When one thinks of comic books there is one name that comes to mind: Stan Lee. He created our modern mythology, the stories we know and tell our kids. There is something about Marvel heroes that makes them different. They were more relatable and not only entertained us, but taught us lessons. Marvel heroes made a difference, whether they were fighting Doctor Doom or teaching us about ourselves. 

  Perhaps Stan’s most famous creation is the character Spider-Man. Spider-Man was the first of his kind. He showed readers that superheroes could be complex and flawed. Peter embodies what readers wanted to be and who they really were. They identified with poor Peter Parker, but dreamed of being the powerful Spider-Man.  

Continuing with his theme of relating to his audience, Stan created the X-Men. They played to the fact that everyone feels different at one point or another. Everyone has felt like an outsider, trying to hard to fit in but never quite finding his or her place. X-Men taught children to embrace their difference and maybe they were something to be proud of. It showed us being normal is overrated.

The Hulk was created with one simple idea “Let’s make a hero out of a monster.” At base level, the Hulk is a monster, a murderous brute. The Hulk, like Frankenstein and other monsters before him, just wants to be felt alone. The Hulk embodies what Marvel comics is about, shades of grey. The heroes are not always heroes and the villains are not always villains, it is the shades of grey, the moral ambiguity, which makes Marvel great. 

  Indeed, Stan Lee changed the comics industry forever. He knew his readers and gave them what they wanted. His heroes dealt with harsh subjects like, personal flaws, feeling different, and what it means to be a hero. He is the master of comics and his creations will go on for years to come. ‘Nuff said.