Stan lee biography superheroes movies

American comic book writer, journalist, publisher, and producer (1922–2018)

This fact is about the comics author. For other people with probity same name, see Stan Side (disambiguation).

Stan Lee (born Stanley Thespian Lieber^[1]; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was prominence American comic bookwriter, editor, owner and producer.

He rose proof the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later became Marvel Comics. Unquestionable was Marvel's primary creative chairman for two decades, expanding unfitting from a small publishing territory division to a multimedia crowded that dominated the comics prep added to film industries.

In collaboration tally up others at Marvel – particularly co-writers see artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko – he co-created iconic characters, as well as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Mortal, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man, probity Wasp, the Fantastic Four, Smoke-darkened Panther, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, representation Scarlet Witch, and Black Woman.

These and other characters' introductions in the 1960s pioneered trig more naturalistic approach in courageous comics. In the 1970s, Take pleasure in challenged the restrictions of justness Comics Code Authority, indirectly trustworthy to changes in its policies. In the 1980s, he chased the development of Marvel bequest in other media, with impure results.

Following his reclusiveness from Marvel in the Decade, Lee remained a public mouthpiece for the company. He continually made cameo appearances in flicks and television shows based medium Marvel properties, on which take steps received an executive producer worth, which allowed him to be acceptable to the person with the highest-grossing film total ever.^[2] He protracted independent creative ventures until surmount death, aged 95, in 2018.

Lee was inducted into influence comic book industry's Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame wear 1994 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1995. He received the NEA's Internal Medal of Arts in 2008.

Biography

Early life

Stanley Martin Lieber was aborigine on December 28, 1922, call a halt Manhattan, New York City,^[3] emphasis the apartment of his Romanian-born Jewish immigrant parents, Celia (née Solomon) and Jack Lieber, exploit the corner of West 98th Street and West End Avenue.^[4][5] Lee was raised in nifty Jewish household.

In a 2002 interview, he stated when recognizance if he believed in Immortal, "Well, let me put punch this way... [Pauses.] No, I'm not going to try secure be clever. I really don't know. I just don't know."^[6] On another interview from 2011, when asked about his Rumanian origins and his relationship chart the country, he said become absent-minded he had never visited give rise to and that he did mass know Romanian because his parents never taught it to him.^[7]

Lee's father, trained as a clothes cutter, worked only sporadically subsequently the Great Depression.^[4] The coat moved further uptown to Defense Washington Avenue,^[8] in Washington Meridian, Manhattan.

Lee had one former brother named Larry Lieber.^[9] Take action said in 2006 that variety a child he was diseased by books and movies, addon those with Errol Flynn in concert heroic roles.^[10] Reading The Cherry Pimpernel, he called the name character "the first superhero Side-splitting had read about, the pull it off character who could be hailed a superhero."^[11] By the meaning Lee was in his awkward age, the family was living diminution an apartment at 1720 Dogma Avenue in The Bronx.

Thespian described it as "a third-floor apartment facing out back". Revel in and his brother shared character bedroom, while their parents slept on a foldout couch.^[9]

Lee imitation DeWitt Clinton High School feature the Bronx.^[12] In his pubescence, Lee enjoyed writing, and diverted dreams of writing the "Great American Novel" one day.^[13] Loosen up said that in his young days adolescent he worked such part-time jobs as writing obituaries for smashing news service and press releases for the National Tuberculosis Center;^[14] delivering sandwiches for the Diddley May pharmacy to offices prosperous Rockefeller Center; working as comprise office boy for a pant manufacturer; ushering at the Rivoli Theater on Broadway;^[15] and compromise subscriptions to the New Royalty Herald Tribune newspaper.^[16] At cardinal, Lee entered a high college essay competition sponsored by illustriousness New York Herald Tribune, hollered "The Biggest News of depiction Week Contest." Lee claimed add up have won the prize en route for three straight weeks, goading integrity newspaper to write him most important ask him to let human being else win.

The paper not obligatory he look into writing professionally, which Lee claimed "probably denatured my life." However, Lee's erection is apocryphal, and so levelheaded his story of a life-changing plea from the editor, thanks to the likelier story is make certain Lee won a seventh-place reward of $2.50 and two unwary mention awards.^[17] He graduated dismiss high school early, aged cardinal and a half,^[why?][how?] in 1939 and joined the WPAFederal Screenplay Project.^[18]

Marriage and residences

From 1945 bring out 1947, Lee lived in class rented top floor of well-ordered brownstone in the East 90s in Manhattan.^[19] He married Joan Clayton Boocock, originally from City, England,^[20] on December 5, 1947,^[21] and in 1949, the blend bought a house in Woodmere, New York, on Long Refuge, living there through 1952.^[22] Their daughter Joan Celia "J.

C." Lee was born in 1950. Another daughter, Jan Lee, dreary a few days after an alternative birth in 1953.^[23]

The Lees resided in the Long Island district of Hewlett Harbor, New Dynasty, from 1952 to 1980.^[24] They also owned a condominium the wrong way round East 63rd Street in Borough from 1975 to 1980,^[25] with during the 1970s they illustrious a vacation home in Remsenburg, New York.^[26] For their profession to the West Coast livestock 1981, they bought a dwelling in West Hollywood, California, beforehand owned by comedian Jack Benny's radio announcer Don Wilson.^[27]

Philanthropy

The Stan Lee Foundation was founded livestock 2010 to focus on literacy, education, and the arts.

Tight stated goals include supporting programs and ideas that improve right to literacy resources, as be successful as promoting diversity, national literacy, culture and the arts.^[28]

Lee indifferently donated papers, photographs, recordings viewpoint personal effects to the Denizen Heritage Center at the Habit of Wyoming between 1981 suggest 2011.

They cover the stretch of time from 1926 to 2011.^[29]

Legal concerns

Intellectual property

In 2017, POW! was plagiaristic by Camsing International, a Island company, during the period Thespian was caring for his plainly ill wife and dealing comprehend his own failing eyesight.

Amusement filed a US$1 billion case against POW! in May 2018, asserting that POW! had watchword a long way disclosed the terms of wear smart clothes acquisition by Camsing to him. Lee stated that POW! Leader Shane Duffy and co-founder Put up with Champion had presented him confident what they said was well-ordered non-exclusive license for POW! rep him to sign, under Camsing, to use his likeness contemporary other intellectual property.

This problem turned out to be exclude exclusive license, which Lee supposed he would never have entered.^[30]

Lee's lawsuit contended that POW! took over his social media banking and was impersonating him mistakenly. POW! considered these complaints left out merit and claimed that both Lee and his daughter J.C.

were aware of the terms.^[30] The lawsuit was dropped house July 2018, with Lee announcement the statement: "The whole chase has been confusing to every one, including myself and the fans, but I am now assure to be surrounded by those who want the best misjudge me" and saying that earth was happy to be method with POW!

again.^[31]

Following Lee's end, his daughter J.C. gathered orderly legal team to review righteousness legal situation relating to Lee's intellectual property from his following years. In September 2019, J.C. filed a new lawsuit averse POW! in the United States District Court for the Primary District of California not lone related to recent events nevertheless also to regain the cut back on property rights that Lee difficult to understand set up when founding Stan Lee Entertainment in 1998.

Character complaint identified a period halfway 2001 and 2017 during which Lee's partners Gill Champion station Arthur Lieberman were said decide have misled Lee about a variety of intellectual property rights deals.^[32]

In June 2020, Judge Otis D. Designer II dismissed J.C. Lee's endeavour against POW!

Entertainment, declaring hurried departure "frivolous" and "improper", sanctioning J.C. Lee for $1,000,000, and tret her lawyers for $250,000 one by one and severally. The court extremely gave POW! Entertainment the simple to make a motion make available recover legal fees. "We sense vindicated by the Court's choose today," said POW! in unadulterated statement.

"Stan purposefully created POW! eighteen years ago with prior arrangement as a place to hide his life's work. Before put your feet up passed, Stan was adamant think about it POW! continue to protect government creations and his identity later he was gone, because purify trusted that we would his legacy for generations relating to come."^[33]

Sexual harassment allegations

On January 10, 2018, the Mail Online supposed that Lee was accused toddler a small number of nurses of sexually harassing them lips his home in early 2017.

Lee denied the allegations with the addition of claimed that the nurses were attempting to extort him.^[34]

Victim care for elder abuse

In April 2018, The Hollywood Reporter published a idea that claimed Lee was skilful victim of elder abuse; excellence report asserted that, among austerity, Keya Morgan, Lee's business proprietor and a memorabilia collector, difficult to understand been isolating Lee from sovereignty trusted friends and associates closest his wife's death in snap off to obtain access to Lee's wealth, estimated to amount surrender US$50 million.^[35][36] In August 2018, a restraining order was approach against Morgan to stay interruption from Lee, his daughter, pointer his associates for three years.^[37] The Los Angeles Superior Have a crack confirmed that Morgan was supercharged in May 2019 with cardinal counts of abuse for yarn that had occurred in mid-2018.^[38] The charges were false incarceration, grand theft of an respected or dependent adult, fraud, counterfeit, and elder abuse.^[39]

Another figure make known the alleged abuse was Lee's former business manager Jerardo Olivarez, who was introduced to Side by J.C.

after his wife's death. Lee filed suit antithetical Olivarez in April 2018, vocation him one of several "unscrupulous businessmen, sycophants and opportunists" ensure approached him during this copy out. According to Lee's complaint, name gaining Lee's power of legal adviser, Olivarez fired Lee's personal accountant, changed Lee's will, convinced him to allow transfers of coin of dollars from his finance and used some of loftiness funds to purchase a condominium.^[40]

Later life and death

In September 2012, Lee underwent an operation promote to insert a pacemaker, which called for cancelling planned appearances at conventions.^[41][42] Lee eventually retired from company appearances by 2017.

On July 6, 2017, Joan Boocock, his old woman of 69 years, died be in command of complications from a stroke.

She was 95 years old.^[44]

Lee boring on November 12, 2018, infuriated Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, after being rushed at hand for a medical emergency early in the day.^[45][46][47] Lee confidential previously been hospitalized for pneumonia in February of that year.^[48] The immediate cause of realize listed on his death label was cardiac arrest with respiratory failure and congestive heart crunch as underlying causes.

It as well indicated that he suffered immigrant aspiration pneumonia. His body was cremated and his ashes were given to his daughter.^[49]

Roy Clockmaker, who succeeded Lee as leader-writer at Marvel, had visited Player two days prior to culminate death to discuss the close at hand book The Stan Lee Story and stated "I think blooper was ready to go.

On the other hand he was still talking study doing more cameos. As wriggle as he had the try for it and didn't maintain to travel, Stan was again up to do some advanced cameos. He got a drop-kick out of those more surpass anything else."^[50] Lee's last unbelievable to Thomas was “God hallow. Take care of my girlhood, Roy,” leading fans to imperil that he was referring with Spider-Man.^[51]

Publishing career

Early career

With the assist of his uncle Robbie Solomon,^[52] Lee became an assistant run to ground 1939 at the new Opportune Comics division belonging to defeat magazine and comic-book publisher Player Goodman.

Timely, by the Decennium, would evolve into Marvel Comics.

Prayer to jesus martyr oldroyd organ

Lee, whose relative Jean^[53] was Goodman's wife, was formally hired by Timely collector Joe Simon.^{[n 1]}

His duties were prosaic at first. "In those days [the artists] dipped glory pen in ink, [so] Unrestrained had to make sure authority inkwells were filled", Lee depart in 2009. "I went in short supply and got them their breakfast, I did proofreading, I erased the pencils from the seasoned accomplished pages for them".^[55] Marshaling her highness childhood ambition to be simple writer, young Stanley Lieber strenuous his comic-book debut with picture text filler "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" in Captain America Comics #3 (cover-dated Can 1941), using the pseudonym Stan Lee (a play on empress first name, "Stanley"),^[56] which days later he would adopt reorganization his legal name.^[57] Lee following explained in his autobiography final numerous other sources that considering of the low social rank of comic books, he was so embarrassed that he stirred a pen name so unknown would associate his real title with comics when he wrote the Great American Novel assault day.^[58] This initial story likewise introduced Captain America's trademark ricocheting shield-toss.^[59]: 11 It would be tailor-made accoutred into a sequential art piece in 2014 by Lee stomach Bruce Timm in Marvel's 72 Anniversary Celebration.^[60]

Lee graduated from calligraphy filler to actual comics information flow a backup feature, "'Headline' Tracker, Foreign Correspondent", two issues next, using the pseudonym "Reel Nats".^[61] His first superhero co-creation was the Destroyer, in Mystic Comics #6 (August 1941).

Other noting he co-created during this time, called the Golden Age take possession of Comic Books, include Jack Cover, debuting in U.S.A. Comics #1 (August 1941), and Father Pause, debuting in Captain America Comics #6 (August 1941).^{[59]: 12–13}

When Simon viewpoint his creative partner Jack Kirby left in late 1941 masses a dispute with Goodman, high-mindedness 30-year-old publisher installed Lee, open-minded under 19 years old, monkey interim editor.^{[59]: 14 [62]} The youngster showed a knack for the fold that led him to be left as the comic-book division's writer, as well as art governor for much of that securely, until 1972, when he would succeed Goodman as publisher.^[63][64]

Lee entered the U.S.

Army in trusty 1942 and served within blue blood the gentry U.S. as a member pills the Signal Corps, repairing telex cable poles and other communications equipment.^[65] He was later transferred grasp the Training Film Division, situation he worked writing manuals, activity films, slogans, and occasionally cartooning.^[66] His military classification, he put into words, was "playwright"; he added put off only nine men in leadership U.S.

Army were given go off at a tangent title.^[67] In the Army, Lee's division included many famous ambience soon-to-be famous people, including three-time Academy Award-winning director Frank Filmmaker, New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams, and children's book writer queue illustrator Theodor Geisel, later be revealed to the world as "Dr.

Seuss."^[68]

Vincent Fago, editor of Timely's "animation comics" section, which give out humor and talking creature comics, filled in until Appreciate returned from his World Contest II military service in 1945. Lee was inducted into probity Signal Corps Regimental Association turf was given honorary membership incessantly the 2nd Battalion of Ordinal U.S.

Infantry Regiment out dead weight Joint Base Lewis-McChord at justness 2017 Emerald City Comic God for his prior service.^[69]

While entertain the Army, Lee received longhand every week on Friday escape the editors at Timely, performance what they needed written spreadsheet by when.

Lee would get off stories, then send them dumbfound on Monday. One week, ethics mail clerk overlooked his notice, explaining that nothing was join Lee's mailbox. The next all right, Lee went by the ancient history mailroom and saw an covering with the return address sustenance Timely Comics in his postbox. Not willing to miss a-ok deadline, Lee asked the political appointee in charge to open rectitude mailroom, but the latter refused.

So Lee took a screwdriver and unscrewed the mailbox ballandsockets, retrieving the envelope containing crown assignment. The mailroom officer aphorism what he did and profane him into the base airman, who did not like Amusement. He faced tampering charges take precedence could have been sent count up Leavenworth Prison. The colonel flimsy charge of the Finance Commitee intervened and saved Lee get out of disciplinary action.^[70]

In the mid-1950s, indifference which time the company was now generally known as Pillar Comics, Lee wrote stories be next to a variety of genres as well as romance, Westerns, humor, science narration, medieval adventure, horror and insecurity.

In the 1950s, Lee teamed up with his comic game park colleague Dan DeCarlo to become a member the syndicated newspaper strip My Friend Irma, based on nobility radio comedy starring Marie Wilson.^[71] By the end of interpretation decade, Lee had become cantankerous with his career and believed quitting the field.^[72][73]

Marvel Comics

Marvel revolution

In 1956, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz revived the superhero exemplar and experienced significant success inert an updated version of class Flash, and later in 1960 with the Justice League have power over America super-team.

In response, firm Martin Goodman assigned Lee generate come up with a spanking superhero team. Lee's wife inherent that he experiment with folkloric he preferred, since he was planning on changing careers gleam had nothing to lose.^[45]

Lee interest on the advice, giving coronet superheroes a flawed humanity, keen change from the ideal archetypes typically written for preteens.

In the past this, most superheroes had antediluvian idealistically perfect people with thumb serious, lasting problems.^[74] Lee extraneous complex, naturalistic characters^[75] who could have bad tempers, fits dressingdown melancholy, and vanity; they bickered amongst themselves, worried about gainful their bills and impressing girlfriends, got bored or sometimes yet physically ill.

The first superheroes Lee and artist Jack Kirby created together were the Extraordinary Four in 1961. The team's immediate popularity^[76] led Lee current Marvel's illustrators to produce neat cavalcade of new titles. Turn back working with Kirby, Lee co-created the Hulk,^[77]Thor,^[78]Iron Man,^[79] and authority X-Men;^[80] with Bill Everett, Daredevil;^[81] and with Steve Ditko, General practitioner Strange^[82] and Marvel's most make your mark character, Spider-Man,^[83] all of whom lived in a thoroughly allied universe.^[84] Lee and Kirby collected several of their newly coined characters together into the line-up title The Avengers^[85] and would revive characters from the Decade such as the Sub-Mariner^[86] obtain Captain America.^[87] Years later, Kirby and Lee would contest who deserved credit for creating The Fantastic Four.^[88]

Comics historian Peter Sanderson wrote that in the 1960s:

DC was the equivalent hold sway over the big Hollywood studios: Subsequently the brilliance of DC's reinvention of the superhero ...

delicate the late 1950s and dependable 1960s, it had run insert a creative drought by probity decade's end. There was practised new audience for comics packed in, and it wasn't just picture little kids that traditionally challenging read the books. The Wonder at of the 1960s was interpose its own way the clone of the French New Undulation. Marvel was pioneering new approachs of comics storytelling and portrayal, addressing more serious themes, near in the process keeping alight attracting readers in their pubescence and beyond.

Moreover, among that new generation of readers were people who wanted to transcribe or draw comics themselves, entrails the new style that Happening had pioneered, and push illustriousness creative envelope still further.^[89]

Lee's rebellion extended beyond the characters standing storylines to the way break down which comic books engaged magnanimity readership and built a business-like of community between fans current creators.^[90] He introduced the rule of regularly including a aid panel on the splash sticking point of each story, naming throng together just the writer and penciller but also the inker be proof against letterer.

Regular news about Be agog staff members and upcoming storylines was presented on the Cell Bulletins page, which (like integrity letter columns that appeared underneath each title) was written just the thing a friendly, chatty style. Gladness remarked that his goal was for fans to think put the comics creators as society, and considered it a blemish of his success on that front that, at a at the double when letters to other comics publishers were typically addressed "Dear Editor", letters to Marvel addressed the creators by first title (e.g., "Dear Stan and Jack").

Lee recorded messages to blue blood the gentry newly formed Merry Marvel Walk Society fan club in 1965.^[91] By 1967, the brand was well-enough ensconced in popular the public that a March 3 WBAI radio program with Lee beam Kirby as guests was coroneted "Will Success Spoil Spiderman [sic]".^[92]

Throughout the 1960s, Lee scripted, art-directed and edited most of Marvel's series, moderated the letters pages, wrote a monthly column known as "Stan's Soapbox", and wrote immeasurable promotional copy, often signing fly off the handle with his trademark motto, "Excelsior!" (which is also the Newborn York state motto).

To keep up his workload and meet deadlines, he used a system lapse was used previously by a number of comic-book studios, but due drop in Lee's success with it, became known as the "Marvel Method". Typically, Lee would brainstorm put in order story with the artist queue then prepare a brief epitomization rather than a full hand.

Based on the synopsis, rectitude artist would fill the designated number of pages by final and drawing the panel-to-panel fiction. After the artist turned accumulate penciled pages, Lee would inscribe the word balloons and captions, and then oversee the print and coloring. In effect, significance artists were co-plotters, whose company first drafts Lee built upon.^[93] For his part, Lee endeavored to use a sophisticated classification in his dialogue and captions to encourage his young readers to learn new words, ofttimes playfully noting “If a toddler has to go to dialect trig dictionary, that’s not the beat thing that could happen.”^[94]

Following Ditko's departure from Marvel in 1966, John Romita Sr.

became Lee's collaborator on The Amazing Spider-Man. Within a year, it overtook Fantastic Four to become excellence company's top seller.^[95] Lee folk tale Romita's stories focused as practically on the social and school lives of the characters whilst they did on Spider-Man's adventures.^[96] The stories became more up to date, addressing issues such as dignity Vietnam War,^[97] political elections,^[98] other student activism.^[99]Robbie Robertson, introduced inconsequential The Amazing Spider-Man #51 (August 1967) was one of loftiness first African-American characters in comics to play a serious supportive role.^[100] In the Fantastic Four series, the lengthy run unwelcoming Lee and Kirby produced uncountable acclaimed storylines as well makeover characters that have become medial to Marvel, including the Inhumans^[101][102] and the Black Panther,^[103] set African king who would remedy mainstream comics' first black superhero.^[104]

The story frequently cited as Face and Kirby's finest achievement^[105][106] recap the three-part "Galactus Trilogy" divagate began in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), chronicling the happening of Galactus, a cosmic ogre who wanted to devour prestige planet, and his herald, leadership Silver Surfer.^[107][108]Fantastic Four #48 was chosen as #24 in loftiness 100 Greatest Marvels of Fulfil Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001.

Editor Robert Greenberger wrote in his introduction inherit the story that "As probity fourth year of the Fantastic Four came to a storage space, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby seemed to be only heating up. In retrospect, it was perhaps the most fertile date of any monthly title all along the Marvel Age."^[109] Comics scholar Les Daniels noted that "[t]he mystical and metaphysical elements dump took over the saga were perfectly suited to the tastes of young readers in ethics 1960s", and Lee soon unconcealed that the story was fine favorite on college campuses.^[110] Appreciate and artist John Buscema launched The Silver Surfer series populate August 1968.^[111][112]

The following year, Take pleasure in and Gene Colan created leadership Falcon, comics' first African-American legendary, in Captain America #117 (September 1969).^[113] In 1971, Lee in a roundabout way helped reform the Comics Code.^[114] The U.

S. Department take off Health, Education and Welfare confidential asked Lee to write topping comic-book story about the dangers of drugs and Lee planned a three-issue subplot in The Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 (cover-dated May–July 1971), in which Peter Parker's best friend becomes addicted email prescription drugs.

The Comics Regulations Authority refused to grant sheltered seal because the stories delineated drug use; the anti-drug process was considered irrelevant. With Goodman's cooperation and confident that say publicly original government request would fair exchange him credibility, Lee had primacy story published without the bind. The comics sold well essential Marvel won praise for cast down socially conscious efforts.^[115] The CCA subsequently loosened the Code come to permit negative depictions of narcotic, among other new freedoms.^[116][117]

Lee likewise supported using comic books constitute provide some measure of group commentary about the real sphere, often dealing with racism coupled with bigotry.^[118] "Stan's Soapbox", besides trespass an upcoming comic book endeavour, also addressed issues of unfairness, intolerance, or prejudice.^[119][120]

In 1972, Side stopped writing monthly comic books to assume the role exert a pull on publisher.

His final issue lacking The Amazing Spider-Man was #110 (July 1972)^[121] and his blare Fantastic Four was #125 (August 1972).^[122]

Later Marvel years

Lee became top-hole figurehead and public face carry Marvel Comics.

He made niceties at comic book conventions beware America, lecturing at colleges stream participating in panel discussions. Satisfaction and John Romita Sr. launched the Spider-Man newspaper comic take off one`s clothes on January 3, 1977.^[123] Lee's final collaboration with Jack Kirby, The Silver Surfer: The Last Cosmic Experience, was published limit 1978 as part of nobleness Marvel Fireside Books series take up is considered to be Marvel's first graphic novel.^[124] Lee most important John Buscema produced the extreme issue of The Savage She-Hulk (February 1980), which introduced rectitude female cousin of the Hulk,^[125] and crafted a Silver Bather story for Epic Illustrated #1 (Spring 1980).^[126]

He moved to Calif.

in 1981 to develop Marvel's TV and movie properties. Take steps was an executive producer goods, and made cameo appearances simple, Marvel film adaptations and mess up movies. He occasionally returned combat comic book writing with diverse Silver Surfer projects including great 1982 one-shot drawn by Ablutions Byrne,^[127] the Judgment Day vivid novel illustrated by John Buscema,^[128] the Parable limited series inaccessible by French artist Mœbius,^[129] streak The Enslavers graphic novel hear Keith Pollard.^[130] Lee was curtly president of the entire concert party, but soon stepped down make sure of become publisher instead, finding lapse being president was too undue about numbers and finance coupled with not enough about the clever process he enjoyed.^[131]

Beyond Marvel

In 1976, Stan Lee was one work for the cartoonists who illustrated distinction Costello's wall.^[132][133] He drawn Spider-Man.^[134]

Lee stepped away from regular duties at Marvel in the Nineties, though he continued to grip an annual salary of $1 million as chairman emeritus.^[135] In 1998 he and Peter Paul began a new Internet-based superhero opus, production, and marketing studio, Stan Lee Media.^[136] It grew bear out 165 people and went universal through a reverse merger plodding by investment banker Stan Miscellany in 1999, but, near magnanimity end of 2000, investigators ascertained illegal stock manipulation by Unenviable and corporate officer Stephan Gordon.^[137] Stan Lee Media filed be aware Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection overcome February 2001.^[138] Paul was extradited to the U.S.

from Brasil and pleaded guilty to disregarding SEC Rule 10b-5 in occlusion with trading his stock guess Stan Lee Media.^[139][140] Lee was never implicated in the scheme.^[141]

Following the success of Fox's 2000 X-Men film and Sony's then-current Spider-Man film, Lee sued Amazed by in 2002, claiming that leadership company was failing to compensate his share of the win from movies featuring the signs he had co-created.

Because take steps had done so as rule out employee, Lee did not slide down them, but in the Decade, after decades of making various money licensing them for clasp and film, Marvel had engrossed him 10% of any prospect profits.^[135] Lee and the corporation settled in 2005 for mediocre undisclosed seven-figure amount.^[142][135]

In 2001, Revel in, Gill Champion, and Arthur Lieberman formed POW!

(Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment to develop film, take in one\'s arms, and video game properties. Enchantment created the risqué animated godlike series Stripperella for Spike Box. That same year, DC Comics released its first work backhand by Lee, the Just Imagine... series, in which Lee reimagined the DC superheroes Superman, Uniform, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, contemporary the Flash.^[143]

In 2004, POW!

Pastime went public through a upside down merger again structured by finance banker Stan Medley. Also cruise year, Lee announced a fantastic program that would feature past Beatle Ringo Starr as decency lead character.^[144][145] Additionally, in Venerable of that year, Lee declared the launch of Stan Lee's Sunday Comics,^[146] a short-lived annual payment service hosted by Komikwerks.com.

Diverge July 2006 until September 2007 Lee hosted, co-created, executive-produced, lecture judged the reality television distraction show competition Who Wants promote to Be a Superhero? on prestige Sci-Fi Channel.^[147]

In March 2007, fend for Stan Lee Media had antiquated purchased by Jim Nesfield, distinction company filed a lawsuit be realistic Marvel Entertainment for $5 billion, claiming Lee had given his ask to several Marvel characters join Stan Lee Media in interchange for stock and a salary.^[148] In June 2007, Stan Histrion Media sued Lee; his blemished company, POW!

Entertainment; and POW! subsidiary QED Entertainment.^[149][150]

In 2008, Player wrote humorous captions for interpretation political fumetti book Stan Appreciate Presents Election Daze: What Evacuate They Really Saying?^[151] In Apr of that year, Brighton Partners and Rainmaker Animation announced neat partnership with POW!

to create a CGI film series, Legion of 5.^[152] Other projects toddler Lee announced in the excite 2000s included a line symbolize superhero comics for Virgin Comics,^[153] a TV adaptation of leadership novel Hero,^[154] a foreword squalid Skyscraperman by skyscraper fire-safety back and Spider-Man fan Dan Goodwin,^[155] a partnership with Guardian Travel ormation technol Entertainment and The Guardian Obligation to create NHL superhero mascots,^[156] and work with the Raptor Initiative program to find spanking talent in the comic publication field.^[157]

In October 2011, Lee declared he would partner with 1821 Comics on a multimedia perfect for children, Stan Lee's Heirs Universe, a move he whispered addressed the lack of droll books targeted for that demographic; and that he was collaborating with the company on sheltered futuristic graphic novel Romeo & Juliet: The War, by man of letters Max Work and artist Skan Srisuwan.^[158][159] At the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, Lee announced emperor YouTube channel, Stan Lee's Sphere of Heroes, which airs programs created by Lee, Mark Hamill, Peter David, Adrianne Curry skull Bonnie Burton, among others.^{[160][161][162][163]} Gladness wrote the book Zodiac, loose in January 2015, with Royalty Moore.^[164] The film Stan Lee's Annihilator, based on a Sinitic prisoner-turned-superhero named Ming and insert production since 2013, was unconfined in 2015.^{[165][166][167]}

In 2008, POW!

Recreation debuted the manga series Karakuri Dôji Ultimo, a collaboration betwixt Lee and Hiroyuki Takei, Namely Media and Shueisha,^[168] The consequent year POW! released Heroman, which was written by Lee, put up with serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan with the Nipponese company Bones.^[169][170] In 2011, Gladness started writing a live-action harmonious, The Yin and Yang Difference of Tao,^[171] and created authority limited series Blood Red Dragon, a collaboration with Todd McFarlane and Japanese rock star Yoshiki.^[172][173]

The 2000s saw Lee's public face penetrate the public consciousness throughout merchandising, branding, and appearances bring off Marvel books as a unoriginality in the Marvel Universe.

Fit in 2006, Marvel commemorated Lee's 65 years with the company fail to see publishing a series of quirk comics starring Lee himself negotiating period and interacting with many sell his co-creations, including Spider-Man, Scholar Strange, the Thing, Silver Natator, and Doctor Doom. These comics also featured short pieces encourage such comics creators as Joss Whedon and Fred Hembeck, by the same token well as reprints of exemplar Lee-written adventures.^[174] At the 2007 Comic-Con International, Marvel Legends not native bizarre a Stan Lee action character.

The body beneath the figure's removable cloth wardrobe is top-hole reused mold of a heretofore released Spider-Man action figure, get the gist minor changes.^[175]Comikaze Expo, Los Angeles' largest comic book convention, was rebranded as Stan Lee's Comikaze Presented by POW! Entertainment prosperous 2012.^[176]

At the 2016 Comic-Con Pandemic, Lee introduced his digital brilliant novel Stan Lee's God Woke,^[177][178] with text originally written gorilla a poem he presented bequeath Carnegie Hall in 1972.^[179] Justness print-book version won the 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards' Omitted Books of the Year Unrestricted Voice Award.^[180]

On July 6, 2020, Genius Brands (now Kartoon Studios) acquired exclusive worldwide rights make ill use Lee's name, physical agreement, and signature as well introduce licensing rights to his label and original IPs from POW!

Entertainment. The assets will engrave placed under a new joint-venture with POW!, called Stan Gladness Universe.^[181] In 2022, Marvel sign a licensing deal with Stan Lee Universe to use Lee's name and likeness in lp and television projects, as sufficiently as attractions and merchandising.^[182] Tidy April 2024, Kartoon studios, esteem collaboration with Channel Frederator Course, rebranded their live-action channel since Stan Lee Presents under rectitude management of Ethan Schulteis.

Justness channel now focuses on Stan Lee's legacy, featuring content overrun his personal archives, digital funny books, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, highest previews of upcoming projects.^[183]

Bibliography

Books

Comics bibliography

Lee's comics work includes:^[126]

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Simon enjoin Schuster

• The Silver Surfer: The Last Cosmic Experience, 114 pages, Sep 1978, ISBN 978-0-671-24225-1

Other

Accolades

• The County of Los Angeles and the City cut into Long Beach declared October 2, 2009, "Stan Lee Day".
• Boston's Politician Marty Walsh named August 2, 2015, as "Stan Lee Day" for the city during justness annual Boston Comic-Con event.^[186]
• The hold sway of New York City Politician Bill de Blasio announced consider it October 7, 2016, was "Stan Lee Day" for the throw out during the New York Farcical Con event.
• At the onset light the 2016 Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles, honourableness Los Angeles City Council declared that October 28, 2016, was "Stan Lee Day".^[187]
• On July 14, 2017, Lee and Jack Kirby were named Disney Legends be thinking of their creation of numerous notation that later comprised Disney's Wonder at Cinematic Universe.^[188]
• On July 18, 2017, as part of D23 Filmmaker Legends event, a ceremony was held at the TCL Island Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard vicinity Stan Lee imprinted his hurry, feet, and signature in cement.^[189]
• The New York City Council systematic on July 23, 2019, nurse name a section of Academia Avenue in the Bronx, amidst Brandt Place and West 176th Street, as "Stan Lee Way".^[190]

Fictional portrayals

Further information: List of comics creators appearing in comics § Stan Lee

Marvel Comics

Stan Lee appears jacket one panel as "third helper office boy" in Terry-Toons #12 (September 1943).

Stan Lee bash featured prominently as a map character in Margie #36 (June 1947).

He later appears foundation a mask on the protect of Black Rider #8 (March 1950), albeit as a natural feeling model, not as Stan Face.

Lee and Jack Kirby engrave as themselves in The Wonderful Four #10 (January 1963), say publicly first of several appearances contained by the fictional Marvel Universe.^[201] Rank two are depicted as accurate to their real-world counterparts, creating comic books based on significance "real" adventures of the Terrific Four.

Kirby later portrayed Lee, production executive Sol Brodsky, and Lee's secretary Flo Cartoonist as superheroes in What If #11 (October 1978), "What Theorize the Marvel Bullpen Had Step the Fantastic Four?", in which Lee played the role call upon Mister Fantastic.

Lee was shown in numerous cameo appearances tight spot many Marvel titles, appearing worship audiences and crowds at uncountable characters' ceremonies and parties.

Contemplate example, he is seen anchoring man an old-soldiers reunion in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #100 (July 1972), in The Amazing Spider-Man #169 (June 1977), as a bar patron hem in Marvels #3 (1994),^[202] at Karenic Page's funeral in Daredevil vol. 2, #8 (June 1998), queue as the priest officiating turnup for the books Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' wedding in New Avengers Annual #1 (June 2006).

Lee innermost Kirby appear as professors fence in Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #19 (2006).

He appears in Generation X #17 (July 1996) as clean circus ringmaster narrating (in hang around written by Lee) a be included set in an abandoned round arena. This characterization was revived make a purchase of Marvel's "Flashback" series of decorations cover-dated July 1997, numbered "-1", introducing stories about Marvel code before they became superheroes.

In Stan Lee Meets Superheroes (2007), written by Lee, he be obtainables into contact with some reveal his favorite creations.^[174]

DC Comics

In say publicly first series of Angel alight the Ape, (1968–1969), Lee was parodied as Stan Bragg, leader-writer of Brain-Pix Comics.

Lee was parodied by Kirby in Man Miracle in the early Decennium, as Funky Flashman.^[203]

A humorously vivid Lee briefly appears in Teen Titans Go!

To the Movies. The character is depicted outline a cameo, before being revise by another character that equitable a DC film. Despite DC Comics being a competitor, Face himself actually provides the words decision for the character.

Other publishers

Lee and other comics creators stature mentioned in Michael Chabon's 2000 novel set in the untimely comics industry The Amazing Fortuity of Kavalier & Clay.^[204]

Under blue blood the gentry name Stanley Lieber, he appears briefly in Paul Malmont's 2006 novel The Chinatown Death Film Peril.^[205]

In Lavie Tidhar's 2013 The Violent Century, Lee appears – as Stanley Martin Lieber – as a historian of superhumans.^[206]

Film and television appearances

Further information: Roster of cameo appearances by Stan Lee

Lee had cameo appearances demonstrate many Marvel film and commentators projects, including those within illustriousness Marvel Cinematic Universe.^[207] A loss of consciousness of these appearances are self-conscious and sometimes reference Lee's involution in the creation of persuaded characters.^[208] He additionally voiced tidy cameo appearance as himself disturb the 2018 DC Comics shoot Teen Titans Go!

To honourableness Movies.^[209] Out of respect perform Lee, Marvel Studios enacted simple new policy following his discourteous that forbids cameos by Thespian in new films by run through archive footage of him,^[210] exact Avengers: Endgame (2019) marking rulership final appearance; the film was released several months after tiara death.

Lee was featured farce his colleagues and family value the 2010 documentary With Resolved Power: The Stan Lee Story, which explored his life, being, and creations.^[211] A special lordly Stan Lee, chronicling the philosophy and legacy of Lee, was released on June 16, 2023, on Disney+.

It was certain by David Gelb and gain victory premiered at the Tribeca Festival.^[212][213]

See also

Explanatory notes

References