Even the King of Marvel himself, Stan Lee, had a favorite DC character, and the legendary creator once admitted he wished the character had been part of the Marvel Universe. If this larger-than-life antihero had been a Marvel property, there is little doubt Lee would have found a way to give him a starring role in the MCU. Instead, the character spent more than four decades largely underutilized in DC’s lineup. Now, that long wait is finally ending, as this Stan Lee favorite is set to receive the spotlight he deserves with his cinematic live-action debut in the DCU.
The June 26, 2026, release of Supergirl is now just months away, and while fans can’t wait to see Milly Alcock take the character to the big screen, there is another iconic figure generating just as much excitement: Lobo. The Main Man has one of the most fan-approved castings in modern superhero cinema, with Jason Momoa stepping into the role. It would be hard to find a critic of this choice, as the casting feels almost like kismet.
It is worth noting that while Supergirl (2026) will mark Lobo’s first cinematic live-action debut, the character’s first live-action portrayal actually came earlier. Actor Emmett J. Scanlan played the intergalactic bounty hunter in the second season of the Syfy series Krypton (2018–2019). While that appearance was notable, Momoa’s take on the character will unfold on a far grander scale, given that this debut is happening in a major theatrical release rather than on television.
This cinematic introduction also marks DC finally giving the iconic character the limelight he deserves. A DCU debut of this scale likely would have caught Stan Lee’s attention, especially considering Lee once revealed that Lobo was his favorite DC character and shared the opinion that “[DC] never knew what to do with him.”
How DC’s Lobo Won the Heart of Marvel Legend Stan Lee
“My Favorite DC Character Is Lobo…” – Stan Lee
First appearing in Omega Men #3 and created by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen, Lobo remains one of DC’s wildest and most R-rated creations. The foul-mouthed and absurdly crude anti-villain is infamous for wiping out his entire race for fun and for being virtually immortal thanks to his healing factor and banishment from both heaven and hell. When it comes to lore, the Main Man easily stands out among DC’s impressive roster of legendary characters.
It is no surprise, then, that Lobo caught the attention of Stan Lee. In fact, it was the character’s sheer vileness that initially drew Lee to him. According to Heroic Hollywood, during a Fan Expo Q&A in Canada, Lee was asked who his favorite DC hero was, to which he responded, “My favorite DC character is Lobo, although you couldn’t call him a hero.”
Lee went even further than simply admitting Lobo was his favorite. He also revealed that he wished the Main Man had been part of the Marvel Universe, saying, “I thought [Lobo] was a character that should be a Marvel character, ’cause he was the worst human being on Earth, and he was so evil and vile and strong and ugly, and I loved him! But he belonged to DC. But they never knew what to do with him.”
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Lee’s final remark, “[DC] never knew what to do with him,” is particularly notable because it implies that Lee believed he DID know how to use Lobo properly. That statement inevitably raises the question of what might have been if Lee had been guiding the character’s comic appearances, or even shaping a version of Lobo for the MCU. Unfortunately, that is something fans will never get the chance to see.
Another thing that will remain unknown is whether Stan Lee might have changed his mind about DC not knowing what to do with Lobo after seeing the upcoming Supergirl movie; with James Gunn at the helm, it seems more likely than ever that DC could finally be on the verge of unlocking the Main Man’s true potential.
Birthdate
December 28, 1922
Birthplace
New York, New York, USA