The co-creator of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and countless others, not to mention Marvel Comics itself, has passed on. Stan Lee died in hospital today, Monday November 12, aged 95. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after an ambulance was called to his home in Hollywood Hills early this morning, where he died.
This was reported by TMZ, who were contacted by Stan’s daughter J.C. to report her father’s passing. Stan’s wife, and J.C.’s mother, Joan passed away last year. His daughter told the press, “my father loved all of his fans. He was the greatest, most decent man.” Lee had been fighting with pneumonia for most of this year, which he revealed back in February, although he suggested that it was getting better. There’s no word yet on whether that had anything to do with his passing.
Stan Lee is one of the fathers of modern comic books. He was one of the founders of Marvel Comics, and served as editor-in-chief from 1941 until 1972. He helped co-create many of the most popular comic book characters ever made, including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, the X-Men, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the whole idea of a shared comic book universe.
In modern times he became popular again with comic book fans for his many cameos. He’s appeared in pretty much every Marvel movie since 2000’s X-Men, and was supposed to have one in 1998’s Blade but was cut out. Sometimes he appeared as himself, such as in Deadpool, and he’s even played actual comic book characters he himself created, such as mailman Willie Lumpkin in the first Fantastic Four movie. This year he actually appeared in a movie for rival studio DC Comics, Teen Titans Go To The Movies. His most recent cameos include last month’s Venom movie and Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4. Reportedly he has already filmed his appearances in 2019’s Avengers 4 and Captain Marvel, which will presumably be his last.
RIP Stan Lee. Excelsior.
Image Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images
