Stan ‘the man’ Lee leaves mark on comic culture
by Lydia Gee
graphics by Alan Guardado & Akina Nishi
Stanley Martin Lieber, Marvel Comics writer, editor, and publisher passed away Nov. 12 at the age of 95.
The day marked a loss in the comic book and media industry.
Lieber, the “Einstein” of heroic mythology, was born and raised in proximity to the comic homes of Peter Parker and Tony Stark themselves: New York City. Hired by Timely Comics at the age of 17, the revered Lee began his life-long career in the comics industry as the office “go-for,” although according to biography.com, throughout the next 20 years he moved up the workplace ladder. He displayed his writing skills and creativity in the Timely publication, gaining attention under his newly legalized name: Stan Lee.
With Timely Comics renamed as Marvel Comics in 1961, Lee was selected to create a new series in which he debuted the Fantastic Four and began his influence on the supernatural world of heroism. From this came his collection of compelling characters and storylines: Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Panther and more.
Lee’s creative formulas for each character inspired the world of modern entertainment and established his enduring legacy. “Entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain people, you’re doing a good thing,” said Lee in an interview with The Washington Post.
Producing the icons of Marvel comic books for more than four decades, Lee’s heroes eventually assembled off of their traditional paper origins to defend their worlds on a digital level, as they moved into television series and movie productions. According to syfy.com, Lee decided to move to California in the late 1980s, aspiring to expand “Marvel’s vast library of characters and stories” on screen.
Based on data found on ranker.com, Marvel Cinematic Universe secures the tenth place out of 125 competitors in a poll called “Best Movie Franchises.” The countless stories of adventure behind Lee’s heroes and villains could not be ignored by the movie industry. As a result, some characters, individually or as a cadre, were given their own franchise: Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man and Iron Man.
This new attention Marvel received as a result of movies was the product of Lee’s ambition and dedication to bring his comics to life.He was the creator and co-creator for some of the most iconic Marvel personalities, adored by both comic fanatics and movie buffs of every age and demographic.
It is certain that the legacy of Stan “The Man” Lee lives on through his comics, characters and stories.