We have some very sad, and very shocking news to share with you today, as The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee has passed away at age 95.
Responsible for creating characters like Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther and so many more, Lee was a true icon in the industry and though no cause of death has been announced yet, it’s been well documented that his health hasn’t been great over these last few years. Not to mention all the troubles he’s run into with those in his inner circle continuously trying to take advantage of him and his fortune.
Born in New York City on December 28th, 1922 to Romanian-born Jewish immigrants, Lee began working at Timely Publications in 1939, where he held small jobs like refilling ink wells and getting lunch for the staff. Eventually, though, he worked his way up to become a text filler and in 1941 at the young age of 19, he was made editor-in-chief.
Of course, Timely later became Atlas Comics and after that, Marvel Comics, which Lee ran and wrote for until 1972, when he became publisher. During his time at the company, he worked with fellow comic book legend Jack Kirby to create some of the most iconic heroes around, like the ones mentioned above as well as the X-Men, Fantastic Four and many, many others.
Stan Lee’s contributions to the industry and superheroes in general are tremendous and it’s hard to put into words just how important of a man he was for so many reasons. His loss is truly tragic and he’ll be sorely missed.
RIP Stan Lee, though you’re now gone, your legacy and creations will always live on. Thank you for everything you gave us.