Stan Lee, the pop-culture revolutionary who co-created Marvel Comics, has died. Lee was responsible for creating such comic superheroes as Spider-Man and The Hulk.
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Stan Lee, the architect of the contemporary comic book and the co-creator of superheroes like Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and The Hulk, has died. The Marvel Comics legend was 95 years old.
The creative dynamo revolutionized comics by introducing human frailties in superheroes.
"We all grew up with giants and ogres and witches. Well, you get a little bit older and you're too old to read fairy tales. But I don't think you ever outgrow your love for those kind of things, things that are bigger than life and magical and very imaginative."
Touching lives
Lee was the top writer at Marvel Comics and later its publisher. He revived the industry in the 1960s by insisting on sophisticated plots, college-level dialogue, science fiction, satire and even philosophy.
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Millions of people around the world responded to the unlikely mix of realistic fantasy, and many of his characters, including Spider-Man, the Hulk and X-Men went on to become stars of blockbuster films.
Many actors who played his iconic heroes on the big screen expressed their condolences on social media.
"You let us be extra human... superhuman even," wrote The Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo. "I am deeply honored to have been a small part in the Stan Lee constellation."
Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in multiple X-Man films, wrote: "We’ve lost a creative genius. Stan Lee was a pioneering force in the superhero universe."
US physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson praised the scientific literacy of Lee's heroes. On Twitter, he wrote: "Born before Edwin Hubble discovered the expanding universe, he ultimately created an expanding universe of his own - one of scientifically literate superheroes such as Spider-Man , The Hulk, Iron Man, & Black Panther."
Working until the end
Recent projects he helped make possible ranged from the films "Black Panther" and "Doctor Strange" to such TV series as "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" and "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Lee died early Monday in Los Angeles at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to to Kirk Schenck, the attorney for Lee's daughter, J. C. Lee. He had suffered a number of illnesses in recent years.
Lee is survived by his daughter, Joanie. His wife of 70 years, Joan B. Lee, died last year.
Marvel Comics' Stan Lee: creator of superheroes
Stan Lee, creator of many Marvel Universe comic heroes, was born one hundred years ago on December 28, 1922. His cult creations were revisited in a book published in 2017.
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Marvel's real-life superhero: Stan Lee
Born in 1922 in New York, Stanley Martin Lieber was at the center of the Marvel universe. Although he did not establish the publishing house, he was responsible for many of its superheroes — such as the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man and the X-Men — figures that often challenge heroic archetypes. The 2017 book "The Marvel Age of Comics 1961-1978" is the perfect introduction to Lee and his work.
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The golden age of comics
Written by Marvel author and editor Roy Thomas and published by Taschen in several languages, "The Marvel Age of Comics 1961-1978" traces Stan Lee's impact on global pop culture. Its 400 pages draw readers into the world of "mighty heroes, misunderstood monsters and complex villains" in stories of fantasy, magic, and science fiction, mixing classical epic plots with modern narratives.
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'The Man' and the 'King'
Although the popularity of comics blockbusters has generated millions of new fans worldwide recently, the recently published volume intends to appease even Lee's hardcore devotes by including niche characters and stories from behind the scenes. Essays and special segments are dedicated not only to Stan "The Man" Lee but also his colleagues such as Jack "King" Kirby, who did this drawing in 1971.
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Comic legends
The book revolves around central Marvel characters: Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and the X-Men. Large illustrations and many smaller image series represent the many superhero stories Marvel's drawers and writers serve up to a mostly — but not only — younger audience in comics and films.
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The final clash
Along with Lee and Kirby, the comics artist and writer Steve Ditko was the third architect of the fantastical Marvel universe. This drawing is titled "The End ... At Last!" and is taken from the last Dr. Strange story Ditko created in July 1966.
Image: MARVEL
A last farewell
What was Stan Lee's own superpower? Perhaps his tireless attitude. The "founding father of American comics" was active until the end of his life, playing minor roles in films based on his characters in 2017 and 2018, such as "Deadpool 2" and the "Avengers" sequel. He died in November 2018 aged 95. Marvel Entertainment said a documentary exploring the life and impact of Stan Lee is due out in 2023.
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