Neil Gaiman Shuts Down Bill Maher over Disrespectful Stan Lee Comments

Author and comic book creator Neil Gaiman has fired back at Real Time host Bill Maher after he incensed the internet Friday with a disparaging blog post about Marvel Comics visionary Stan Lee, who died Monday aged 95.

Maher’s just trolling, and lots of people are rising to the troll. (Julie Burchill did it better 30 years ago with her “There aren’t any adult comics because adults don’t read comics” line. ) More people cared about Stan Lee’s death than care about Bill Maher alive. //t.co/yRzFCYQBzl

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) November 17, 2018

"Maher's just trolling, and lots of people are rising to the troll," Gaiman tweeted Saturday.

"(Julie Burchill did it better 30 years ago with her 'There aren't any adult comics because adults don't read comics' line. ) More people cared about Stan Lee's death than care about Bill Maher alive."

Gaiman's tweet comes after the writer was tagged in a post criticizing Maher for his inability to recognize "mature, complex and well-written art" like Gaiman's "sophisticated" The Sandman — one of the rare graphic novels to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

Maher mocked Americans for being in "deep, deep mourning" for the Spider-Man and Hulk co-creator, who Maher characterized as "a man who inspired millions to, I don't know, watch a movie, I guess."

Despite claiming to "have nothing against" comic books, Maher smugly dismissed the genre as "kid stuff" and a predecessor for "big-boy books without the pictures," before opining, "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."

Other comic book creators have since taken to social media to criticize Maher and his comments, including DC Comics editor Andy Khouri, who blasted the invoking of President Trump as "a nasty thing to say in connection with Stan Lee's death."

Batman and The Vision writer Tom King shared a commentary-free image clipped from "Stan's Soapbox," a letter column decrying bigotry and racism, while The Ultimates artist Bryan Hitch declared Maher "an arsehole."

Lee has since been laid to rest in a small, private funeral, per his wishes. He will next make posthumous cameo appearances throughout 2019 in Captain Marvel, Avengers 4, and Spider-Man: Far From Home.