Overview (5)

Mini Bio (1)

Stan Lee was an American comic-book writer, editor, and publisher, who was executive vice president and publisher of Marvel Comics.



Stan was born in New York City, to Celia (Solomon) and Jack Lieber, a dress cutter. His parents were Romanian Jewish immigrants. Lee co-created Spider-Man, the Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor, the X-Men, and many other fictional characters, introducing a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. In addition, he challenged the comics' industry's censorship organization, the Comics Code Authority, indirectly leading to it updating its policies. Lee subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.



He had cameo appearances in many Marvel film and television projects, with many yet to come, posthumously. A few of these appearances are self-aware and sometimes reference Lee's involvement in the creation of certain characters.



On 16 July 2017, Lee was named a Disney Legend, a hall of fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company.



Stan was married to Joan Lee for almost 70 years, until her death. The couple had two children. Joan died on July 6, 2017. Stan died on November 12, 2018, in LA.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Pedro Borges

Spouse (1)

Trade Mark (14)

Often narrated animated series featuring his Marvel Comics characters



Often named his characters in alliterate patterns like Peter Parker and Sue Storm to help remember their names



His signature dark sunglasses



Cameos in the films based on his comics



Often referred to faithful fans as "true believers."



Closed most fan letters or personal contributions by using his trademark catchphrase "'Nuff said"



Stories are frequently set in New York City



Characters are often ordinary individuals caught up in extraordinary circumstances



Characters are often highly intelligent and work as scientists



Distinctive upbeat manner and style of speaking



Often used superhero stories as metaphors for social issues, e.g., the X-Men were representative of discrimination



Unusually for comic book heroes, his characters almost never wear capes



Catchphrase: Excelsior!



Grey moustache



Trivia (45)



He is credited as creating the Marvel Comics characters in the 1960s which introduced more complex characterizations for super-heroes. He also is credited for popularizing continuity to give the various series a sense of narrative flow and an interrelated common world for the characters. However, since the "plot first" writing method he used meant that the artists he collaborated with, especially Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko , served as essentially co-writers, the matter who truly deserves the credit for the creations from such collaborations is a matter of vigorous debate.

Apart from his participation in the creation of the classic Marvel Comics characters, he also helped weaken censorship in the mainstream comics field. This happened when, after a formal request by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, he decided to do a story about the problem of drug abuse. The story he wrote in 1971 for "The Amazing Spider-Man" concerned Peter Parker's friend Harry Osborne having a bad trip on LSD and nearly dying from it. The Comics Code Authority declared that they would not give their seal of approval to the three-issue arc on the grounds that the code, which was notorious for being draconian, would not allow the depiction of drug use even when it is portrayed negatively. Confident that the original government request would give him credibility and with the support of his publisher, Martin Goodman, Lee decided to defy the CCA and published the story as is without the seal and received healthy sales and a positive public reaction for his efforts in portraying the social problem. Soon after, the CCA changed their rules to allow for anti-drug messages in comics.



Disliked the 1970s live-action Spider-Man television series (for which he was a script consultant), deeming it "too juvenile". He also felt that Spider-Man was being treated on the show as a "cardboard character".



He ended his weekly "Stan's Soapbox" column (which appeared in every Marvel comic book) with the phrase "Excelsior!".





Daughter is model/actress Joan Celia J.C. Lee (b. 1950). His other daughter, Jan Lee, died shortly after birth (1953).

He first began to work on comics in 1941 on the third issue of Captain America.



His three most famous comic book creations are: Fantastic Four (Debut November 1961), the Incredible Hulk (Debut May 1962) and the Amazing Spider-Man (Debut August 1962 in 'Amazing Fantasy' # 15).



Entered the comic book scene at age 17 as assistant editor for the Timely comics group. In 1942, he was promoted to editor.



In 1972, he becomes publisher and editorial director of Marvel Comics.





Admitted he had always hoped to play the character of J. Jonah Jameson in a film adaptation of Spider-Man, though he conceded he was too old to even be considered by the time the film was actually made and praised J.K. Simmons for his performance in the role.



Judy Garland 's daughter, Lorna Luft , lived with Lee and his family for a period of time while her mother was in rehab in the 1960s. Stan's daughter, J.C. Lee , and Luft were friends and Lorna stayed with the family for about a month until she went to California to live with her father.

He was awarded the 2008 American National Medal of the Arts for his services to comic books and production.





Was a longtime friend of comic writer and artist Carmine Infantino , who was also president of DC Comics for several years.

After his retirement from work at Marvel he was invited to do a limited edition series for DC Comics, Marvel's principal rival. The series, titled 'Just Imagine', presented the feature DC characters -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash -- with different backgrounds and stories, as Stan Lee would have written them.



Despises the idea of sidekicks, which is why virtually none of the Marvel characters had them.





He was a juror in a dream sequence in The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989).

Pow! Entertainment chairman and founder.



He is often asked where he got the idea for his famous quote, "With great power comes great responsibility." He says, "It just came to me.".





Offered Luke Lieberman his first job, working at POW! Entertainment.

Just started his own Comic Book company called Kapow Comics [2005]



Los Angeles, California [December 2008]



His cameo as Willie Lumpkin in the first Fantastic Four movie was the first time Stan played an actual character that had appeared in a Marvel comic book. The script was re-written to include this character after the Thing's make-up artist, Bart Mixon, made the suggestion to producer Kevin Feige.



His parents, Celia (Solomon) and Jacob/Jack A. Lieber, were Romanian Jewish immigrants.



He is the only actor to appear in every Marvel Cinematic Universe film.



Born in his family's Manhattan apartment to a Romanian immigrant dad and American mom, Stanley Lieber grew up in poverty during the Great Depression. At age 17, he got a job through family connections at a pulp fiction outfit called Timely Publications, just as the new medium of comic books was coming into being. Using the pen name Stan Lee, he started writing for the company's new book "Captain America" in 1941. When the creators of that iconic character, writers Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, left Timely Publications at the end of that year 1941, 19-year-old Stan Lieber suddenly found himself editor of the whole operation. Not counting a few years of wartime service, Stan held that post for a good three-and-a-half decades, over which Timely Publications changed its name to Atlas and then Marvel. Comic books had fallen into a juvenile funk by 1961 and Stan Lee was prepared to find another line of work when his wife, Joan, encouraged him to give the super-hero genre one parting shot, but to do it the way he'd wanted to write them. The initial effort, conceived with returned illustrator-artist Jack Kirby, was the "Fantastic Four," and the Marvel Age of more realistic super-heroes with super-problems was born and quickly prospered. "What I tried to do was make out characters that all live in the same world," Lee said of the strategy employed with great success by the Marvel Cinematic Universe to this day. "When I could, I had 'em live in the same city, like Iron Man and the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man - all - lived in New York City. So it made it very easy for me. If I wanted to have a guest star, I didn't have to dream just some silly reason why they would get together. Why wouldn't they, if they lived in the same city?".



On Friday, October 28th, 2016, the City of Los Angeles' Mayor Eric Garretti declared that day, including the weekend of the 29th and 30th days, the first "Stan Lee Day" to celebrate the sixth "Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo" (2012) - rechristened - "San Lee's Los Angeles Comic Con Today" - held at the Los Angeles Downtown Convention Center. "I'm sure the streets will be blocked, like when the president comes into town. It'll be a big day. Are you going to be at the parade?" Stan asked Bob Strauss, the San Fernando Valley Daily News interviewer. The native New Yorker sounded totally sincere about what was his affection for the city he moved to in 1981. "I never thought I could love any city as much as New York, but I do love Los Angeles," the 93 year old Hollywood Hills resident said. "I'm incredibly happy here and I never want to leave. It's the center, really, of the entertainment world, and if you're in entertainment, what better place to be?" The new name for Lee's half-decade-old sixth fan con-fab emphasizes the Hollywood connection, with programs and panels covering TV; A reunion of the cast of the 1960's ABC TV hit "Batman" television show-series with the series star Adam West who played the handsome Bruce Wayne and caped crusader, despite that the "Batman" character belongs to Marvel rival DC comics'. "We have so many wonderful guests from so many different areas, many surprises planned," Lee said of his weekend comic-con-vention with 700 vendors selling comic books, fantasy garb and more, with comics celebrities on hand for autographs and pictures. . "I'll be all over the place, you won't be able to miss me. So unless you don't want to see me, I think fans will have a great time attending." The legions of fans call Stan "the Man" - who since the 1960s has been known as much for his redefining the art form with such Marvel Comics creations as Spider-Man, The X-Men and all of those Avengers - is capitalizing on the LA City name-honor-day by launching the newly rechristened Stan Lee's Los Angeles Convention Comic Con on the same day. The pop culture convention show, formerly known as Comikaze Expo - expected 90,000 people to converge on the Los Angeles Convention Center according to convention center spokeswoman Alexa Michelle Diaz. For many fans, it was a chance to "cosplay" action heroes from Spider-man to Wonder Woman, in full costume in the days leading up to Halloween. For Mayor Eric Garretti, the opening of the sixth comics carnival was a chance to celebrate Los Angeles, home of the 93-year-old generalissimo Marvel legend. "This is the most creative. place on the face of the Earth," Garcetti said, before the hordes of super-heroes swung their swords, shields and fantasy props entering the South Hall. "You're at the epicenter of the creative crossroads of the world. I'm just a fanboy. Grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Lots of comic book shops...I think I'm the only mayor in the world with the limited edition Wolverine comic book in my possession." Stan Lee's John Hancocks reportedly sold out within an hour of its 9 a.m. opening day. Stan Lee, dressed in a pastel mint green sweater over beige slacks said to the mayor, "This is great. I'm going to nominate you, Eric Garretti, for president." Deadpool giants. Fighter pilot tykes from "Star Wars." Wonder Women in fishnets. Everyone seemed poised for a selfie or photo snap from a stranger.



Stan Lee's first story was "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" in Captain America Comics #3 in 1941, an all-text story.





Due to his advancing age, he shot several cameos ahead of upcoming movies - just in case. The first of such posthumous cameos appeared in Captain Marvel (2019), which also a special Marvel opening credit as a tribute.

Served during WWII in the US Army Training Film Division, writing manuals, training films, slogans, and cartoons under the military classification of "playwright." Only nine men in the US Army were given that title.



Favorite childhood comic book hero was Flash Gordon.



Once wrote a lengthy poem titled "God Woke".



If he hadn't landed the career he pursued, he would love to have been an actor or an advertising copywriter.





Favorite TV cartoon The Simpsons (1989).



Cites Mallrats (1995) as the movie in which he had his first real starring role.

His wife Joan wrote just one manuscript titled "The Pleasure Palace" that she submitted to DELL and it became the publisher's lead paperback bestseller of the month in 1987.





Died the same year as Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko . Whilst Stan Lee's death was highly publicized by the press Steve Ditko's death was barley noticed. A similar thing happened between DC's Batman co-creators Bob Kane (who was listed as Batman's sole creator) and Bill Finger (who until recently hadn't been credited for his contributions to Batman and died penny-less).

Lee was cremated. His ashes were given to his children.



Lee enlisted into the US Army with the USA's entry into World War II. Although he was trained as an electrician for field duty on the front, he was reassigned to the Signal Corps as a playwright.



Personal Quotes (12)

I felt someday I'd write the Great American Novel and I didn't want to use my real name on these silly little comics" [about why he changed his name to Stan Lee to begin with.]



If a character had the first initial in both names, I could at least remember one of the names" [his reason for creating characters with the same initial... bad memory]



I've had the same thing for years. I have orange juice and then I have cereal. I have granola with berries and sliced bananas and a cup of coffee and man it's great. I'm a creature of habit. [When asked about what he has for breakfast.]



The X-Men are basically just me being really lazy. If I said that their powers came from a mutation that would be it. I wouldn't have to explain it any further.



I love Marvel and the people there. I'm glad I'm still part of it.



I always sympathized with the people who did work for hire; I was one of them.



I have never had a lap dance in Tampa or any other part of Florida. If I ever did have a lap dance, I don't think I would be discussing television ideas with the girl that was giving it to me.



[About cameos in Marvel movies] If it's a Marvel movie, I'm there for it. Whenever a new movie comes out, I hope they'll have a spot for me. I get such a kick out of doing it. The fans seem to like it. I'm going to tell you a secret, here's the reason the movies make so much money: My cameo. A man takes a girl to the movie, right? They're watching the movie and they bend down to get some popcorn. In so doing, they miss my cameo. Now the movie ends, and they say, 'My God, we missed Stan's cameo!' So what do they do? They run to the box office and buy two more tickets and see it again. *That's* why the movies do so well, because of my cameos.



I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: Entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you're able to entertain people, you're doing a good thing.



[About Jack Kirby in a tweet on what would have been the artists Birthday] He was a legend, he truly was. Nobody could draw like Jack.



[on Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko who had just passed away] Steve was certainly one of the most important creators in the comic book business. His talent was indescribable. I worked with him for many years and was always impressed with how he saw everything in terms of photos and pictures and movement and scenes. He told a story like a fine movie director would. I'm sure there will be a lot written about him as time goes by and I will be one of the guys who buys the first book. You made a real impression here in the world.



[on Fredric Wertham's book, "Seduction of the Innocent"] He said something like two-thirds of kids in reform schools read comic books. I bet two-thirds of them also drink milk, but that didn't seem to matter much to him.

