Stan Lee's Gay Ghostwriter(?), Revealed
Hello, all! Just dropping a quick note to say I’ve published a new humdinger, alongside co-writer (and genius) Zach Rabiroff. It’s an investigation into a figure whose significance in the comics industry has never been reported before: Ron Whyte.
Read here:
A Swingin’ Surprise or Two
The best-kept secret in the history of Marvel Comics was in high dudgeon by the time he sat down at his typewriter. It was a July afternoon in 1971, and Ron Whyte, a playwright and activist, was about to hammer out an ill-advised letter. Truth be told, there may have
Whyte was a gay, paraplegic, legally blind, pill-popping Yale Drama grad, and he may well have ghostwritten some of the most famous comics ever attributed to Stan Lee, back in 1966. Indeed, it seems likely that he was the one who wrote Mary Jane Watson’s famous first line to Peter Parker: “Face it, tiger… you just hit the jackpot!”
It feels like Zach and I hit the jackpot by discovering Ron, poring through his archive, and speaking to those who knew this remarkable writer and activist. For this year’s Pride Month, we wanted to finally shed light on a gay comics creator who left an indelible imprint — despite never receiving credit. Until now.
Check it out, if you get a chance!
All best,
J