Read The Awesome Fan Letter 'Game of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin Wrote To Marvel When He Was 15

Advertisement

George R.R. Martin, Comic Con

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Before creating "Game of Thrones," author George R.R. Martin was a huge comic book fan.

Advertisement

So much so that, in 1963, then 15-year-old Martin wrote a letter to Marvel complimenting Fantastic Four #17, saying the issue was "absolutely stupendous" and that he found it impossible to even describe it.

The letter was addressed to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel's co-creators.

Marvel responded to the young Martin's letter, writing below it: "We might as well quit while we're ahead. Thanks for your kind words, George."

Martin would later go on to tell Rolling Stone that letters like the one he sent to Marvel helped him get into writing, saying:

Advertisement

"When Marvel hit with the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, I started writing letters - all those books had letters columns - and a few of them got printed. In those days when they printed your letter they put your whole address in it. People started seeing my address and I got letters from other comic fans around the country, and I started getting fanzines. Then I thought, 'Hey, I could write something for these fanzines. They're pretty bad; I could write something just as good as that.' I did, then my stuff started getting published."

Marvel recently posted Martin's original 1963 letter to their site. Check it out below:

George R.R. Martin letter to Stan Lee

Marvel Comics