In Memory of a Hero Who Created Heroes

Mattison Morella, Staff Reporter

Via wikimedia commons
Beloved comic book pioneer Stan Lee meant the world to his millions of fans.

Stan Lee was an American iconic comic book writer, editor, and publisher. Lee passed away November 12, 2018, of Pneumonia at the ripe old age of 95 years. Stanley Martin Lieber was born on Dec. 28, 1922. He grew up poor in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in New York City. In 1939, Lee took a position at Timely Comics and contributed a story that helped jumpstart his comic writing career. Lee went on to write, edit and publish in his lengthy lifelong love of superheroes and mold many of the characters we know today.

Stan Lee will be remembered for writing comic book stories for well known Marvel characters such as Captain America, Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man as well as for his contribution to pushing the boundaries on censorship of comics and focusing on more serious subject matters. Stan Lee’s catchphrase “Excelsior”, latin word meaning ‘upward and onward to greater glory’, demonstrated how he felt about not only his work, but his life as well. He’s considered a  real-life superhero by his fans.

Actor Chris Evans (Captain America) tweeted 11/12/18 “There will never be another Stan Lee. For decades he provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship, and joy. He exuded love and kindness and will leave an indelible mark on so, so, so many lives.”

Hugh Jackman also had kind words to say about Stan when he went on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “I remember Stan as a true gentleman who had this glint in his eye. He’s a creative genius… He created a whole universe that changed the lives of so many people, mine included…Stan, god bless you; you’re one of the greats.”


The passing of Stan has trickled down on a local level to affect the Fauquier High School student body. Junior Olivia Rogers had this to say about Lee, “My favorite work of his is definitely Captain America. The movies he’s created have been a huge part of my childhood. I’ll never forget the legend that is Stan Lee.”

Senior Bennett Morella also had some things to say, “He’s one of the greatest writers and producers of our time. If I could say one thing about Stan, it would be he taught us that not all heroes wear capes and he’ll be apart of the legacy that is Marvel forever.”

The imagination and artistic demonstration Stan Lee created throughout his career influenced the lives of countless young adults. Stan gifted the universe full of adventure, places of escape from reality, and a world where good triumphs over evil. As quoted by Stan “The Man” Lee himself, “We’re all part of one big family, the human family, and we all come together in the body of Marvel.”