alt Hacker News>Stan Lee probably had more influence than Walt Disney in terms of how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees us.
Seriously doubt it.
Both "how Americans see themselves and how people around the world sees them" was established way before both the MCU and before superhero comics became anything else than a preoccupation of the nerdy niche.
In the 60s, and 70s, and 80s, few fucks were given around the world for the Marvel comic universe (they still sold somewhat, just not that important culturally), and it was definitely not how people got to perceive the US: hollywood, the western, rock n' roll, all those were 100x more important. And Disney was way more important than Marvel at the time too.
What work of Disney (company, not the man per se...) is more influential on the modern American Psyche (today, in 2026) than Ironman, X-Men or Spiderman?
Moana? Sleeping Beauty? Mickey Mouse?
The only major "American identity" film I can think of was Princess and the Frog. Maybe Big Hero 6 (at least the San Francisco half).
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The others are correct in that Mark Twain is probably the real answer. But I'm thinking of a modern media (film, comic books, etc. etc).
Maybe Wicked and Wizard of Oz counts as two sides of American culture. A push and counter push.
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Sleeping Beauty? That's French. Beauty and the Beast? Also French.
Great Mouse Detective? British. Alice in Wonderland? British.
Pinocchio? Italian.