Earlier today, Stan Lee died at the age of 95. The famous comic book writer was best known for his incredible contribution to Marvel and ultimately paving the way for the comic book franchises we enjoy today. Here are some other facts you may not have known about Stan Lee.
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1.
First, in 1939, Stan Lee landed his first job at Timely Comics — the company that would later transform into Marvel Comics.
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He was only 17 years old when he got the job.
2.
In 2008, Stan Lee received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush — he was honored for “his groundbreaking work as one of America’s most prolific storytellers.”
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3.
Stan Lee’s first comic book writing credit was in Captain America Issue #3 — he simply provided the filler text in this story written by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
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4.
Stan married his wife Joan on December 5, 1947, and they were married for 69 years until her death in 2017.
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7.
In 1962, Stan Lee introduced the world to Spider-Man. His inspiration for the character came out of wanting to depict a teen hero who wasn’t just a sidekick.
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According to Marvel, finding spiders “spooky,” Stan and artist Steve Ditko created Marvel’s most globally recognized hero.
9.
Stan Lee always believed comic books could be more than just “stories for young kids” — in 1971, he famously went against the Comics Code Authority because he wanted to depict the problems with drug abuse in The Amazing Spider-Man.
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12.
In 2010, he started his own charity, the Stan Lee Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides access to literacy, education, and the arts throughout the US.
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