Stan Lee, the Marvel legend who gave us the Avengers and the X-Men, dies aged 95

Stan Lee, the Marvel legend who gave us the Avengers and the X-Men, dies aged 95

The creator of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, has died at the age of 95. The legendary writer and publisher of Marvel Comics responsible for creating iconic superheroes died at the hospital on Monday morning.

According to TMZ, Lee was transported from his Hollywood Hills home on Monday morning and was taken to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he later died, his daughter, Joan Celia Lee, told the publication. Lee had suffered several illnesses over the last year including pneumonia and vision-related issues.

Stan Lee of Marvel Comics on June 15, 1978 in New York, New York. (Photo by Santi Visalli/Getty Images)
Stan Lee of Marvel Comics on June 15, 1978 in New York, New York. (Photo by Santi Visalli/Getty Images)

Stan Lee started Marvel with Jack Kirby in 1961 with 'The Fantastic Four,' and then went on to create Spider-Man, Black Panther, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Iron Man and The Avengers and other characters. He has made cameo appearances in all of the Marvel movies.

The Manhattan-born Lee wrote, art-directed and edited most of Marvel's series and newspaper strips. He also penned a monthly comics' column, 'Stan's Soapbox', signing off with his signature phrase, “Excelsior!”

Lee worked closely with frequent artist-writer collaborators Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and others to catapult Marvel from a tiny venture into the world's No. 1 publisher of comic books and, eventually, a multimedia giant.

Comic book mogul Stan Lee attending 10th Annual Software Dealears Convention on July 14, 1991 at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Comic book mogul Stan Lee attending 10th Annual Software Dealears Convention on July 14, 1991 at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

In 2009, Marvel Entertainment was bought by the Walt Disney Co. for $4 billion, and most of the top-grossing superhero films of all time featured the characters he created.

"I used to think what I did was not very important," he told the Chicago Tribune in April 2014. "People are building bridges and engaging in medical research, and here I was doing stories about fictional people who do extraordinary, crazy things and wear costumes. But I suppose I have come to realize that entertainment is not easily dismissed."

According to Hollywood Reporter, Lee, whose estate was estimated to be worth as much as $70 million, had tumultuous last few years.

Comic book legend Stan Lee and wife Joan Lee attend a ceremony honoring Stan Lee with the 2,428th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 4, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Comic book legend Stan Lee and wife Joan Lee attend a ceremony honoring Stan Lee with the 2,428th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 4, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

 

After Joan, his wife of 69 years, died in July 2017, he sued executives at POW! Entertainment — a company he founded in 2001 to develop film, TV and video game properties — for $1 billion for fraud before abruptly dropping the suit weeks later.

He also sued his ex-business manager and filed for a restraining order against a man who had been handling his affairs.

Lee also accused his 67-year-old daughter Joan Celia Lee, or JC for short, of physically and psychologically abusing him, resulting in the Marvel supremo signing a declaration on February 13 this year which accused JC as well as three others in being complicit to the abuse.

Lee is survived by his daughter JC.

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 Marvel creator Stan Lee dies 95 Monday