Stan Lee

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber), born on December 28, 1922, was an influential American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business, Timely Comics, which later became Marvel Comics. Lee served as Marvel's primary creative leader for two decades, expanding it from a small division to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics and film industries. In collaboration with artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created iconic characters including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, and the Hulk, among others. These characters and their stories, which often broke the mold of traditional action heroes, played a significant role in popularizing the more complex and human approach to superhero comics. Following his retirement from Marvel in the 1990s, Lee remained a public figurehead for the company, frequently made cameo appearances in films based on Marvel properties, and continued independent creative ventures until his death in 2018.