To give him credit, he did save comics by bringing superheroes back as horror comics were being eliminated by the Comics Code Authority.
Stan and Jack just applied what they'd developed in the romance and giant monster comics, which was soap opera for involvement, and giant splash panels for impact, and Stan's obsession with classic lit.
That, and Stan's Rules from his Reader's Digest article from 1947:
1. Write an interesting beginning to the story.
2. Use smooth continuity from panel to panel.
3. Use realistic dialogue because it creates good characterisation.
4. Maintain suspense throughout.
5. Provide a satisfying ending.
The writers these days, with their meandering, alt-lit, blog-style writing, really ought to put those motherfucking rules up on their wall. Or at least on their screen background or something.
Say what you want about Stan, huckster he may be, but the son of a bitch understands story structure.