Stan Lee has died at the age of 95.

The Marvel Comics creator passed away in the early hours of this morning at his home in the Hollywood Hills, TMZ reports.

An ambulance was called to his home and he was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he later passed away.

Stan had suffered from several illnesses over the last year, including a bout of pneumonia and problems with his vision.

He's known for creating many of the most-loved comic characters, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men and The Incredible Hulk.

He was also well-known for making a funny cameo appearances in the movie versions of his comic books.

(Image: Getty Images North America)

Stan launched Marvel back in 1961 along with Jack Kirby.

The Fantastic Four was a huge success and led to the creation of Black Panther, The Avengers and many more.

His relationship with Marvel got a little rocky when it went full-on Hollywood.

He even sued the company in 2002 for royalties he said he was owed for the first Spider-Man movie.

Three years later, he settled the case for $10 million.

He is survived by his daughter, Joan.

Stan's wife of 69 years, also named Joan, died in 2017.

His daughter paid respect, saying: "My father loved all of his fans. He was the greatest, most decent man."

Born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, in New York City, he said as a child he was influenced by books and movies early on, having the dream of one day writing the “Great American Novel”.

(Image: Getty)

In his teens he worked part time jobs such as writing obituaries and press releases.

Stan graduated high school early in 1939 and joined the WPA Federal Theatre Project and in the same year he landed a job as an assistant at Timely Comics, which, by the 60s would evolve into Marvel Comics.

He made his comic book debut writing the text filler “Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge” in 1941’s Captain America Comics #3.

It was here he debuted the pseudonym Stan Lee - intending to use his given name for more literary work.

That same year he co-created his first superhero, the Destroyer and, at the age of 19, he was made interim editor. He remained as editor-in-chief until 1972, when he succeeded as publisher.

In 1942 , Stan served in the US Signal Corps, repairing telegraph poles. Not long after, he was transferred to the Training Film Division where he occasionally produced cartoons.

After returning to the business in the 50s, he had become dissatisfied with his profession, and contemplated quitting.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

However, after the superhero archetype was revived in an updated version of The Flash, Stan was tasked with coming up with a new superhero team.

He responded with a set of heroes with a flawed humanity - not the norm of the time. He introduced characters with tempers, vanity and melancholy - a dramatic departure.

His task produced the now famous Fantastic Four.

Their immediate popularity led to Stan co-creating The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man and the X-Men, as well as Daredevil, Doctor Strange and the most popular of Marvel’s characters - Spider-Man.

He was also behind Black Panther - an African king who became mainstream comics’ first black superhero.

Comic book mega fans often cited his finest achievement as the three-part Galactus Triology from 1966, contained in Fantastic Four #48.

Lee’s comics often provided social commentary on the real world, holding up a mirror to society - something they didn’t popularly do previously, covering issues such as racism and bigotry.

In 1972 he stopped writing monthly comic books as he became publisher - his last being The Amazing Spider-Man #110 and Fantastic Four #125.

(Image: Ron Galella Collection)

Toward the end of his career, he was more a figurehead and public face of Marvel Comics - lecturing at colleges and representing the company at conventions.

In 1994 he was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and in 1995 the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.

2006 saw his influence on the world of comics commemorated when Marvel published a series of one-shot comics starring Stan himself.

Then, in 2008, he received a National Medal of Arts for his amazing contribution to the comics industry.

As well as having an illustrious career creating comics, he leant his standing in society to good - contributing to charities.

The Stan Lee Foundation was founded in 2010, and focused on literacy, education and the arts.

He also donated portions of his personal fortune to the University of Wyoming.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

Stan often appeared in his own comics as fictional characters, and went on to appear in most films based on his works.

On top of this, he’s appeared as himself in many film and TV projects - sometimes self-aware and at other times merely in reference by other characters.

Stan married Joan Clayton Boocock in 1947 and they resided in New York until 1981, when they moved to West Hollywood. They were married for almost seventy years until Joan’s passing in July 2017.

Together they had two daughters - Joan Celia in 1950 and Jan (who sadly died three days after delivery in 1953).

In 2012, Stan had a pacemaker inserted after a period of ill health.