Excelsior: 30 Facts on Late Legendary Comic Creator Stan Lee

29. His Major Influences as a Writer Were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the creator of Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective whose true strength and prowess lay in his trusty sidekick, Watson. Jules Verne was a science fiction writer whose repertoire includes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth. His characters frequently performed acts of daring and bravery, values that are reflected in the comic-book creations of Stan Lee.

28. He Started as an Office Assistant for Timely Comics in 1939

Timely Comics became known as Atlas Comics in 1950 and later became known as Marvel Comics. He remained with the same company throughout his entire career and created many of the characters – the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and more – that became synonymous with the Marvel brand. Marvel’s primary rival was DC Comics, who created the Justice League of America, so the social justice champions that Lee created found their niche in the comic-book market.

27. Stan Lee Was a Writer and Illustrator During World War II

He began working for Timely Comics the year that World War II broke out in Europe, two years before the US entered. He didn’t serve overseas in the military but still contributed by boosting morale and patriotism through comic-book creations. He began writing for Captain America in 1941, the year that the United States entered the war, and the next year, he was promoted to the position of editor at Timely.

26. Stan Lee Challenged the Comics Code Authority, Which Censored Comics

In order to sidestep government regulation, the Comics Magazine Association of America created the Comics Code Authority in 1954. The CCA had a code, and members had to submit their comics to ensure that they adhered to it. Stan Lee challenged this code by creating comics that dealt with issues like crime and drug abuse. Even though he depicted them negatively by showing the dark sides of these social evils, many of his comics violated the code.

25. He Created the Fantastic Four in 1961

DC Comics successfully launched the Justice League of America in March of 1960, which featured Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the Green Lantern, et al. Stan Lee’s superiors at Marvel asked him to create a comic that could compete with the Justice League, so he came up with a collection of four characters – the Thing, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, and the Human Torch – who together formed a team known as the Fantastic Four.

24. He Created Spider-Man to Address Teenage Isolation

Peter Parker was an orphan being raised by his aunt and uncle. He was the quintessential geek and teenage outcast, scorned by many of his peers yet helplessly in love with Mary Jane. Despite his existence as a high school pariah, he became a superhero vigilante who rescued many people. Stan Lee wanted Spider-Man to help teenagers deal with many of the issues they face related to isolation, including rejection, loneliness, and inadequacy.

23. Stan Lee Wanted His Comics to Address Other Social Issues, Too

Before Stan Lee’s creations, superheroes tended to be flat, static characters who stood for specific values but lacked characterization and depth. He created characters who not only acted but had complex personalities and were as real as characters in fiction novels. They had consciences and frequently engaged in the issues surrounding social evils, like drug abuse and inner-city crime. For example, Peter Parker had to learn from his uncle’s death that he was responsible for using his powers for good.

22. The US Government Requested Stan Lee Write About Drug Abuse

He followed up on this request by writing a story for Spider-Man in 1971 in which Peter Parker’s best friend, Harry Osborne, takes a near-lethal dose of the drug LSD. He completely side-stepped the CCA and its code by publishing the comic without its seal of approval. Still, the cartoon received widespread support and brought in many sales. The CCA responded by allowing anti-drug messages in comic books.

21. He Became an Editorial Director and Publisher in 1972

Stan Lee’s comic-book creations were becoming so popular that Marvel Comics was growing so that it was becoming a multimedia conglomerate that was gaining an international reputation. His work was rewarded in 1972 when the company promoted him to be an editorial director and publisher. The new position gave him the ability to present even more gritty, real-life situations that his heroes had to contend with. He held the position of publisher until 1996.

20. His Role Is Ambiguous When It Comes to Creating Many of His Characters

Stan Lee worked with co-writers Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, among several others, who notably helped in creating complex, real-life plots. Lee’s significant contribution was the dynamic characterization and complex personalities of the characters, but his co-writers were more responsible for the plot lines that caused the characters to manifest these qualities. As such, some consider that his co-writers are equally accountable for the development of many of his superheroes.

19. Stan Lee Didn’t Like the Live-Action Spider-Man Series

In 1977, CBS created a live-action television series called “The Amazing Spider-Man,” featuring Nicholas Hammond as Peter Parker. The show earned good ratings, but Stan Lee felt that the characters were “cardboard” and lacked the depth with which he had created them. CBS canceled the show after two seasons, along with “Wonder Woman,” not because Lee requested them to but because it didn’t want to become known as the television network for superhero shows.

18. Stan Lee Created The Incredible Hulk in 1962

The superhero, whose alter ego was Dr. Bruce Banner, almost didn’t last, though. The comic book was canceled after only six issues, but the character was revived in 1968 in the comic book Tales to Astonish. The comic book went on to be called The Incredible Hulk and was later shortened to just Hulk. Today, despite going through multiple changes and iterations, it is one of the longest-running comic books of all time.

17. Many of His Characters Had Alliterative Names

Many of Lee’s characters used the same letter at the beginning of their first names and last names. For example, there was Peter Parker, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Banner, Awesome Android, Black Bolt, Curt Connors, Betty Brant, Blue Bird, Doctor Doom, Dredmund the Druid, Doctor Druid, Dum Dum Dugan, Happy Hogan, Funky Flashman, Frederick Foswell, Susie Storm, Gregory Gideon, Grey Gargoyle, John Jameson, Junior Juniper, Kang the Conqueror, Living Laser, and Kid Colt.

16. Some of Stan Lee’s Characters Come From Norse Mythology

Fafnir was a character in Norse mythology whose greed caused him to be transformed into a snake. Thor was one of the chief Norse gods, the son of Odin; he was the god of thunder and the brother of Loki, a notorious trickster god. Surprisingly, many of the Norse characters that inspired Lee also inspired JRR Tolkien when he wrote his Lord of the Rings series: Odin was behind Gandalf, and Fafnir was behind Gollum.

15. Stan Lee’s Comics Merged Science Fiction and Fantasy Like No Other

Science fiction is a genre that pushes the limits of current scientific research; Lee used it in creating characters like Spider-Man, whom Peter Parker turned into after being bitten by a radioactive spider. His X-Men gained their powers as the result of genetic mutations, a shared experience. There were also many fantastic elements (from the fantasy genre), some of which came straight out of mythology, things like Thor’s hammer and the Rainbow Bridge.

14. Stan Lee Could Appear in Any Marvel Movie Based on His Characters

According to his contract, the infamous creator could make appearances as he deemed worthy. He has made cameos in numerous movies, such as appearing as the hot dog vendor in X-Men from the year 2000, a security guard in the 2003 movie Hulk, a wedding guest who was rejected in the 2007 movie Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and an old man at a crossing in the 2003 movie Daredevil. He did not appear in the 2003 movie X-Men 2.

13. He Wanted to Play J. Jonah Jameson

J. Jonah Jameson was the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle in the Spider-Man series. He hired Peter Parker as a photojournalist to try to snag a picture of Spider-Man, not knowing that his new employee actually was Spider-Man. Lee always hoped that he could play the role of Jameson in one of the film adaptations of his comic but knew that he was too old to be considered for the position.

12. Stan Lee’s Daughter Was Friends With Judy Garland’s Daughter

During the 1960s, the star of The Wizard of Oz went into rehab for drug problems. Her daughter, Lorna Luft, went to live with Stan Lee for some of that time and became friends with his daughter, J.C. Lee. Lorna stayed with the family for about a month, after with she moved in with her father in California. Lorna and J.C. remained friends. Sadly, Garland died at the age of 47 due to an accidental overdose of barbiturates.

11. Stan Lee Was Friendly With His Archrivals

The biggest competitor for Marvel Comics has long been DC Comics, creator of such iconic figures as Superman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, and Batman. He and Carmine Infantino, a prominent writer and artist for DC Comics, were lifelong friends. Following his retirement, he wrote a limited edition series – “Just Imagine – for DC Comics in which many of their characters and their backgrounds were re-imagined as if he had created them.

10. He Hated the Idea of Sidekicks

Prior to Lee’s creation of Spider-Man as a teenage pariah-turned-superhero, teenagers in comic books were often relegated to the role of sidekick. Lee wanted to promote teenagers to a more prominent role in which they could have a noticeable impact on society on their own. None of his superheroes had sidekicks, unlike Batman (who had Robin). Later film adaptations of Batman portrayed him without a sidekick, possibly a result of Lee’s avant-garde inspiration.

9. Stan Lee Loved the New York Yankees

A native and lifelong resident of New York City, Stan Lee was a devoted Yankees fan. He frequently wrote Yankee Stadium – located in the Bronx, where he spent much of his childhood – into his comic books. At the age of 93, he threw the first pitch for a Yankees game. Though the ball didn’t reach the plate, he said, “My heart was in it, and that’s all that matters — I had the right intention.”

8. His Quotes Were as Iconic as His Characters

The line that drove Peter Parker’s life was, “With great power comes great responsibility.” He said that the line just came to him. Another memorable line from Stan Lee is, “I have always tried to have a message, not to be a preacher, but a message that shows it’s better to be a good guy than a bad guy, and I try to make it clear that doing the right thing is more attractive than not.”

7. Stan Lee Formed POW! Entertainment in 2001

After retiring from Marvel, Stan Lee paired up with Arthur Lieberman and Gill Champion to form a media company called POW! Entertainment. Lee used the company to continue his own creations, some of which were more risqué than would have been permitted at Marvel Comics. Some of the television shows that came out of POW! Included “Stan Lee’s Lightspeed,” “Who Wants To Be a Superhero?,” “Stripperella,” “Hef’s Playbunnies,” and “Stan Lee’s Mighty 7.”

6. The Mayor of Los Angeles Declared an Official “Stan Lee Day”

On Friday, October 28, 2016, Mayor Eric Garcetti declared an official Stan Lee Day, which included the upcoming weekend to commemorate the upcoming sixth edition of “Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo.” The streets were closed off for a parade in his honor, and nearly 100,000 people attended the convention. Lee acknowledged that he had grown to love Los Angeles as much as his native city of New York.

5. Stan Lee’s Favorite Cartoon was “The Simpsons”

The show, from the time it premiered in 1989, quickly became a mainstay for Lee. He appeared in cameos beginning in season 13, when he drove up to the town of Springfield and railed against Bart’s “Angry Dad” comic, a spoof of The Incredible Hulk. The Simpsons is still a wildly popular cartoon in America.

4. Stan Lee Shot Cameos for Movies That Would Come Out After He Died

Due to his advancing age, the “king of cameos” wanted to ensure that he would continue making appearances in movies after his death. So he had scenes filmed for future videos. Expect to keep seeing him in film over the next few years. (Isn’t that just great?!)

3. He Became a Disney Legend in 2017

A hall-of-fame award issued by Disney, a Disney Legend honors those who have made contributions to the company’s brand. Lee received the award in recognition of his contributions to film and publishing two years after Disney bought the Marvel brand for four billion dollars.

2. Stan Lee Received a Medal of Arts from George W. Bush

This honor from the former President of the United States of America came in recognition for his years of contributions not only to the arts but also because of the role that he served during World War II. In fact, Stan Lee was one of just nine people in the military to officially have the title “playwright.”

1. Stan Lee Lived to be 95 Years Old

Stan Lee died at the ripe old age of 95 on November 12, 2018, which was a little over a month from his next birthday. Having spent his entire adult life in the production of comic-book characters. Beginning at the age of 17 at the company that would become Marvel Comics, his career lasted after his retirement from the company.

Where do we find our info? Here are our sources:

“Stan Lee.” Wikipedia.

“Stan Lee,” by biography.com editors. Biography.com. November 12, 2018.

“Spider-Man.” Wikipedia.

“Stan Lee – Biography.” Internet Movie Database.

“Comics Code Authority.” Wikipedia.

“Fantastic Four.” Wikipedia.

“Spider-Man in Television.” Wikipedia.

“List of All Stan Lee Comic Book Characters.” Ranker.

“Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee loved the Yankees and baseball and tossed an amazing first pitch at 93,” by Kevin Skiver. CBS. November 12, 2018.

“Stan Lee Quotes.” AZ Quotes.

“Disney Legends.” Wikipedia.