Comics legend Stan Lee passed away today at the age of 95. According to TMZ who first reported his passing earlier this afternoon, he was taken from his home in the Hollywood Hills to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center earlier this morning. No official cause of death has been given at the time of reporting.
It’s hard not to know who Stan Lee is, even if you are only peripherally aware of comics. Lee was one of the big name creators for Marvel comics, and was a figure so adored that he made cameos in every single Marvel film, much to the delight of nerds everywhere. His legacy is a long one, as the creator/co-creator of such beloved characters as the Fantastic Four, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, and Ant-Man. Lee was not just a writer, but also an editor, film executive producer, and publisher who helped make Marvel the company that it is today. Fans around the world are mourning the loss of this creator and icon.
Lee is one of the last of the Marvel revolutionaries to pass away. His frequent collaborator Jack Kirby passed away in 1994, and Steve Ditko, who was often partnered with Lee as well, passed away this July.
“I used to think what I did was not very important,” Stan told the Chicago Tribune in an interview. “People are building bridges and engaging in medical research, and here I was doing stories about fictional people who do extraordinary, crazy things and wear costumes. But I suppose I have come to realize that entertainment is not easily dismissed.”
Lee is survived by his daughter J.C. and his younger brother Larry Lieber, a writer and artist for Marvel. Lee’s wife, Joan, passed away in July of last year due to a stroke.
Excelsior, Mr. Lee, wherever you are, and whatever adventures lie ahead of you.