This week, the world lost its very own Uncle Ben: the mighty Stan Lee. The creator of the Marvel Universe died at the age of 95 on Monday. Two of our writers tell us what he meant to them…
“That image is the face and the heart of Marvel comics, and always will be.”
Stan meant a lot of things to a whole bunch of people, including myself, due to the incredible legacy he has left behind. It is often stated that he “created Marvel”, which can be seen as both an overstatement and an over-simplification. But to me, the measure of a man lies not in how much he has accomplished, but how well he did it – and few have ever lived a life as fantastic as Stan.
The truth is, Stan Lee shaped and transformed the pre-existing Marvel into what we recognise today. When Marvel Comics #1 was published under Timely Comics in 1939, Stan Lee was but a humble office assistant. It wasn’t until ’41 that creative control began to fall into his hands, and it would still take another two decades for his ideas to truly take form.
Alongside artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko (the latter of which also passed away this year), Stan Lee conceived some of the greatest and most iconic characters of all time. There’s always been a bit of a dispute over who had the biggest hand in creating each hero, but it is undeniable that Stan was the man who gave each of them a voice.
When writing Spider-Man, Stan gave us what I consider to be the definitive superhero quote: “With great power, comes great responsibility”. Those six words will forever be carved into the minds of comic readers, moviegoers and even those with little interest in the genre. The “Spider-Mantra” is but one of copious examples of Lee’s invincible eloquence – and those who have met him attest he spoke like that in person, too!
Which leads onto my next point: Stan was one hell of a character. He’s the one writer that everybody knows, attributed entirely to his amazing personality. Whether it’s from his timeless talks in “Stan’s Soapbox” or those cameos we all look forward to in the movies, you have an image of what Stan was like. That image is the face and the heart of Marvel comics, and always will be.
I’ve been bracing myself for Stan’s departure since his wife Joan passed away last year, pondering what I could possibly write to do justice to such a beloved figure. Yet, despite my preparation, it just feels so uncanny that he’s actually gone. All we can do is reminisce about the astonishing works he contributed towards, and look forward to what’s in store for his creations in the future. Excelsior, Stan.
By Jamie Morris
“Stan Lee taught us that there is a hero in all of us.”
A great man once said: “I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives.
“Without it, they might go off the deep end. I feel if you’re able to entertain people, you’re doing a good thing.” And that man, of course, was Stan Lee.
Stan Lee was one of those people who come around once every thousand years, a true hero to many people around the world. If you haven’t heard of Stan Lee, I can guarantee that you have heard of the characters he was responsible for creating, those that are known worldwide and in the forefront of film and box office in the present day such as Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Avengers (the list goes on). His creativity gave birth to the Marvel Universe and a plethora of comic narratives spanning over fifty years, starting when the rebrand of “Atlas Comics” transformed into “Marvel Comics”, introducing The Fantastic Four and Spider-Man to the world in 1962, which are iconic to this day.
His storytelling was capable of creating fantasies and universes by which people could lose themselves in, from characters like billionaire Tony Stark, to teenagers like Peter Parker and those of a smaller scale, like Hank Pym. To Stan Lee, they were the product of imagination and creativity, but to us, they are heroes
I first found out who Stan Lee was while playing the PlayStation 1 game, Spider-Man (2000), listening to the man himself narrate the story that was about to unfold before me. Intrigued at the passion in his voice and the excitement it brought was thrilling to me; I was about to dive a narrative full of “Twists and turns, thrills and chills”, and I was hooked.
Since then, Peter Parker has been both my favourite fictional character and a role model whom I look up to in life, who always does the right thing regardless of the cost. Stan Lee taught us that there is a hero in all of us, that keeps us strong and drives us to do the right thing, regardless of the consequences.
So, when I received a Facebook message from my friend on 12th November 2018 at 18:55 stating he had passed away, I was in utter disbelief.
In his Spider-Man 3 (2007) cameo, he states “you know, I guess one person can make a difference”, and it’s fitting enough that he said it himself as Stan Lee leaves behind legacies that those can only dream of. He gave happiness to those that would be so much worse without him and stories that will last forever. He was a legend among Gods and will not be forgotten. Rest in peace Stan Lee, you had an amazing run.
‘Nuff said.
By Adam Fixter