The entertainment industry lost a titan on Monday as famed comic book creator Stan Lee passed away at the age of 95.
Now known primarily for the multi-billion dollar film industry built by his characters, and for his cameos in each film, Lee had his humble beginnings in Manhattan in 1922.
According to David Blatty of Biography, while attending high school, Lee worked part-time writing obituaries for a local news service, but quickly got his start as an assistant at Timely Comics. This eventually evolved into Marvel immediately after graduation. His first contribution came in 1941 inside of a “Captain America” comic, and later that year, he was appointed as Timely Comics’ editor. After returning from service in World War II, Lee began pumping out timeless comic book characters which have been a constant force in American culture for nearly a century.
The unique nature of Lee lies in the fact that his characters are beloved by multiple generations, spanning across a century. Lee’s own generation, characterized by their participation in World War II, was responsible for the conception of the comic book industry.
Today, kids go to the movie theater to see Lee’s characters in action, household names such as Spider-Man, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, The Fantastic Four and the X-Men. Most of these superheroes are a part of the Marvel Studios Cinematic Universe, a film series that has grossed over 17.5 billion dollars at the Box Office, as stated by Box Office Mojo.
Lee always stressed the importance of characterization over superpower. His characters are fantastic in nature, as are all superheroes, but he always understood the significance of a relatable character. These characters are flawed, reflections of their audience rather than ideal images.
Spider-Man makes jokes in tense situations, Iron Man struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Fantastic Four are characterized by their dysfunctional family dynamic. Their flaws make them relatable, lovable, memorable and impactful.
Lee’s characters were also ahead of their time. Diversity has always been a part of Marvel Comics. According to Ryan Mattimore of History, in 1966, amidst the civil rights movement, the Black Panther made his debut in a Fantastic Four comic. The move was controversial in nature at the time, and no one believed Marvel’s first black superhero would succeed, much less have his own movie one day which would gross over one billion dollars.
The “X-Men” comics, released just a few years earlier, have been characterized as a metaphor for the civil rights movement. Lee was also at least partially responsible for the creation of a number of prominent female superheroes, such as The Invisible Woman, The Wasp, Scarlet Witch and Black Widow.
Not only was he a champion of women and minority heroes, but also the disabled. Daredevil, who now has his own highly successful Netflix series, is blind. Professor X, the leader of the X-Men, is paralyzed.
Lee was also well known for “Stan Lee’s Soapbox,” which, according to Eric Francisco of Inverse, is a column he attached to each of his comic books from 1965 to 2001. Since his death, some of those columns have resurfaced, including those published during the civil rights movement where he calls out bigotry and racism against both African-Americans and immigrants.
The tail end of Lee’s life was characterized by controversy within his estate, as accusations of elderly abuse swirled and numerous lawsuits were filed. Most of the details behind that controversy remain unclear, but it is clear that Lee was taken advantage of, which is a shame because of everything he gave to our society.
The tales of superheroes are perhaps best described as modern American mythology, tales that captivate the child and senior adult alike. Stories that unite a college freshman like myself and his government professor are truly worth preserving. Lee’s creativity was truly a gift to mankind, and he deserves all the thanks in the world for it. Fortunately for us, his legacy will certainly live on in his characters and his humorous cameos long after his death.
Perhaps his best movie cameo came in the 2007 blockbuster “Spider-Man 3,” although it was certainly less humorous. In it, Lee plays a random pedestrian who approaches Peter Parker and unknowingly references the character’s alter ego, saying, “You know, I guess one person really can make a difference, Nuff said.”
Lee did make a difference, and a lasting one at that.
