Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 6:07am

Requiescat In Pace: Stan Lee

 

Stanley Martin Lieber, better known as Stan Lee, passed away today at age 95.  A World War II veteran, Lee  worked for virtually his entire adult life, except for his time in the Army, for Timely Comics, which became Atlas Comics and, by the early sixties, Marvel Comics.  After DC comics, the colossus of the comic book world at the time, met great success with its revival of superheroes in the mid fifties, Lee followed suit in the early sixties, but with a twist.  His superheroes had human frailties and wrestled with the type of problems that normal people deal with.  In short, he made superheroes more realistic.  He understood that such realism made his heroes and heroines more heroic, not less.  His strategy worked, and Marvel unseated DC, which was rather like Avis beating Hertz.  Lee assiduously also developed a loyal fan base.

For the past few decades Lee has not been involved in the operations of Marvel Comics, contenting himself with being the public face of the company and with humorous cameos in the numerous films based on Marvel comic book characters.  His wife of 69 years died last year, and recent stories about him have focused on allegations that his daughter, or others, have been attempting to take advantage of him, the type of very sad conflicts that often seem to surround the very elderly with money. Unlike in comic books, happy endings are not assured in real life.

However, none of this can diminish the entertainment and inspiration that Mr. Lee gave to hundreds of millions over the years, including me during my boyhood.  Excelsior Mr. Lee, and may this quotation now stand you in good stead:

“There is only one who is all powerful, and his greatest weapon is love.”
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Foxfier
Admin
Monday, November 12, AD 2018 2:30pm

“With great power comes great responsibility” has served me well in more theology discussions than I can really count.
*******
If I remember the allegations correctly, they were leveled by the manager who disappeared with the nurse who accused Mr. Lee of sexual harassment, after that story blew all up and it came out that the accusation had only been made after the daughter got into contact with her father without the manager being there to run interference.
Daughter and father reconciled, thanks be.

Part of why he’s so beloved is because he loved his fans right back; I’m glad he gave us an extra year and a half before rejoining his wife.

George Haberberger
George Haberberger
Monday, November 12, AD 2018 3:23pm

Three men that have had the most influence on my life: my father; TV’s Superman, George Reeves and Stan Lee. Now all are gone.
RIP Stan.

Nate Winchester
Nate Winchester
Tuesday, November 13, AD 2018 9:55am

He was such a legend he even got to cameo in a DC movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbEsIiFfrtI

Farewell, Stan. May the joy and inspiration you gave to millions be credited to you at the gates and your wife departed from you no longer.

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