Stan Lee was born in the Roaring 20's, right before the onset of the Great Depression and ten years after the Titanic sunk. Decades later, Lee would use that wicked combination of sweet and bitter to create superheroes with vulnerabilities such as identity issues, responsibility problems and troubled pasts. In a way, Lee helped create the reluctant and flawed comic book hero. He also changed the game forever.
Today, he passed away at the tender age of 95, a mark that any human being should only be so lucky to reach. I doubt many have accomplished as much as Lee in that time, and against such odds.
Before Lee pushed heroes into dangerous human waters, comic book heroes were clean cut symbols of perfection who did little wrong, and as such, weren't that interesting after a while. The best kind of heroes are the ones who battle the same existential crisis we do in our lives, but find otherworldly measures to cope.
In 1971, without a push or prod from anyone, Lee threw a wrinkle into the Amazing Spider-Man comic book, giving Harry Osborne a pill-popping drug problem. No one had attempted this before, and quite frankly, it was close to outlaw territory.
People read that comic though. A lot of people. Soon enough, he was creating The Incredible Hulk, Thor, more Spider-Man stories, the X-Men, and Iron Man.
"Devil in a Bottle", where Tony Stark battles alcoholism, is one of my favorite comics and one of the edgiest superhero stories of all time. The only reason it didn't get made into a movie was more than likely due to Robert Downey Jr.'s real-life struggles with addiction.
Lee broke down the barrier between hero and civilian, finding a way to merge the amazing with reality, and in the end gave many heroes a heartbeat and soul. Instead of Wolverine clawing his way to anti-hero justice, Lee made sure we knew about his self-agony and reluctance to fight and serve the good guys. In Lee's world, the gray area between good and bad was much wider and visible.
When Marvel started cranking out hit movies, Lee would show up in each of them in some wacky cameo. A security guard. A Bus driver. An unfortunate war hero who tried Thor's hard liquor. Space conversationalist. Friendly neighbor. Bad barber. Whatever the movie needed, Lee would just show up and always make you smile. After all, he was the real legend on screen. Lee was the real superhero, because he found a way to make superheroes just like us.
If you saw him at a festival or comic show, he was sweet and welcoming. The man who created so many heroes never turned away a fan. Whether it was signing something, posing for a few thousand pictures, or just flashing the 1000-watt smile, Lee was present for the people who just wanted to be around him.
Lee's last few years weren't easy. He was the alleged victim of elderly abuse, and got involved in a couple lawsuits over rights and money. It wasn't an easy time after his longtime wife, Joan, passed away after 69 years of courtship. While fans saw him pop up in Avengers: Infinity War and the Ant-Man films, Lee was suffering through multiple ordeals in real life. He didn't let people see him down though. That's the mark of one of his creations: someone keeping their head up amid harsh times. Lee walked the walk.
Imagine all the treasures he will leave behind. You can't define or break down Marvel's impact without mentioning Lee. You can't wax poetically about the depth in Stark's Iron Man without finding Lee's keystroke all over it. As long as they make edgy superheroes, Lee will be prominent and in the hearts and minds of comic fans.
You will see him on screen next year. Marvel is churning out three movies in 2019, and at least two of them should feature a Lee cameo. According to Variety, Lee did film a spot for the final Avengers film, and probably has a moment in February's Captain Marvel. As far as Spider-Man: Far From Home is concerned, we will have to wait and see.
For the time being, savor what the man left behind, which is an unbreakable legacy of bold leaps. Without Lee, comic books wouldn't be as cool or transcendent. They just wouldn't be as interesting without this guy's indelible imprint.
When I heard about his passing today, I was in a movie theater screening a film. The lights came up, I checked my phone, and saw the sad news. For some reason, I smiled. Perhaps I knew the pain Lee was in the past couple of years, and I knew he had left his mark. Later that evening, I got home and was cleaning my son's room when I found a stack of DVDs and Blu Rays in his room. Seventy-five percent of them were Marvel films. Ant-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Avengers. I looked on the walls and saw Marvel posters. I looked at the ground and saw four Iron Man toys. I smiled again. That's the legacy.
Stan Lee may be gone, but he left so much behind for us to enjoy. A treasure chest full of wonder. A certain Captain said it best today.
Rest in peace, sir.
