By now, few will be unaware of Stan Lee’s sad and unfortunate passing last week. The Marvel comics icon was responsible for bringing a wide range of extraordinary characters to life, such as Spider-man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men and The Fantastic Four. We lost a legend, and the world has mourned ever since.
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While Lee’s status as pop culture juggernaut is unquestionable, his reach expands far further than just the confines of a page or screen. To many, Stan Lee wasn’t just the man responsible for their favourite comic book character, but he was someone who felt like a friend, a father, and above all else, a true superhero.
Superheroes are currently at the forefront of mainstream entertainment and media in both film and television. The characters have always carried a large fanbase. But, now the majority of the public consciousness is enjoying the wonder and magic of the Marvel universe in some form.
Lee’s creations have helped people across the globe feel accepted, less isolated, and happier in themselves. In a time where the modern world has become a frightening and dangerous place, its no coincidence that we have all sought comfort in the company of people like Peter Parker, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.
Of course, Lee himself served in the US Army during World War ll (something which helped inspire some of his greatest characters). As a man who lived through, arguably, some of the most complicated eras of existence in the democratic age, Lee still maintained a firm grasp and understanding on what it really means to be human.
Whether its through an awkward teenager, a soldier out of time, a former playboy, or an African king, the lessons these stories teach us are important and more relevant now than ever. Stan Lee will continue to teach us all about equality, respect, kindness, self reflection and honesty, through his many beloved characters. While we may only have a finite number of physical appearances left to look forward to in future Marvel movies, his legacy will live on forever. It is with this thought that one of his finest and most relevant cameo’s comes to mind, ‘I guess one person can make a difference. ‘Nuff said’.
RIP Stan Lee. Excelsior
