Comic-book Legend Stan Lee Dies at 95

[Bowbowis]

Lee receiving the National Medal of the Arts from President George W. Bush in 2008.

It's the end of an era true believers. Stan Lee, Marvel Comics legend and creator of iconic characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, and The X-Men has passed away at age 95. His cause of death is not yet known. Beloved by comic-book fans for his role in reshaping the medium into into its modern form, for which he was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 2008, Lee was also known to film goers for his tradition of making cameos in films and TV shows based on Marvel properties. Director Joe Russo has confirmed that we can expect at least one more cameo from Stan in the currently untitled Avengers 4.

Various celebrities from Marvel and beyond have already made public tributes to "The Man".

Lee's wife Joan passed away from a stroke in July of last year, they are survived by their daughter J.C..

To cap things off here's a compilation of every cameo Stan made up to 2018's Ant-Man and The Wasp:

EXCELSIOR!

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Hearing about this news really sucked. I think Stan's death was always something that lingered in our minds, but something you just didn't want to imagine to ever happen, because Stan Lee was just that big of a legend, that much of a cool guy, that engraved in our childhoods. Stan Lee dying is like if you saw Batman or Spider-Man or anyone you ever grew up with just die in front of you. Because I like to think in some way or another, Stan had an impact on all of our lives with the characters and universes he created. He created countless universes for us to enjoy, and made us stop to think that anyone could be a hero, that any normal person could be a good person, and help others. That any one of us could be Peter Parker, a normal guy who ended up with the power to help others, and the responsibility and kind heart to do so.

Assuming Avengers 4 ends up being his final "filmed" cameo (which might not be the case, IIRC, I heard Stan recorded cameos for a lot of film in advance), it'll be a hell of a swan song for him to leave out on, the ending to everything built up over the last ten years based on the many decades of work and stories Stan first brought to us.

Rest in Peace, Stan Lee. And thank you for all of the creations you gave us. Thank you for teaching the world that with great power comes great responsibility, and that anyone could be a hero. 

Excelsior. 

"Y'know, I guess one person can make a difference. 'Nuff said".

[MadmanRB]

He was a legend

[Meta77]

I am glad i got to see him last year at dragon con. He was a excellent man.

[Tailikku]

It is sad to see a man of his talent and the truest of true beleivers pass away, but I know that deep down, I have a feeling that he and his old pal Jack Kirby are off adventuring in some higher plane of existence, be it Valhalla, the Knowhere, or some other Marvel afterlife.

(^perhaps the most fitting Marvel-related music to commemorate his passing^)

and perhaps the one quote that we can all relate to that Stan Lee has said in the past, to the point where it has become part of the comics:

"With With great power comes great responsibility."

No truer words can be said about that, Stan. I salute you!

[Speederino]

Yeah I'm really bummed about this. Being 95, I knew it had to happen soon but I always hoped we could get at least a few more years with him. And I would have loved to have met him just once. It wouldn't have been hard, he was a regular at local cons all over the nation. Just to briefly shake his hand and thank him, because his works have helped shape me in more ways than I can describe. From my tastes in entertainment, to my love in comics, even to who I am as a person. No line in all of fiction has ever resonated with me more than "With great power there must also come great responsibility". That single sentence carries a lot of weight and wisdom, and I only wish certain world leaders today could take this message to heart.

Stan was never just content with writing simple, by the numbers superhero stories. To him, a story without a message was pointless, and the messages he championed were ones of tolerance, self-esteem, acceptance, responsibility, and so much more. He proved comics could contain much more than simple fisti-cuffs, he proved that even the simplest stories could resonate and be remembered for generations to come. Stan didn't just help to create a multi-billion dollar franchise, he didn't just set a bar for entertainment, he helped to change people's perceptions and therefore the world.

I posted this in the statuses earlier, but in honor of both Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (who also passed this year), I fiddled around in Spider-Man PS4 to re-create my favorite panel from them.

Spoiler

May you rest in piece, you fine, fine men. Excelsior!

 

 

[Treacher]

Not much to post here since I was never that into Marvel, but his presence was felt and influence acknowledged. He touched a lot of people's hearts and it's always sad to see another legend depart from us. Although I'm sure he's in a better place and his impact and mark in comic books will never truly be forgotten, as have the other giants like Kirby and Kane before him. Rest In Peace, Stanley.

 

[BlueSpeedster]

Let us never forget that Stan Lee was in TTG to the Movies....

Sad really.

[Sonic Fan J]

Stan Lee is the only reason I ever paid American Comics all that much attention. He showed that even the most absurd of characters were deep down, still human, and his love of the humanity in everyone shone through in all that he did. He was a man who brought me so much joy and he will be missed. Thanks for everything Stan Lee. May you rest in peace. Excelsior!

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Marvel just uploaded this:

 

[Shaun Shikeishuu]

Legends never die. 

Rip Stan.

[DaddlerTheDalek]

RIP Stan Lee...

[Tara]

I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel.  Outside of a few select Spiderman and rarely X-Men titles (and maybe Squirrel Girl if I ever get around to picking that up, since people have repeatedly recommended it to me), they never really stuck with me the same way that DC does.  But it's impossible to deny the influence and unrivaled creativity Stan Lee had on the industry and how neither publisher would be where they are today without his direction.  I have an immense amount of respect for the man, and am sad to hear of his passing.  However, 95 years is nothing to sneeze at.  So I'm also happy to know that such a talented man managed to live a long and prosperous life and was able to leave behind an even greater legacy.

RIP, Stan Lee.  Comics simply won't be the same without you.

[Balding Spider]

It's astonishing how much Stan's works have effected the entertainment industry, and I'm not just talking about marvel. Believe it or not, Stan helped bring about the tokusatsu industry and established the tonal and effects beats still being used today.

His creation was that powerful.

And believe it or not his works also helped shape the destiny of hip-hop.  Fucking Ghostface Killah answers to Tony Starks as an alternate alias half the time, and that landed him a guest cameo in the Iron man movie.

Another notable and very obvious one was

Who in addition to being a big Dr. Doom reference would work in the audio of clips from old marvel cartoons most notably from his album  Mm... Food.

RIP Stan "the man" Lee. What you've helped usher in helped shape the lives of a lot of individuals.

 

[Kevin]

He lived his life to the fullest and was certainly a legend. RIP, Stan Lee. You'll be missed.

[tailsBOOM!]

I've lost all respect for Bill Maher after he said this:

Quote

The guy who created Spider-Man and the Hulk has died, and America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess. Someone on Reddit posted, “I'm so incredibly grateful I lived in a world that included Stan Lee.” Personally, I’m grateful I lived in a world that included oxygen and trees, but to each his own. Now, I have nothing against comic books – I read them now and then when I was a kid and I was all out of Hardy Boys. But the assumption everyone had back then, both the adults and the kids, was that comics were for kids, and when you grew up you moved on to big-boy books without the pictures. 

But then twenty years or so ago, something happened – adults decided they didn’t have to give up kid stuff. And so they pretended comic books were actually sophisticated literature. And because America has over 4,500 colleges – which means we need more professors than we have smart people – some dumb people got to be professors by writing theses with titles like Otherness and Heterodoxy in the Silver Surfer. And now when adults are forced to do grown-up things like buy auto insurance, they call it “adulting,” and act like it’s some giant struggle. 

I’m not saying we’ve necessarily gotten stupider. The average Joe is smarter in a lot of ways than he was in, say, the 1940s, when a big night out was a Three Stooges short and a Carmen Miranda musical. The problem is, we’re using our smarts on stupid stuff. I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important. 

He can go to hell.  A man just died and you're shitting on his life's work and fans.  Weren't you the same guy who were in Iron Man 3?

Thought so.

[Tornado]

Bill Maher has been a complete asshole not worth anyone's respect for far longer than Stan Lee has been dead; and I say that as someone who religiously watched him until Stephen moved to CBS.