeping Beauty, et al were originally from "not the US" countries, very few people outside those countries remembers that. Instead, they're Disney, or at least US.
    - dragontamer 3mo ago
      Counter point: the opening song of Beauty and the Beast starts with "Bonjour". Basil of Baker Street (Great Mouse Detective) literally saves the Queen of England. Robin Hood and The Sword in the Stone are also similarly very, very British. No one can possibly confuse the issue.

LarsDu88 3mo ago

You mean Jack Kirby right? LoL

dragontamer 3mo ago
Its not like Walt Disney personally wrote or drew all his stuff either. Stan Lee was closer to actually making the story than Walt Disney. But yeah, Jack Kirby would be closer than the other two.
- LarsDu88 3mo ago
  cough Ub Iwerks

breve 3mo ago

Who would win in a fight between Stan Lee, Jim Henson, and Walt Disney? Maybe Epic Rap Battles of History has the answer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXBJIZ1NXFU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXBJIZ1NXFU

deleted 3mo ago

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jasonfarnon 3mo ago

"Meanwhile, Superman and Spiderman (Okay, I know Stan Lee only partially had influence on Spiderman...) " it's not like he had anything to do with superman

coldtea 3mo ago

>Stan Lee probably had more influence than Walt Disney in terms of how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees us. Seriously doubt it. Both "how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees them" was established way before both the MCU and before superhero comics became anything else than a preoccupation of the nerdy niche. In the 60s, and 70s, and 80s, few fucks were given around the world for the Marvel comic universe (they still sold somewhat, just not that important culturally), and it was definitely not how people got to perceive the US: hollywood, the western, rock n' roll, all those were 100x more important. And Disney was way more important than Marvel at the time too.

dragontamer 3mo ago
What work of Disney (company, not the man per se...) is more influential on the modern American Psyche (today, in 2026) than Ironman, X-Men or Spiderman? Moana? Sleeping Beauty? Mickey Mouse? The only major "American identity" film I can think of was Princess and the Frog. Maybe Big Hero 6 (at least the San Francisco half). ----------- The others are correct in that Mark Twain is probably the real answer. But I'm thinking of a modern media (film, comic books, etc. etc). Maybe Wicked and Wizard of Oz counts as two sides of American culture. A push and counter push. -------- Sleeping Beauty? That's French. Beauty and the Beast? Also French. Great Mouse Detective? British. Alice in Wonderland? British. Pinocchio? Italian.
- anamax 3mo ago
  In the spirit of “The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.” - James D. Nicoll Yes, Sleeping Beauty, et al were originally from "not the US" countries, very few people outside those countries remembers that. Instead, they're Disney, or at least US.
  - dragontamer 3mo ago
    Counter point: the opening song of Beauty and the Beast starts with "Bonjour". Basil of Baker Street (Great Mouse Detective) literally saves the Queen of England. Robin Hood and The Sword in the Stone are also similarly very, very British. No one can possibly confuse the issue.