Given all his achievements in comic books, entertainment and pop culture, Stan Lee’s nickname, “The Man,” was both well earned and well deserved. From his time as a teenage assistant at then Timely Comics, through his collaborations with fellow icons like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr. and John Buscema, plus his tireless promotion of comic books to a mainstream audience, Lee was in no small part responsible for raising the profile of comic books to make them accessible to everyone. 

“Without Stan Lee’s fertile and creative mind, endless energy and work ethic, comic books would have been completely different from what we know and enjoy today,” said DC Publisher Dan DiDio. “He helped to create worlds that were both fantastic and relatable at the same timeallowing more people to embrace superhero storiesWe’ll be forever richer having him with us.”  

He also made his impact felt here at DC, as the guiding force behind “Just Imagine,” where he re-imagined several of DC’s main superheroes. For those fortunate to have met and worked with him in those days in DC’s New York offices, his impact, warm smile and influence will always be fondly remembered.  

“Stan was a great friend and a true legend. He paved the road for me and other creators for more than half a century,” said DC Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee. “From my beginnings in the industry until today, Stan’s influence on my work and my life can’t be emphasized enough. It was a dream come true to have worked with him however briefly, and I’m honored to be among the amazing roster of creative talent that shared the stage with him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the millions of fans whose lives have been touched by his brilliance.”