Spider-Man's Rejected Debut Became Bestseller

Stan Lee's publisher initially dismissed Spider-Man as "the worst idea I have ever heard." He argued that people hated spiders, teenagers could only serve as sidekicks, and superheroes should not have personal problems. Lee finally introduced the character in Amazing Fantasy No. 15 because the publisher planned to cancel the magazine and did not care what appeared in its final issue. When it became the publisher's best-selling magazine that month, he asked Lee to create an entire Spider-Man series.

Previous Fact Next Fact