George R.R. Martin was a big fan of the Marvel Cimeatic Universe. (Photo Credit – Facebook)
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Before Game of Thrones catapulted George R.R. Martin into fantasy fame, he was a die-hard comic book geek with a severe love for Marvel. The man behind A Song of Ice and Fire once proudly declared himself an “old — VERY old — Marvel fanboy.” And it wasn’t just casual admiration. Martin was an official Merry Marvel Marching Society member, the Marvel Comics fan club. But did you know that his love for superheroes significantly shaped the writer we know today?
It all started in 1963 when a 15-year-old Martin penned a fan letter to Marvel, praising Fantastic Four No. 17. He found the issue “absolutely stupendous” — a sentiment he couldn’t hold back. The letter caught the attention of none other than Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel’s legendary creators, who responded by humorously writing, “We might as well quit while we’re ahead.” That letter and a few others that made it into Marvel’s iconic letter columns was a turning point for Martin. He once revealed to Rolling Stone, “When Marvel hit with the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, I started writing letters… And a few of them got printed.”
This early interaction with Marvel didn’t just boost his fan status—it kicked off his career. Marvel printed fan letters with complete addresses, so young Martin began getting letters from fellow fans nationwide. This soon led to writing for fanzines, where Martin first cut his teeth in the publishing world. And well, the rest is history.
But Martin’s love for Marvel never faded. Fast forward decades later, and his Marvel fanboy heart was still beating strong. In one of his blog posts, he raved about the 2015 film Ant-Man, starring Paul Rudd. Despite his sharp critique of certain superhero movie tropes, Martin couldn’t help but express his admiration for the film’s balance of action and heart. “A superhero movie needs a fair share of smashing and bashing and stuff blowing up… but IMHO, that stuff works best when it happens to people we know and care about.”
However, Martin had his quirks with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even as a superfan. He wanted more Wasp, a character he loved from the original comics. He vocalized his fatigue over the recurring trope of villains mirroring the hero’s powers: “I am tired of this Marvel movie trope where the bad guy has the same powers as the hero… Yawn.” It’s safe to say Martin couldn’t hold back his thoughts.
In his blog, he also couldn’t help but compare Ant-Man to his “itty-bitty” rival over at DC — The Atom. His affection for Marvel’s tiny hero and general enthusiasm for comic book lore were evident. Despite being deep in Westeros, Martin’s heart still had room for the superheroes that sparked his imagination.
From that first fan letter to Stan Lee to critiquing modern superhero films, George R.R. Martin’s journey with Marvel is a throwback to a time when comics weren’t just entertainment—they were an inspiration. And for Martin, they were the start of a legendary storytelling career.
