Weâre all human and are the same in that respect, but itâs our creativity that makes us unique and what helps our personality resonate. Creativity and imagination cannot be bought or taken - itâs there from the get go - we all have it. Most of us go about our lives suppressing our flair however, whether itâs on purpose, in fear of what others will think of it, or unintentionally, courtesy of being conditioned to be nothing more than mundane â9 to 5â drones from the cot to the grave.
Imagine people capable of such unparalleled imagination that it literally changes/shapes and influences the world, pioneering the majority of pop culture. Stan Lee, amongst the likes of Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby to name a few, didnât allow their creativity to be suppressed, but sadly, every superheroâs story has a final page.
Stan Lee sadly passed today at the commendable age of 95. Youâd think heâd be able to enjoy his final golden years relaxing, witnessing the millions of peopleâs lives heâd influenced, reflecting on all the amazing things heâd done⌠but life being as cruel as it is, pneumonia proved to be a difficult battle. Seemingly in the eventual clear, alleged claims of elder abuse were filed against the people closest to him, including greedy family members and âcarersâ - the people he shouldâve been able to trust the most. If that wasnât enough, he had to file a lawsuit against one of his own companies⌠all whilst losing his wife the year before, having being married for an incredible 69 years. He deserved a better retirement than that, yet he STILL went to conventions for the sake of meeting fans and showing how much he cared, sitting for hours to say hello and sign things. Though most people will never reach such an age, let alone acomplish anything close to what heâs done, am I selfish to wish that heâd been given another 100 years? Regardless, his legacy lives on in the form of his creations, and you donât have to be a genius to know that the superheroes and stories he left behind for us arenât going anywhere anytime soon.
Most current creators are probably only doing what theyâre doing now because of him, let alone all the up and coming ones that are yet to follow in Stanâs footsteps. Speaking for myself, the things Iâve done and the things Iâm interested in are what they are because of him. I wouldnât have written stories if it wasnât for him. I wouldnât have a Marvel blog consisting of 75,000 followers just like me if it wasnât for him. I wouldnât have a tiny bedroom ridiculously doused in Marvel collectibles, clothing, posters, comics, and movies if it wasnât for him. Me and my younger sister wouldnât have a common interest (thatâs borderline religious) if it wasnât for him. I remember being beyond obsessed with Spider-Man as kid, to the point where I used to pick up spiders in the hopes that theyâd bite me so I could swing on webs and climb walls. I remember being 7 years old, literally praying to God that I could be Spider-Man, and I remember how dissapointed I was when nothing happened!
One of my favourite things he said in response to being asked why people love superheroes so much was (and Iâm paraphrasing here), âI wanted to make stories that are magical and fantastical. Superheroes are a different take on fantasy,â and itâs exactly that. Life sucks, and I know I probably shouldnât rely on a single entertainment company to provide me with my fix of escapism, but Iâm too far gone, and I fear my younger sister is too, haha! You donât hear us complaining though, and I wouldnât change my interests in the slightest. âEscapismâ wasnât an overstatement either. I live and breathe this stuff, itâs ridiculous⌠and it probably annoys people around me that arenât as fanatic, but I donât care. These superheroes come in all shapes and sizes, come from all walks of life and have powers beyond belief - everyone has a favourite hero, and mineâs Stan Lee; his superpower being the ability to change my life among others, making weirdos like myself feel special. A true modern 'Marvelâ if there ever was one. Iâll never feel as though youâre no longer with us, because you and your imagination is here forever. Youâll live on in the hearts and minds of people like myself. I can never come close to explaining to anyone just how much Marvel has shaped me. Rest in peace Stan the Man, youâve earnt it you legend. Excelsior!
Dec 28th 1922 - Nov 12th 2018
