Stan Lee, the former editor-in-chief, publisher, and chairman of Marvel Comics has died at age 95. Lee was best known for co-creating much of Marvel’s superheroes: Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Daredevil, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange, among others.
Lee’s comics career began in 1939 when the 17-year-old took an assistant job at Timely Comics, the predecessor to Marvel. Born Stanley Martin Lieber, he adopted Stan Lee as a pen name when he started writing comic book stories, and later made it his legal name.
His style of scripting — giving the artist a brief synopsis, then returning to nail down the details after the story was drawn — would later be dubbed “The Marvel Method,” and offered collaborators and co-creators like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko enormous creative input into the work.
Recent years have been tumultuous for Lee, including a bout with pneumonia, accusations of sexual misconduct, a $1 billion suit against his former company POW! Entertainment, claims that his advisors have been preying on him financially, Siri erroneously informing the world he was dead earlier this year, a bizarre report that his blood had been stolen to sign collectable comics, and the death of his wife, Joan Lee, who passed away last year after a stroke.
But Lee’s legacy and impact on the world of both comic books and entertainment remains vast, enduring and undeniable. News of his death prompted eulogies across Twitter, by everyone from Chris Evans to Elon Musk.
Twitter Reactions to Stan Lee’s Death:
Today, we pause and reflect with great sadness on the passing of Stan Lee: https://t.co/J0cwgdn677 pic.twitter.com/eOBdZAqdZ0
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) November 12, 2018
He changed the way we look at heroes, and modern comics will always bear his indelible mark. His infectious enthusiasm reminded us why we all fell in love with these stories in the first place. Excelsior, Stan.
— DC (@DCComics) November 12, 2018
Rest in peace, Stan Lee. The many worlds of imagination & delight you created for humanity will last forever.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 12, 2018
Thank you Stan Lee for making people who feel different realize they are special.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) November 12, 2018
There will never be another Stan Lee. For decades he provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship and joy. He exuded love and kindness and will leave an indelible mark on so, so, so many lives. Excelsior!!
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 12, 2018
A legend is truly gone. Here is all Stan Lee's cameo in every Marvel movie from 2008 – 2017. he will forever be missed https://t.co/ntjI6wRk85
— www.KRAKS.co (@KraksTV) November 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/IamChiefOracle/status/1062249060189564928
Today we all bow our heads in honor, respect and in remembrance for the man, the legend, the author, and Mr. Cameo, Stan Lee.
Thank you for your astonishing works, you have shaped not only mine but so many other's childhoods and for that I am forever grateful.#StanLeeForever pic.twitter.com/HCwEAyX7K9— RAJAT JAIN (@iam_rajatjain) November 13, 2018
Thank you Stan Lee for your inspirational life. I don’t know you in person but you’ve given me and the future generations of artists a world that we can explore and express creatively and superheroes that we can get inspired to be better people. May you Rest In Peace. #stanlee pic.twitter.com/EdSxRdIcdb
— Stanley Artgerm™ Lau (@Artgerm) November 13, 2018
— Stan Lee (@TheRealStanLee) November 12, 2018
