When you talk about the Man in Marvel you could only be referring to Stan Lee. Widely revered by comic book fans for creating the well loved Spiderman, the Fantastic Four and other iconic heroes that have shaped Marvel into the comic juggernaut it is today. Over the past four decades Stan Lee has remained at the helm of the industry's leading publisher and has constantly redefined the comic book into a true art form.

Stan Lee was born on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 1922 to two Romanian immigrants. His name was Stanley Martin Lieber. Life was hard for the Liebers during the Depression and they had to leave their modest apartment to an even smaller apartment in Washington Heights. These hard times fostered Stan's imagination. He sought escape in books and this quickly sparked an interest in writing.

He then worked part time writing obituaries for a news service and other writing jobs. Stan graduated high-school early, he was 16, and to augment the family income started working full time in a small publishing company. Stan Lee didn't realize it but the small publishing company was Timely a pulp magazine that would later become Marvel comics.

At the age of 16, Stan Lee had already started working on the only job he was to hold. He wrote the text filler for “Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge” in Captain America Comics #3 (May 1941). Dreaming of becoming a serious writer who didn't want to be involved in the pulps, Stanley Lieber used the pseudonym Stan Lee and a legend was born. Just a few years later at the age of 19, Lee was already an editor.

The Second World War interrupted a flourishing career in the comic book industry for Stan Lee. He enlisted in 1942 but never saw action in the army. Instead he wrote manuals, training films and slogans for the wartime effort. He still penned scripts for Timely comics and when the war was over he took back his post as editor. Stan then devoted his time and energy to a field that he initially only thought of as a way to pay the bills.

By the 1950's Stan Lee was already thinking of quitting his chosen field. A decency campaign led by psychiatrist Dr. Frederick Wertham blamed comics for corrupting America's youth, ensured that the free wheeling attitude towards comics would be phased out. Publishers implemented a strict Comics Code.

Atlas, the new name of Timely comics, was facing low sales and financial ruin. Stan had just about had it with the comic book industry. Enter DC comics and the Justice League of America. Martin Goodman the publisher of Atlas tasked Stan to create a superhero team that would match their rival. Lee's wife encouraged him to stay with the company and create the team since at that point he had little left to lose. The end result was the Fantastic Four.

With the Fantastic Four Stan Lee had created a completely new version of superheroes. The Fantastic Four were heroes who could get mad at each other, had complicated love lives and acted moody. Yes they were heroes but they were also refreshingly human. Fantastic Four #1 was released under a new company banner- Marvel. Thus the Marvel Age of comics was born.

The collaboration of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby was a smashing success. Along with the Fantastic Four, they also created the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men and Thor. With Steve Ditko he created Marvel's most successful character; the Amazing Spiderman. This further enhanced Marvel's status in the comic book industry. Stan not only created characters that were to become icons to millions of comic book fans, he also revolutionized the industry.

Stan started a trend when he added “Stan's Soapbox” at the end of every issue. This was a page where the writer can talk to the fans about news and upcoming story lines. This created a sense of camaraderie with the writers, artists and fans. A community was developed among fans, giving rise to the fandoms of today. Stan Lee further incensed the flames of competition with DC by aggressively marketing Marvel merchandise. He included the fans by starting the “Merry Marvel Marching Society” which had no other aim but just to make sure that the Marvel fans stayed loyal to Marvel.

In his later years Stan Lee has been a figurehead for Marvel. He developed the TV and movie properties for Marvel. He recently did work for DC by re imagining the DC universe. In May 2006 with 65 years in the comic book industry Marvel did a tribute to Stan the Man by publishing a series of one-shots starring Stan meeting some of the Marvel heroes he has created. It was a fitting tribute. Excelsior!