Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: Becky Cloonan Michael W Conrad, dc comics, just imagine stan lee, Marvel Comics, stan lee

DC Comics Celebrate Stan Lee's 100th Birthday Before Marvel Comics

Published Thu, 15 Sep 2022 10:09:10 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:36:30 -0500

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Oh. I bet DC Comics' PR team are happy about sneaking this in before Marvel Comics' December 2022 solicitations drop, even if they mention it at all.

Because, for what would have been Stan Lee's 100th birthday, DC Comics is to publish new comic books based on their Just Imagine Stan Lee line which saw Stan Lee recreate familiar DC Comics characters from scratch for a series of one-shots, with a bunch of big names, back in 2001.

DC is releasing Tales from Earth-6: A Celebration of Stan Lee, a commemorative one-shot anthology featuring new stories based on Lee's (with film producer Michael Uslan) interpretations of core DC characters from his Just Imagine series of one-shots (2001-2002).

This 96-page Prestige format one-shot hits comic book stores and participating digital platforms on Tuesday, December 27; the anthology features 10 new stories spotlighting the Just Imagine characters from an incredible mix of celebrated comic book storytellers and new and emerging voices in comic books. In addition to a new story from Michael Uslan, this anthology includes stories written by Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Batman vs. Robin, Batman/Superman: World's Finest), Jerry Ordway (Superman, Action Comics), Kenny Porter (DC: Mech), Stephanie Williams (Nubia & the Amazons, Trial of the Amazons), Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan (Wonder Woman, Batgirls), Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing (Batman Beyond: Neo-Year), Meghan Fitzmartin (Tim Drake: Robin), Steve Orlando (Martian Manhunter), and Zac Thompson (Batman: Urban Legends).

Story art and variant covers will be delivered by some of the best artists in comics, including Lee Weeks, Kevin Maguire, Jerry Ordway, Karl Mostert, Juan Ferreyra, Anthony Marques, Pablo M. Collar, Belén Ortega, Max Dunbar, and Hayden Sherman. In addition to a wraparound main cover by Jim Cheung (Justice League), this can't-miss issue features variant covers by Steve Beach (Batman), Riley Rossmo (Justice League), Jason Howard (Green Lantern), Kelley Jones (The Sandman), Ariel Colon (Superman), Kyle Hotz (Shazam!), Christian Ward (The Flash), Clayton Henry (Wonder Woman), Jorge Corona (Aquaman), Belén Ortega, and Dan Panosian (Catwoman), plus a 1-in-25 ratio variant cover by Cully Hamner.

Just Imagine Stan Lee with Joe Kubert Creating Batman gave us a black Batman, Wayne Williams, and for some reason no one posted YouTube videos condemning it. Oh, it was in September 2001, people had other things on their mind.
We also had Just Imagine Stan Lee with Jim Lee Creating Wonder Woman with Maria Mendoza as an activist, protesting against the corporate excavation of an ancient Incan holy site near her village. My, comicsgate would have loved that.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Buscema Creating Superman gave us Salden, the weakest member of the Kryptonian Police Force who crashed on Earth with no way to get home.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Dave Gibbons Creating Green Lantern used Norse Legends for a professor searching for the Yggdrasil tree to be empowered, targeted by Reverend Dominic Darrk.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Kevin Maguire gave us Mary Maxwell with a DNA injection from a hummingbird to save her from her wasting disease but giving her superspeed.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Jerry Ordway Creating JLA included the whole team.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Byrne Creating Robin had an angry teenager working for Reverend Dominic Darrk, trying to kill Batman.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Gary Frank Creating Shazam has an Interpol agent, Robert Rogers.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Scott McDaniel Creating Aquaman has a marine biologist Ramon Raymond experimenting with dolphin DNA.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Chris Bachalo Creating Catwoman has a supermodel Joanie Jordan and her cat Ebony joined after being struck by strange green lightning.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Walt Simonson Creating Sandman saw astronaut Col. Larry Wilton abandoned in outer space, granted the powers of the mystical Sandman.
Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Cassaday Creating Crisis sees The Sandman with the body of Darrk, to warn of the coming of Darrk's master, a being called Crisis, which also included versions of the Oracle, the Phantom Stranger, Hawkman and the Atom.