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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133122
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:04am | IP Logged | 1
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Last night I was at a party hosted by former neighbors. As is so often the case, talk of comic book and STAR TREK movies, as well as the new STAR WARS, got started. (Honestly, I try to steer the straights away from such discussions, but so many people are determined to create conversations in which I can participate. I guess they think my knowing nothing about sports means I know nothing about anything! Ah, well -- they mean well!)This time I was astonished to find myself confronted by blank stares when I mentioned Stan Lee. These were White, Upper Upper Class folk, so about as civilian as it's possible to be, but I would honestly have thought one would have to have spent the last fifteen years in a coma to not know Stan. I mean, come on! His picture is in the dictionary as the definition of "self-promotion"! (Not a criticism!) Have I actually caught myself standing too close? Do Jack and Jill Generalpublic really not know the name of The Man?
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Ray Owens
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 June 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 442
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:16am | IP Logged | 2
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I'm not a bit surprised that Joe Public doesn't know the man. However, for me he is one of my heroes. I would place him in the top five people who has had a positive influence on my life, but that's me. Most people have never picked up an American comic book, so how would they know this guy.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133122
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:18am | IP Logged | 3
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Most people have never picked up an American comic book, so how would they know this guy.•• Doesn't Stan's fame extend beyond comics? Isn't he iconic? Most people know nothing of astrophysics, but they've heard of Stephen Hawking!
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Joe Hollon
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 08 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 13695
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:19am | IP Logged | 4
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I think that was an anomaly, JB.
I would say the vast majority of people that pay even casual attention to pop culture movies, watch shows like ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, etc. would easily be able to identify Stan Lee.
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Jeremy Simington
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 April 2011
Location: United States
Posts: 687
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:42am | IP Logged | 5
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I'm not surprised. Superhero characters are big due to films & TV but the comic book world is still fairly obscure. The giants in the industry aren't going to be known by the general public. This is not a reflection on Stan, Jack, JB, and other titans. Remember, we're talking about a general public that can barely name sitting Supreme Court Justices.
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Brad Hague
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 December 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1713
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:43am | IP Logged | 6
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I would opine that John Q. Public is not generally aware of Stan Lee. They are aware of Spider-Man, Captain America and the Hulk.
I would opine that the stereotype of middle-aged white men that grew up in average America would have a higher percentage of remembering who Stan Lee is. But I would guess, that that number is less than 50%. Possibly more like 25%.
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Joe Hollon
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 08 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 13695
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:48am | IP Logged | 7
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I would opine that the stereotype of middle-aged white men that grew up in average America would have a higher percentage of remembering who Stan Lee is. But I would guess, that that number is less than 50%. Possibly more like 25%.
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I disagree. I don't think it has anything to do with remembering who Stan Lee is. I'm not saying people know him because they grew up reading comics. Stan has become a mainstream celebrity in the last decade. Cameos in the movies that people know to look for and recognize who he is (yes people, not just comic readers), cameos on hit TV shows (THE BIG BANG THEORY) and even his own TV series (WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO? STAN LEE'S SUPERHUMANS).
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Joe Hollon
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 08 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 13695
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:49am | IP Logged | 8
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Another response to Brad...I think your percentages you are using are way off, though I get what you're trying to say. If 50% of the population can identify who you are you are a HUGE celebrity. Even 25% would make someone a huge, huge star.
Edited by Joe Hollon on 24 December 2015 at 11:49am
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Peter Martin
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 March 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 15923
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 11:50am | IP Logged | 9
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A lot of people have seen movies based on Marvel properties, and he is The Guy Who Turns up in All the Marvel Movies. Maybe the average civilian doesn't now his name, but I'd bet a large chunk recognise his face.
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Joe Hollon
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 08 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 13695
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 12:02pm | IP Logged | 10
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Don't they do rankings of celebrities "likeability" and how well-recognized they are? I just did some google searches and came up empty....
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Paul Reis
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 925
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 12:02pm | IP Logged | 11
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i find that amazing - don't these people watch The Big Bang Theory? you know, the TV show that is on SOME station every 1/2 hour from 7:00 through to midnight every night of the, week except Sundays! they mention Stan Lee pretty often there, too.
anyone "up" for a JBF survey? with all the "work" get-to-gethers, what if everyone of us asked the question "who knows who Stan Lee is?" then post the (obviously) unscientific results here? i say "work" because i assume asking friends or family (who may know you are a comic collector) would skew the results drastically.
Edited by Paul Reis on 24 December 2015 at 12:33pm
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Thom Price
Byrne Robotics Member
L’Homme Diabolique
Joined: 29 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7593
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| Posted: 24 December 2015 at 12:10pm | IP Logged | 12
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I wonder what Stan's "Q Score" is? That's the only way I can think of to really answer the question. Everything else is surmises or anecdotal.
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Topic Closed)
