Stan Lee’s Daughter Settles Elder Abuse Lawsuit Against Ex-Manager Accused of Theft

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In simpler terms, J.C. (Stan Lee’s daughter) has resolved a legal dispute with Max Anderson, who was the legendary comic book creator’s longtime road manager. The accusations against him included elder abuse and the misappropriation of approximately tens of millions of dollars worth of memorabilia, autograph sales, and appearance fees.

Prior to a scheduled trial set for the coming week, both parties notified the court on Thursday that they had reached an agreement to settle the dispute. This settlement hinges upon the fulfillment of specific, unspecified conditions. More information about these details was not disclosed.

The main issue in this lawsuit involves claims that Anderson misused his power over Lee’s life to embezzle approximately $21 million, along with hundreds of collectibles and memorabilia such as Bob Kane’s original “Joker” sketch and movie props from Marvel films, during the final stages of his previous employer’s life.

Following my encounter with Lee around 2007, Anderson took over sole responsibility for managing his comic book convention events and public appearances, maintaining this role until J.C displaced him from Lee’s inner circle in 2017. Additionally, he served as a caregiver for the elderly comic book author, who was in his late 80s and nearly blind. This included arranging healthcare services while also overseeing certain business matters.

For nearly ten years, Anderson, who claimed he wasn’t financially compensated but received collectibles with autographs instead, traveled alongside Lee to about 111 comic book events globally. At these events, Anderson and his business partner managed a booth where fans could buy autographed collectibles priced at up to $120 each. The foundation of the business, “Stan Lee Collectibles,” was a point of contention in the lawsuit, which asserted that Lee didn’t earn any profits from the enterprise. Before Lee passed away, he agreed to give Anderson the rights to use his name and image worldwide for a single dollar, as per the lawsuit.

According to J.C., Anderson allegedly forced her father to work excessively long hours right up until his demise. She alleged that he stole at least 11.1 million dollars from autograph sales and another 10.2 million dollars from appearance fees. Anderson has countered by stating that he never managed money during events, with Lee reportedly earning around 35,000 dollars in a day just from signing autographs and taking photos.

During the trial, it was expected that witnesses such as Anderson’s twin brother (who worked security at certain events) and others would testify that they observed Anderson carrying bags full of money, which were reportedly used to purchase art and luxury items. Moreover, Anderson’s ex-spouse was set to share with the court her observations of Anderson handling large sums of cash upon returning home from events with Lee, and that he kept large amounts of cash in a big safe located in a spacious bedroom. Lawyers for J.C. argued that Anderson’s personal fortune and assets dramatically increased during his time working for Lee.

In the legal dispute, there was disagreement over a planned museum designed to showcase Lee’s memorabilia, collectibles, and personal belongings for display at various comic book events. Anderson, who held a license for using Lee’s name and likeness, claimed that Lee had given him certain personal items intended for the museum. However, it was alleged that these items were instead directed towards Anderson’s businesses rather than the museum. Over the past ten years, these items have been in Anderson’s possession at his comic book store and home, while the museum itself has only made a limited number of appearances at conventions, according to the lawsuit.

Anderson claims he can’t distinguish which items belong to the museum because many have either been stolen, damaged, or discarded since they weren’t considered valuable. However, J.C.’s legal team has refuted this claim by bringing up a lawsuit filed by J.C. regarding collectibles that were taken from his home. These include iconic items like Iron Man’s mask, Nebula’s arm from Guardians of the Galaxy, and a set of X-23 claws from Logan, which are all highly valuable movie props.

Lawyers for J.C. and Anderson didn’t respond to requests for comment.

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2025-05-02 22:54