Marvel co-creator and comic book pioneer Stan Lee has died on November 12, 2018, at the age of 95.  Stan Lee was a legend, and acted as a beacon of happiness and inspiration for comic book readers worldwide. He created iconic characters like Spiderman, The Hulk, Thor, and many others. But who was he really?

Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber, was born in New York City on December 28, 1922. He was born to Romanian immigrants, and suffered through the Great Depression through the majority of his childhood. In order to make ends meet, he began working at a local comic book shop, Timely Comics, where he met legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. In 1961, Lee and Kirby teamed up to create the Fantastic Four, which propelled them into a position of power in the comic book world. One year later, he and Steve Ditko created Spider-Man.

His Marvel movies would later make him even more famous, with movies like X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002) paving the way to more comic book movies. In 2008, he was awarded a National Medal of Arts. Stan Lee had cameos in more than 35+ movies, and even had a couple of his own shows.

Stan Lee married Joan B. Lee, and they had two children; Joan Celia Lee and Jan Lee. Joan B. Lee died on July 6th, 2017. Jan Lee was born in 1953 and died 3 days after delivery.

Through trials and heartbreak, Stan always stayed true. He filled his stories with joy and inspiration, and pioneered modern cinema and comics. We lost a true legend.

Excelsior, and Rest in Peace Stan Lee.