STAN LEE
Stan Lee, the legendary creator of many of Marvel's most prolific characters passed away on Monday November 12th at the age of 95. Lee with characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man and The X-Men left a legacy in entertainment that will never be forgotten. In this blog post I'd like to list four of my favorite characters that were created by Stan Lee and others such as Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby.
1. THE X-MEN
In 1963 Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created the X-Men who were people who were born with powers. The original X-Men were Cyclops, Beast, Jean Grey, Angel, and Iceman. The first issue of X-Men also introduced Magneto and his brotherhood of mutants as enemies of the X-Men. The comic book did not do well in the 1960's and was discontinued by 1969. In 1975 the X-Men were brought back with an updated cast of characters. Cyclops and Jean Grey returned but new characters were added such as Colossus, Storm, and Wolverine. Writers such as Len Wein, John Byrne, and Chris Claremont infused the book with action, drama, and made it into a superhero soap opera which brought in a new audience. In 1993, an Animated Series aired on Fox and that's where I was introduced to the X-Men. The animated series had a cast that included X-Men from different eras including Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, and Jubilee. 25 years later and X-Men is one of Marvel's best properties spawning movies, video games, and TV shows.
2. SPIDER-MAN
In August 1962, Spider-Man debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 and changed the world of comics forever. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man became successful because of the man under the mask, Peter Parker and how his alter ego affects his life and the lives of those around him. Stan Lee has said on numerous documentaries that he hated teenage sidekicks so he wanted to create a hero that was a teenager and had to deal with teen angst. In 1994, Fox Kids' debuted a Spider-Man cartoon that ran until 1998 and that's when I learned about the character and his sensational supporting cast. In the last five decades since his debut Spider-Man has appeared in movies, cartoons, and video games becoming one of the most recognizable characters in the world.
3. THE FANTASTIC FOUR
In 1961, DC Comics was having success with its newly launched Justice League title and Stan Lee's publisher asked him to create a comic with a team of superheroes. Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created The Fantastic Four who stand as the first family of Marvel. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm were a complete family filled with happiness and turmoil. In 1994, Genesis Entertainment created Fantastic Four: The Animated Series which is where I first encountered the characters. The animated series featured other Marvel heroes including Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor, The Hulk, and Ghost Rider. In 2005, The Fantastic Four were featured in a big budget film with Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis.
4. THOR
Thor was created in 1962 by Stan lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby first appearing in Journey Into Mystery # 83. Jack Kirby loved the Norse mythology and influenced much of what themes were introduced in Thor. Stan's contribution to the comic included having the spirit of a Norse god tied to a a human. Currently, Thor is one of the most recognizable characters thanks to his part in Avengers.
Rest In Peace, Mr. Lee. Your contributions to the entertainment industry will never be forgotten.
Class Dismissed,
THE PROFESSOR
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