Reality Check: Readers’ Responses

Stan Lee: 1922 – 2018, Issue: 11/21/18

Good sir,

This is one of your finest tributes in a long line of them. I was particularly moved by how much, in all of these things I’ve read over the past week since Stan’s passing, he influenced so many young people to create and believe in themselves to do so. Hearing it from one of my favorite columnists was a treat, as I too am missing him and mourning his loss today. It is good to see his legacy and influences are lasting. —D. Bishop 

Kirby’s contribution seems much downplayed (he gets a mention). Lots of arguing over how much came from Stan, how much came from Jack, but I think that’s a fascinating conflict that might have been worth a graph or two. —Vincent Czyz

There have been some controversies about Stan Lee’s boasting about creating so much of the Marvel Universe and how much he flaunted it by all his cameos and self-promotions in the new movie series, but there is also truth that Stan built the entire enterprise on that same ego and self-promotion, as well as promoted the work and the company. One thing about Marvel that Stan Lee and everyone who was there at the beginning can be the proudest of is that it is unquestionably the best comic company ever and still is and shows no sign of ending. In this world where a bunch of charlatans are always claiming the best, this is someone and something that reaches those heights time and again regardless of hyperbole. —NXX2

Son,

That was a beautiful tribute to Stan Lee, and I can affirm all you said about your love of Spider-Man, the many Halloween costumes (some I made), and how much you enjoyed anything having to do with “Spidey.” He was like part of our family. ‘Nuff said.

Love,

Mom

The Wall—A Surrealist Perspective, Issue: 1/2/19

Mr. Campion,

There is no one—NO ONE—who can capture the madness, idiocy, or complete embarrassment of this presidency better than you. The best part of all of it is that as I am crying daily over the utter disregard for American ideals and the rule of law, the mocking of our intuitions, the spatting on our Constitution by this orange-faced, bizarre-haired, fat blowhard, I also laugh once in a while at the absurdity of a nation that apparently still has 38 percent of people in it supporting this jack-ass. But at least we have you to point out, in the most creative ways, this mess. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. —Melissa G.

This entire debate, if you can call it that, is exactly what you said, surreal. Here we have a bonehead president, who keeps making shit up and then regurgitating it with his brainless cronies on FOX News, about caravans and drug trafficking and four-thousand illegal aliens a week being detained—and none of it, not a shred of it is real. There are cameras and paid government officials at the border, state legislators in all the border states completely denying any issues, much less a crisis down there! Nobody with any knowledge of this thinks a wall idea—even if any of the previous bullshit were true—would stop any of it. Yet, we continue to have to read about it or discuss it, because a man with a ten-year-old mentality is in charge of the country. The wall thing will be what everyone will remember about this idiot Trump. First, Mexico would pay for it. Then us. Then made-up crisis. Then government shutdowns put on the table. Then emergency measures being tossed around. For what? THERE IS NO CRISIS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER!! Trump is the crisis. —Adam Louchell

 

I think Donald Trump’s bizarre presidency has brought Reality Check to a new level! Brilliant! Keep pointing out the obvious and strip this madness bare. You are a treasure, sir. —Ultra-Denise

Do yourself no favors and “like” this idiot at www.facebook.com/jc.author or, if you dare, follow on Twitter (@FearNoArt) and Instagram (@jamescampion)

James Campion is the Managing Editor of The Reality Check News & Information Desk and the author of Deep Tank Jersey, Fear No Art, Trailing Jesus, Midnight For Cinderella, Y, Shout It Out Loud—The Story of KISS’s Destroyer and the Making of an American Icon, and coming in June 2018, Accidently Like a Martyr – The Tortured Art of Warren Zevon