Exploring the Rise and Fall of Stan Lee with ‘True Believer’ Author Abraham Riesman

Everybody knows Stan Lee, but nobody knows Stan Lee— except people like critically-acclaimed writer Abraham Riesman, who has written a new book about the late Marvel Comics founder. Riesman joins the Bagels to discuss  “True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee,” which shatters fans’ assumptions about the life of the man who started out as Stanley Lieber.

Riesman also provides background on comic book fandom and culture, questions Jewish characters in Marvel universe and asks if we go too far in looking for Jewish themes and identity in comic book superheroes and their stories. Later, Esther talks trauma as a crucible for storytelling and Erin reveals a surprising turn in her “WandaVision” fandom.