November 13, 2018
Stan Lee - Loss of A Legend
It’s ironic when you look at the order of “when” things happen within our universe. This past Monday, on November 12th 2018, we lost a true icon from my and many generations. Stan Lee, the publisher and editor of Marvel Comics, passed away at the tender age of 95. The ironic part to all of this, is just few weeks prior I lost my own brother, who just happened to be the person that first introduced me to Marvel Comics and the vast assortment of characters and stories spawned from Stan Lee’s imagination over the decades.
I remember myself as a 5 year old kid back then. Learning to draw by mimicking the artwork and body poses from Marvel comics such as Spiderman, The Mighty Thor, Conan the Barbarian and Ghost Rider. The excitement and joy of Stan’s creations only grew once i was able to begin to comprehend the depth of the characters embedded within this forum. Seeing heroes struggle not just with apprehending villains, but with everyday problems such as depression, minimum wage, dating and heart-break. Heroes that were torn between answering the higher calling thrust upon them by their abilities, while trying to find a piece of normality in a world that both feared them and wanted to exploit their powers for profit.
Such richness spread across so many countless pages. A platform producing so many memorable characters. From Captain America to the X-Men. From Iron Man to The Thing. From the Hulk to the Dr. Strange. Conceptualizing countless undiscovered riches on planet earth. Substances like adamantium and vibranium. Providing so many memorable villains in Magneto, Venom, Doctor Doom, Ultron and of course my all-time favorite… Apocalypse. Stan even expanded our vision to the outer realms of the universe. Breathing existence into powerful cosmic entities such as Galactus, The Living Tribunal and of course, Thanos.
Where would we be without the profound conflict and struggle wrought in intense mini-series as “X-Cutioner’s Song”, “World War Hulk” or “The Korvac Saga”. How about the unrelenting and always surprising “What If” comics series? Which were relentless in immersing your favorite heroes within a truly fatal scenario. Who else could have comprised a lasting universe where Odin and Zeus can co-exist, interact with each other and it make sense?
Just because you have superpowers, that doesn’t mean your love life would be perfect. I don’t think superpowers automatically means there won’t be any personality problems, family problems or even money problems. I just tried to write characters who are human beings who also have superpowers. - Stan Lee
Our eyes and minds were presented with such opulence watching Johnny Blaze spiral out of control with the curse of his powers. The mindset of Adam Warlock, who had an incessant fear of not living up to being a true hero. The mental decline of Scott Summers as an competent leader of the X-Men. Where would I personally be without the true meaning of Captain Marvel’s “cosmic awareness”, a term I regularly use within my urban landscape.
Stan Lee and Marvel comics became common place in our culture. It was our morning coffee and paper. Leaving us cliff hanging until the next issue. Giving us countless TV shows, movies, songs, sound-bites, books and novels. Even giving us hope and an idea that we ourselves can overcome the struggles of this everyday life, just like our comic book counterparts.
I miss my older brother dearly. You Stan, provided one of the biggest influences on us both. For that… I salute you for the gifts you’ve given me, my children, my family and beyond. A true pioneer and a lasting legacy.
I don’t know where the hell I’ll be in five years. Maybe I’ll be producing movies maybe I’ll be on a corner selling apples. I don’t know, but I’m having a hell of a lot of fun. - Stan Lee, IGN.com
