One of the few people I have looked up to growing up, this man brought me so much joy and inspiration; not because I knew him personally, but because he knew me. The characters he brought to life along with Jack Kirby gave me something to aspire to and emulate. Heroes where none may have existed before. Through his characters I saw a little bit of myself in and dreamed that one day, I too, will be a superhero. The lesson I learned when I finally grew up was that it doesn't take having superpowers to be a hero, it takes good character, strong will, and the ability to take an ass kicking and get back up. Because life is not fair nor easy. But it's what we do despite that fact, in the face of adversity, where we really discover who we are as people. Or, as Uncle Ben might say, "with great power, comes great responsibility." The real heroes in life are not the ones we read about in comics, but the ones that allow us to see the best in ourselves and what kind of mark we want to leave on this world we have the pleasure to briefly exist on. That is what this man brought to this world: hope and inspiration. R.I.P. Stanley Martin Leiber, may you live forever in the world you created. #stanlee #ripstanlee #marvel #comics #excelsior #superhero #hero #inspiration #uncleben https://www.instagram.com/p/BqHCPwWhvT7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pghkt55ck2vv