Stan Lee was a pivotal figure in the comic book industry, primarily known for his work at Marvel Comics. He transformed Marvel from a small publishing division into a multimedia powerhouse over two decades. As a writer, editor, publisher, and producer, Lee co-created iconic characters such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four, revolutionizing the superhero genre with more complex and relatable characters. His contributions significantly shaped the landscape of pop culture and the entertainment industry.
On December 28, 1922, Stanley Martin Lieber, later known as Stan Lee, was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Romanian-born Jewish immigrant parents, Celia and Jack Lieber.
In 1939, Stan Lee became an assistant at Timely Comics, a division of Martin Goodman's pulp magazine and comic-book publishing company, with the help of his uncle Robbie Solomon.
In 1939, Stan Lee graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School early at sixteen and a half and joined the WPA Federal Theatre Project.
In May 1941, Stanley Lieber made his comic-book debut with the text filler "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" in Captain America Comics #3, using the pseudonym Stan Lee.
In August 1941, Stan Lee's first superhero co-creation, the Destroyer, debuted in Mystic Comics #6. Other characters co-created during this time include Jack Frost and Father Time.
In 1941, after Joe Simon and Jack Kirby left Timely Comics, Stan Lee, at just under 19 years old, was appointed as interim editor.
In early 1942, Stan Lee joined the U.S. Army and served in the Signal Corps, later transferring to the Training Film Division where he wrote manuals and training films.
In September 1943, Stan Lee made an appearance in one panel of Terry-Toons #12 as the "third assistant office boy". This was one of Stan Lee's earliest appearances in a comic book.
From 1945, Stan Lee lived in the rented top floor of a brownstone in the East 90s in Manhattan.
In 1945, Stan Lee returned from his World War II military service, resuming his work at Timely Comics.
In June 1947, Stan Lee was prominently featured as a story character in Margie #36. This marked a notable early instance of Lee being depicted within a comic book narrative.
On December 5, 1947, Stan Lee married Joan Clayton Boocock, originally from Newcastle, England.
In 1949, Stan Lee and his wife, Joan, bought a house in Woodmere, New York, on Long Island.
In March 1950, Stan Lee appeared in a mask on the cover of Black Rider #8, though it was as a character model rather than as himself.
In 1950, Stan Lee's daughter, Joan Celia "J. C." Lee, was born.
From 1952, the Lees resided in the Long Island community of Hewlett Harbor, New York.
Until 1952, Stan Lee and his wife, Joan, lived in Woodmere, New York, on Long Island.
In 1953, Stan Lee's daughter, Jan Lee, died a few days after her birth.
In 1956, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz revived the superhero archetype with an updated version of the Flash, leading to publisher Martin Goodman assigning Stan Lee to create a new superhero team.
In 1960, Martin Goodman assigned Stan Lee to come up with a new superhero team in response to the success of DC Comics' Justice League of America. Lee's wife suggested he experiment with stories he preferred.
In 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four, marking the beginning of a wave of new superhero titles from Marvel. They later co-created the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, and the X-Men.
In January 1963, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby appeared as themselves in The Fantastic Four #10, marking the first of several appearances within the Marvel Universe. They were portrayed as creating comic books based on the "real" adventures of the Fantastic Four.
In 1965, Stan Lee recorded messages to the newly formed Merry Marvel Marching Society fan club, fostering a sense of community with readers.
In March 1966, the "Galactus Trilogy" began in Fantastic Four #48, which is frequently cited as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's finest achievement, chronicling the arrival of Galactus and the Silver Surfer.
Following Steve Ditko's departure in 1966, Stan Lee began collaborating with John Romita Sr. on The Amazing Spider-Man.
In August 1967, Robbie Robertson was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #51 as one of the first African-American characters in comics to play a significant supporting role.
By 1967, Marvel was well-established in popular culture, leading to a March 3 WBAI radio program featuring Stan Lee and Jack Kirby titled "Will Success Spoil Spiderman [sic]".
In August 1968, Stan Lee and artist John Buscema launched The Silver Surfer series, expanding on the story and character from the Galactus Trilogy.
From 1968 to 1969, Stan Lee was parodied as Stan Bragg, editor of Brain-Pix Comics, in the first series of Angel and the Ape.
In September 1969, Stan Lee and Gene Colan created the Falcon, who became comics' first African-American superhero, in Captain America #117.
From 1968 to 1969, Stan Lee was parodied as Stan Bragg, editor of Brain-Pix Comics, in the first series of Angel and the Ape.
In July 1972, Stan Lee made a cameo appearance hosting an old-soldiers reunion in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #100.
In July 1972, Stan Lee's final issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, #110, was published as he transitioned to the role of publisher at Marvel Comics.
In August 1972, Stan Lee's last Fantastic Four issue, #125, was published as he transitioned to the role of publisher at Marvel Comics.
In 1972, Stan Lee presented a poem at Carnegie Hall, which was later used as text for his digital graphic novel Stan Lee's God Woke.
In 1972, Stan Lee succeeded Martin Goodman as the publisher of the comic-book division.
From 1975, The Lees owned a condominium on East 63rd Street in Manhattan.
In 1976, Stan Lee was one of the cartoonists who illustrated the Costello's wall. He drew Spider-Man.
On January 3, 1977, Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. launched the Spider-Man newspaper comic strip.
In June 1977, Stan Lee made a cameo appearance as a bar patron in The Amazing Spider-Man #169.
In October 1978, Jack Kirby portrayed himself, Stan Lee, Sol Brodsky, and Flo Steinberg as superheroes in What If #11, "What If the Marvel Bullpen Had Become the Fantastic Four?", with Lee playing the role of Mister Fantastic.
In 1978, Stan Lee's final collaboration with Jack Kirby, The Silver Surfer: The Ultimate Cosmic Experience, was published as part of the Marvel Fireside Books series and is considered to be Marvel's first graphic novel.
In February 1980, Stan Lee and John Buscema produced the first issue of The Savage She-Hulk, introducing the female cousin of the Hulk.
Until 1980, the Lees resided in the Long Island community of Hewlett Harbor, New York and owned a condominium on East 63rd Street in Manhattan .
For their move to the West Coast in 1981, the Lees bought a home in West Hollywood, California, previously owned by comedian Jack Benny's radio announcer Don Wilson.
In 1981, Stan Lee moved to California to develop Marvel's TV and movie properties, becoming an executive producer and making cameo appearances in various Marvel adaptations and other films.
In 1982, Stan Lee returned to comic book writing with various Silver Surfer projects including a one-shot drawn by John Byrne.
In 1989, Joe Simon related a conversation with Stan Lee in an appendix to his autobiography, reconciling two different accounts of Lee's early career. The event occurred in 1989.
In 1990, Joe Simon's autobiography, The Comic Book Makers, was published, offering a different account of Stan Lee's introduction to the comics industry, describing him as a relative brought in by "Uncle Robbie" to be kept busy.
In 1994, Stan Lee appeared as a bar patron in Marvels #3, in one of his numerous cameo appearances in Marvel titles.
In 1994, Stan Lee was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to the field.
In 1995, Stan Lee was inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame, further solidifying his legacy in the comic book industry.
In July 1996, Stan Lee appeared in Generation X #17 as a circus ringmaster narrating a story set in an abandoned circus, with lines written by Lee himself.
In July 1997, Stan Lee's circus ringmaster characterization was revived in Marvel's "Flashback" series of titles cover-dated July 1997, introducing stories about Marvel characters before they became superheroes.
In June 1998, Stan Lee made a cameo appearance at Karen Page's funeral in Daredevil vol. 2, #8.
In 1998, Stan Lee and Peter Paul began a new Internet-based superhero creation, production, and marketing studio, Stan Lee Media.
In 1998, Stan Lee founded Stan Lee Entertainment which later became the subject of legal disputes regarding intellectual property rights after his death. In 1998, Stan Lee aimed to consolidate and manage his creative works through this entity.
In 1999, Stan Lee Media went public through a reverse merger structured by investment banker Stan Medley.
In 2000, Stan Lee and other comics creators are mentioned in Michael Chabon's novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which is set in the early comics industry.
In 2000, the success of 20th Century Fox's X-Men film occurred.
Near the end of 2000, investigators discovered illegal stock manipulation by Peter Paul and Stephan Gordon at Stan Lee Media.
In February 2001, Stan Lee Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following the discovery of illegal stock manipulation.
From 2001 to 2017, Lee's partners Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman allegedly misled Stan Lee regarding intellectual property rights deals, according to a lawsuit filed by J.C. Lee in September 2019. The lawsuit covers alleged events between 2001 and 2017.
In 2001, Fantastic Four #48 was chosen as #24 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll, highlighting the impact and legacy of the "Galactus Trilogy".
In 2001, Stan Lee, Gill Champion, and Arthur Lieberman formed POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment to develop film, television, and video game properties. Also in 2001, DC Comics released the Just Imagine... series, in which Lee reimagined the DC superheroes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash.
In 2002, Stan Lee sued Marvel, claiming that the company was failing to pay his share of the profits from movies featuring the characters he had co-created.
In 2002, Stan Lee's autobiography, Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee, was published, providing his personal account of his life and career.
In a 2002 interview, Stan Lee expressed uncertainty about his belief in God, stating, "I really don't know. I just don't know."
In 2004, POW! Entertainment went public through a reverse merger structured by investment banker Stan Medley.
In 2005, Stan Lee and Marvel settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed seven-figure amount.
In June 2006, Stan Lee made a cameo appearance as the priest officiating at Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' wedding in New Avengers Annual #1.
From July 2006, Stan Lee hosted, co-created, executive-produced, and judged the reality television game show competition Who Wants to Be a Superhero? on the Sci-Fi Channel.
In 2006, Marvel commemorated Stan Lee's 65 years with the company by publishing a series of one-shot comics starring Lee himself meeting and interacting with his co-creations.
In 2006, Stan Lee recalled that he was influenced by books and movies, especially those with Errol Flynn, during his childhood. He cited "The Scarlet Pimpernel" as his first superhero.
In 2006, under the name Stanley Lieber, Stan Lee made a brief appearance in Paul Malmont's novel, The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril.
In March 2007, after Stan Lee Media had been purchased by Jim Nesfield, the company filed a lawsuit against Marvel Entertainment for $5 billion, claiming Lee had given his rights to several Marvel characters to Stan Lee Media in exchange for stock and a salary.
In June 2007, Stan Lee Media sued Stan Lee, his newer company, POW! Entertainment, and POW! subsidiary QED Entertainment.
Until September 2007, Stan Lee hosted, co-created, executive-produced, and judged the reality television game show competition Who Wants to Be a Superhero? on the Sci-Fi Channel.
In 2007, Stan Lee Meets Superheroes, written by Lee, was released. In this book, he comes into contact with some of his favorite creations.
In 2008, POW! Entertainment debuted the manga series Karakuri Dôji Ultimo, a collaboration between Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei, Viz Media and Shueisha.
In 2008, Stan Lee received the National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a prestigious honor acknowledging his impact on American art and culture.
In 2008, Stan Lee wrote humorous captions for the political fumetti book Stan Lee Presents Election Daze: What Are They Really Saying?
In 2009, Stan Lee recalled his early duties at Timely Comics, which included filling inkwells, getting lunch for the artists, proofreading, and erasing pencils from finished pages.
In 2010, The Stan Lee Foundation was founded to focus on literacy, education, and the arts.
In 2010, the documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story was released, exploring Stan Lee's life, career, and creations, featuring his colleagues and family.
In October 2011, Stan Lee announced he would partner with 1821 Comics on a multimedia imprint, Stan Lee's Kids Universe, addressing the lack of comic books targeted at children, and he was collaborating on the futuristic graphic novel Romeo & Juliet: The War.
In 2011, Stan Lee started writing a live-action musical, The Yin and Yang Battle of Tao, and created the limited series Blood Red Dragon, a collaboration with Todd McFarlane and Japanese rock star Yoshiki.
In a 2011 interview, Stan Lee discussed his Romanian origins, mentioning that he had never visited Romania and did not know Romanian because his parents never taught it to him.
Until 2011, Stan Lee regularly donated papers, photographs, recordings and personal effects covering the period from 1926 to 2011, to the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
In September 2012, Stan Lee underwent an operation to insert a pacemaker, leading to the cancellation of planned appearances at conventions.
At the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, Stan Lee announced his YouTube channel, Stan Lee's World of Heroes, which airs programs created by Lee, Mark Hamill, Peter David, Adrianne Curry and Bonnie Burton, among others.
In 2012, Comikaze Expo, Los Angeles' largest comic book convention, was rebranded as Stan Lee's Comikaze Presented by POW! Entertainment.
In 2013, Stan Lee appeared in Lavie Tidhar's novel The Violent Century as Stanley Martin Lieber, a historian of superhumans.
In 2013, the film Stan Lee's Annihilator, based on a Chinese prisoner-turned-superhero named Ming, entered production.
In 2014, Stan Lee and Bruce Timm adapted the 'Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge' story into a sequential art story in Marvel's 75th Anniversary Celebration.
In January 2015, Stan Lee's book Zodiac, co-written with Stuart Moore, was released.
At the 2016 Comic-Con International, Stan Lee introduced his digital graphic novel Stan Lee's God Woke, with text originally written as a poem he presented at Carnegie Hall in 1972.
On July 6, 2017, Joan Boocock Lee, Stan Lee's wife of 69 years, passed away at the age of 95 due to complications from a stroke.
At the 2017 Emerald City Comic Con, Stan Lee was given honorary membership of the 2nd Battalion of 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord for his prior service.
By 2017, Stan Lee had retired from making convention appearances, marking the end of a significant aspect of his public life and interaction with fans. Stan Lee retired from convention appearances by 2017.
From 2001 to 2017, Lee's partners Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman allegedly misled Stan Lee regarding intellectual property rights deals, according to a lawsuit filed by J.C. Lee in September 2019. The lawsuit covers alleged events between 2001 and 2017.
In 2017, POW! Entertainment was acquired by Camsing International, a Chinese company, during the period Lee was caring for his terminally ill wife and dealing with his own failing eyesight.
In 2017, the print-book version of Stan Lee's God Woke won the Independent Publisher Book Awards' Outstanding Books of the Year Independent Voice Award.
In early 2017, Stan Lee was accused of sexually harassing nurses at his home. These allegations were reported by the Mail Online on January 10, 2018, and Lee denied them, claiming extortion.
On January 10, 2018, the Mail Online reported that Stan Lee was accused by nurses of sexual harassment at his home in early 2017. Lee denied these allegations and claimed the nurses were attempting extortion.
In April 2018, Stan Lee filed a lawsuit against his former business manager, Jerardo Olivarez, accusing him of being an "unscrupulous businessman" who gained Lee's power of attorney, fired Lee's banker, changed his will, transferred millions of dollars, and purchased a condominium with the funds.
In April 2018, The Hollywood Reporter published a report alleging that Stan Lee was a victim of elder abuse. Keya Morgan, his business manager, was accused of isolating Lee to gain access to his wealth, estimated at US$50 million.
In May 2018, Stan Lee filed a US$1 billion lawsuit against POW!, asserting that POW! had not disclosed the terms of its acquisition by Camsing to him and that POW! took over his social media accounts and was impersonating him inappropriately.
In July 2018, Stan Lee's lawsuit against POW! was dropped, with Lee stating he was happy to be working with POW! again.
In August 2018, a restraining order was issued against Keya Morgan, Stan Lee's business manager, preventing him from contacting Lee, his daughter, and his associates for three years, amidst allegations of elder abuse.
On November 12, 2018, Stan Lee died at the age of 95, leaving behind a significant legacy in the comic book and film industries.
In 2018, Stan Lee passed away at the age of 95, marking the end of an era for the comic book industry. He had continued independent creative ventures until his death.
In 2018, Stan Lee voiced a cameo appearance as himself in the DC Comics movie Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, marking an appearance outside of Marvel film and television projects.
In May 2019, the Los Angeles Superior Court confirmed that Keya Morgan was charged with five counts of abuse for events that occurred in mid-2018, including false imprisonment, grand theft, fraud, forgery, and elder abuse.
In September 2019, J.C. Lee filed a lawsuit against POW! Entertainment in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, seeking to regain intellectual property rights established when Stan Lee founded Stan Lee Entertainment in 1998, and addressing events from 2001 to 2017.
In 2019, Avengers: Endgame marked Stan Lee's final cameo appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, released several months after his death. Following his death, Marvel Studios enacted a policy forbidding cameos by Lee in new films using archive footage.
In June 2020, Judge Otis D. Wright II dismissed J.C. Lee's lawsuit against POW! Entertainment, deeming it "frivolous" and "improper". J.C. Lee was sanctioned for $1,000,000, and her lawyers were sanctioned for $250,000. POW! Entertainment was also given the right to recover legal fees.
On July 6, 2020, Genius Brands (now Kartoon Studios) acquired exclusive worldwide rights to use Stan Lee's name, physical likeness, and signature, as well as licensing rights to his name and original IPs from POW! Entertainment, placing the assets under a new joint-venture with POW!, called Stan Lee Universe.
In 2022, Marvel signed a licensing deal with Stan Lee Universe to use Lee's name and likeness in film and television projects, as well as attractions and merchandising.
On June 16, 2023, a special titled Stan Lee, chronicling the life and legacy of Lee, was released on Disney+. It was directed by David Gelb and first premiered at the Tribeca Festival.
In April 2024, Kartoon Studios, in collaboration with Channel Frederator Network, rebranded their live-action channel as Stan Lee Presents under the management of Ethan Schulteis, focusing on Stan Lee's legacy.
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