Comedian Bill Maher, host of HBO’s talk show Real Time with Bill Maher wrote a post on his official blog mocking comic book fan culture mourning the loss of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee.
Maher’s blog post was a stark criticism of comic book fans, claiming that there are more pressing matters in the world to be mindful of than comic books, movies and TV shows – much of which have adapted the characters and stories of Stan Lee’s creations to life in many ways. You can read an excerpt of Maher’s blog down below:
“The guy who created Spider-Man and the Hulk has died, and America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess. Someone on Reddit posted, “I’m so incredibly grateful I lived in a world that included Stan Lee.” Personally, I’m grateful I lived in a world that included oxygen and trees, but to each his own. Now, I have nothing against comic books – I read them now and then when I was a kid and I was all out of Hardy Boys. But the assumption everyone had back then, both the adults and the kids, was that comics were for kids, and when you grew up you moved on to big-boy books without the pictures.”
But perhaps the most eyebrow-raising comment made in Maher’s snarky blog is equating the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States as something that could only happen “in a country that thinks comic books are important.”
Naturally, people aren’t responding well to Maher’s blog – especially with him basically blaming the culture of comic book fandom as enablers in the election of Trump:
Lol. #billmaher Just upset because nobody will mourn him when he dies.
— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) November 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/GWillowWilson/status/1063850874433241088
Bill Maher about Stan Lee: “a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess.”
Also Bill Maher: *in one of said movies* pic.twitter.com/j66GIZJEsP
— Martin Luther Kang the Conqueror Jr #StopAsianHate (@UpToTASK) November 17, 2018
It's crazy to me that Bill Maher is using Stan Lee's death to insult the maturity of comic book fans. It's crazily out of character for him to try to assert his intellectual superiority over the ignorant masses in a shrill, strident, obnoxious and attention-seeking way.
— Nathan Rabin (@nathanrabin) November 17, 2018
Like everyone else, I am shocked, SHOCKED that Bill Maher wrote a blog that belittled people in a petty and smug way. You think you know someone, and then this happens! 😱
— Brianna Wu (@BriannaWu) November 17, 2018
As you can see, people are not having it over Maher’s comments following Stan Lee’s passing.
What do you make of these comments made by Bill Maher? Sound off in the comments below.
