Stan Lee, the creative genious behind so many comic book characters such as Spider-man, Iron Man, The Hulk, and the X-Men, passed away today at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at the age of 95.
While a rival at Marvel, DC Comics today paid tribute to Stan Lee and the impact he had on the comic book industry.
“Without Stan Lee’s fertile and creative mind, endless energy and work ethic, comic books would have been completely different from what we know and enjoy today,” said DC Publisher Dan DiDio. “He helped to create worlds that were both fantastic and relatable at the same time, allowing more people to embrace superhero stories. We’ll be forever richer having him with us.”
“Stan was a great friend and a true legend. He paved the road for me and other creators for more than half a century,” said DC Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee. “From my beginnings in the industry until today, Stan’s influence on my work and my life can’t be emphasized enough. It was a dream come true to have worked with him however briefly, and I’m honored to be among the amazing roster of creative talent that shared the stage with him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the millions of fans whose lives have been touched by his brilliance.”
Back in 2000 DC Comics and Stan Lee collaborated on a series of comic books in which Lee presented his own alternative interpretation of DC characters including Superman. The series, JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE CREATING, gave Lee the freedom to literally start the lives of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other DC stars over from birth.
At the time Lee said, “During all the years I’ve been with Marvel, it was always fun to imagine how I might have written the DC characters. Now, it’s really great to have the chance to reapproach the DC Universe and tackle the storytelling and characterization in my own style. The chance to work with people I’ve admired for years and the chance to create stories with characters that I’ve enjoyed for years was an offer I could not resist.”
Stan Lee’s health had started to fail over the last few month, with his death today confirmed by his daughter, J.C. Lee. Stan Lee’s wife Joan, who he had been married to for 69 years, passed away in July 2017. Our condolences to his family and friends.
There are no words that I can express for the way I feel on the loss of this great comic book writer. He made so many great superheroes that fans like myself look up to. He even had written an else worlds comic on Superman and the justice league. It is a sad day for superhero fans. He will be sorely missed. My deepest condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.