Stan Leeis one of the most influential comic book creators of all time. As the co-creator of such iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk, his work at Marvel has been enjoyed by kids and adults for many generations. Chances are if you have ever picked up a comic book (or watching a superhero production of any kind in the last twenty years) you have seen his work. In terms of being a comic book legend you don’t get much bigger than Stan Lee, as his influenced helped shape the comic book industry as we know it today.
What many readers may not be aware of is that near the end of his life, Lee would actually work on properties outside of Marvel, and this included some manga as well. While it is well known that Lee worked on a Shonen Jump series calledUltimo,there was a second manga he worked on. This series was much more obscure and has almost been forgotten, so let’s take a few minutes and look at what the series was.
RELATED:Marvel Studios Announces Stan Lee Documentary To Mark 100th Birth Anniversary
What is Heroman?
Heromanwas a collaborative project by Lee and the Japaneseanimation studio Bones. The story followed Joey Jones, a young boy living in Center City, a fictional urban setting in the United States. Joey leads an ordinary life until he discovers a broken toy robot in a garbage dump. After repairing and activating the robot, the toy transforms into a giant robot with incredible powers (a pretty typical setup for a superhero series).
With his newfound ally, Joey becomes the pilot of Heroman, and together they embark on thrilling adventures to protect Center City from extraterrestrial invasions and nefarious villains. The series explored themes of heroism, friendship, and the power of ordinary individuals to make a difference. When asked how he would describe his new creation, Lee claimedHeromanwas “a new hero for the 21st century.” Though this has many of the hallmarks of a classic Marvel AND shounen anime, how much did Stan Lee actually contribute to the series?
What Involvement Did Stan Lee Have?
Stan Lee contributed to the creation ofHeromanby providing the concept and character designs (which would then be tweaked further to make them more acceptable in manga form). The series aimed to combine Lee’s storytelling expertise with the dynamic animation style of Bones, known for their work on popular anime series such asFullmetal AlchemistandMy Hero Academia.
The series first debuted as a manga series written by Tamon Ohta and illustrated by Tetsuro Kasahara and was published bySquare-Enixin 2009 (yes, the makers ofFinal Fantasyalso publish manga). One year later it was adapted into a 26-episode anime series which aired in Japan from April to September 2010. Although one of the key selling points was the collaboration between the East and the West, no English dub ofHeromanwas produced (though ironically, the anime’s theme song was sung in English in preparation for such a dub).
Where is it Now?
Despite the relative obscurity of the series, an official English release DOES exist! Vertical (an imprint of Kodansha Comics) published all five volumes of the series in America, uncut and unflipped, just as it was in Japan. The books are said to be out of print, however, used copies (as of this writing) are still relatively easy to find due to the series largely being unpopular in the states. The anime itself can be streamed onCrunchyroll. As mentioned before, there is no English dub.
Heromanis a very interesting property. Not only is it one of the rare manga Stan Lee helped to personally create, but it is also the only Japanese property he developed that was turned into an anime. Yes, characters likeSpider-Manhad Japanese productions made, but this is the only property developed for the Japanese market that Lee helped developed that made it to animation. His first (and much more popular) manga collaboration -Ultimo- never received an anime adaptation despite the heavy marketing of the title (and collaboration with the creator ofShaman King).
It’s odd to think that of the two Stan Lee manga creations, the more obscure one received the anime adaptation, yet that’s how things work out sometimes. It should also be noted thatHeromanis the more family-friendly series of the two, so if you’re a parent looking for a fun series your kids can enjoy, you will find a good read withHeroman. Comic book fans may also want to check out the series to see what Stan Lee was working on in his final days.
TheHeromananime can be streamed onCrunchyroll
