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Who would have guessed the author ofA Song of Ice and Firenovels George R.R. Martin, to be a Marvel fan? Usually, writers of his stature often claim to be neck deep into von-Goethe, Hemingway, and the obvious Shakespearean dramas. But Martin broke stereotypes after claiming to be an avid comic book fan, particularly inclined towards Marvel, more than DC.
During an interview withThe Independent, George R.R. Martin spoke highly of Marvel Comics and its impact on his writing. While explaining why his preference particularly shifted towards Marvel over DC, Martin praised Stan Lee’s Spider-Man to be more refreshing than DC’s Superman.
George R.R. Martin Strictly Prefers Marvel Over DC
While narrating his fantastical tale of growing up in New Jersey and spending time reading Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Marvel comic books,George R.R. Martinshared his modest response to writing his own bestselling epic fantasy seriesA Song of Ice and Fire.Later adapted into the record-breaking,award-winning HBO seriesGame of Thrones, Martin implied that he had never even imagined that level of fame and success.
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However, although Martin swiftly glided through the stunning topic of being a Marvel comics fanatic, while sitting withThe Independent, the interviewer purposefully brought him back on track to learn more about his shocking revelation. George R.R. Martin thus addressed what it’s like to be a superfan as he revealed that the first words he ever published were fan letters in Marvel comics, stating “dear Stan and Jack, you guys are better than Shakespeare!”.
Although back in his days, superhero comics were just one among many different genres of comics, George R.R. Martin noted that Marvel was his favorite among all. Despite religiously reading DC comics, Martin confessed to developing a preference for Marvel more than anything.
Admitting how he started losing interest in the DC stories since all the characters and their plots started sounding strikingly similar, the author praised Stan Lee for doing something different, which regained his interest.
George R.R. Martin Hailed Stan Lee’s Spider-Man Over Superman
Explaining what went wrong with DC comics, George R.R. Martin thereafter admitted shifting towards Marvel. Realizing the supposed stagnancy of DC characters and their arc quite early, Martin noted finding a hint of refreshing feeling in Stan Lee’s Marvel characters, especially the friendly neighborhood web-slinger.
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“The stories never went anywhere. Superman would be there, and his girlfriend Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen his best friend, Perry White the editor of the Daily Planet, and something would happen. At the end of the story, everything would be exactly the way it was at the beginning of the story, for issue after issue, year after year.”
Openly criticizing DC comics, George R.R. Martin mentioned howStan Leebroke all the rules. Despite sharing uncountable similarities with DC comics and their characters, Martin claimed that Marvel did things way better and differently than DC. The author particularly picked Spider-Man, who appears to be his favorite character.
“Stan Lee’s writing was so much better than what you’d been getting. Things happened. Spider-Man was progressing. It was so refreshing.”
Explaining how the constantly changing and evolving nature ofMarvel’s Spider-Man made him more relatableand exciting than DC’s Superman, Martin appreciated the complex and flawed characters. Further, being a die-hard fan of Stan Lee and his works, George R.R. Martin spoke about the impact of Marvel Comics on his writing.
“That’s all Stan Lee, and you can see it all over my work! Unexpectedly killing characters, characters who are not what they seem, characters who are partly good and partly bad. Grey characters. You don’t know which way they’re going to jump when the moment of crisis comes. Stan Lee’s fingerprints are all over that.”
Reflecting on his work, George R.R. Martin admitted deriving inspiration from Marvel comics in his stories. Although his fantasy novelA Song of Ice and Firecan barely be compared with Marvel, the author noted taking subtle lessons like focusing on family dynamics and the idea that characters can evolve and change over time, from Lee’s works.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
