Comedian Bill Maher (left), Stan Lee (right)
© Reuters / Lucas Jackson / Mario AnzuoniComedian Bill Maher (left), Stan Lee (right)
While many are still reeling after Stan Lee's death earlier this week, HBO host Bill Maher lashed out at his legacy, claiming that comics don't make Americans smart enough for adult life - and maybe that's why they elected Trump.

HBO's Real Time host turned legions of comic-book fans against him with his comments last Saturday - days after the legendary Marvel creator died at the age of 95. Ironically, Maher took part in the Stan Lee-produced 'Iron Man 3.'



Maher began the post, which he titled "Adulting," with the assumption that the creator of Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk did nothing more than inspire millions to "watch a movie." He went to say that the passion of Lee's life, comics, have come out of their league and pretended to be "sophisticated literature" - further ruining Americans' minds and not allowing them to grow up.

Many might already have taken offence, but here the comedian added a proviso and said that he doesn't think people have got stupider - but we are "using our smarts on stupid stuff."
I don't think it's a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important.
Those three paragraphs were enough to trigger an avalanche of anger among Twitter users and admirers of Lee.




"More people cared about Stan Lee's death than care about Bill Maher alive," a person wrote, suggesting that people shouldn't create more hype for the host by reacting to his words. But the hornet's nest had already been rattled, and the fury was apparently unstoppable.