Discover the Marvel-ous World of Stan Lee: Top 12 Amazing and Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Where's Stan Lee?

In a Marvel-lous game of Where's Waldo, the iconic comic legend was always hidden in plain sight: Stan Lee made cameo appearances in almost every Marvel film since 1989, disguising himself as a security guard, bus driver, wedding guest, among other incognito roles, and began his Marvel Cinematic Universe streak with Iron Man in 2008.
Source => liveauctioneers.com

2. Humble Beginnings

Before Spidey was slinging webs, and the Hulk was smashing through walls, young Stan Lee was penning obituaries and tossing sandwiches through the paper-thin alleyways of a pre-Marvel universe, all the while scribbling his way to immortality: That's right, Stan the Man had his humble beginnings working part-time jobs, such as writing obituaries and press releases, delivering sandwiches, and selling newspaper subscriptions, before ultimately finding his calling when he won a high school essay competition three times in a row, setting him on the path to create the world's most iconic superheroes.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Jack Prelutsky, often called the Dr. Seuss of witty rhymes, has written over 50 award-winning poetry collections for children and collaborated with renowned illustrators? Discover more fun facts! 🎉📚✍️

=> Fun Facts about Jack-Prelutsky

3. Flipping Off Groot

Before Groot could say "I am Groot" with a one-finger salute: Stan Lee's original cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy featured him as a display case exhibit in The Collector's museum, flipping off Groot as he peered inside. The scene was cut by director James Gunn due to similarity with another flipping off joke in the film and concerns from Marvel over its potentially negative impact on the movie's tone.
Source => slashfilm.com

4. Inspiration from a Fly

You know what they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, or in Spider-Man's case: if you can't swat the fly, become one with the wall! In an ironic twist of fate, Stan Lee found inspiration for ol' web-head's iconic superpower: he observed a humble fly clinging to a wall and thought it'd be fitting for a superhero to possess similar insect-like abilities, eventually leading to the creation of Spider-Man.
Source => nydailynews.com

5. Defying the Comics Code

Facing the web-slinging scourge of the drug war like a true superhero: Stan Lee defied the Comics Code Authority in 1971 by publishing a Spider-Man storyline about drug addiction without their approval, leading to re-evaluations and relaxed restrictions on drug depictions in comic books.
Source => cbr.com

6. Sibling Synergy

Who needs Stark Industries when you have sibling synergy? The Iron Man creative team experienced its own Avengers-level collaboration: While Stan Lee conceived the Iron Man character, he passed the comic book writing torch to his brother, Larry Lieber. Adding to this superhero family affair, Bob Layton and David Michelinie swooped in during the late '70s, revamping the storyline with a corporate twist and a dash of tech-inspired relatability - ultimately propelling Iron Man to Marvel Cinematic Universe stardom.
Source => 13thdimension.com

7. Stan the Army Man

Before he became Marvel's mastermind, Stan "The Man" Lee had quite the heroic secret identity himself, serving Uncle Sam and keeping "with great power comes great responsibility" closer to heart than Spider-Man's spandex suit: During World War II, Lee was a member of the U.S. Army's Signal Corps, repairing communication equipment and creating training manuals, cartoons, and slogans. In fact, the Army recognized his contributions, inducting him into the Signal Corps Regimental Association and making him an honorary member of the 2nd Battalion of 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment in 2017.
Source => cbr.com

8. Excelsior vs. Rivals

Once upon a time in a competitive comic-verse far, far, away, an intrepid superhero story-spinner hatched a cunning plan involving a word as mysterious as his comic creations: Stan Lee's choice of "Excelsior!" as his signature catchphrase was not only meant to be a unique sign-off, but also a sneaky ploy to outwit his rivals in the 1960s. According to the man himself, he claimed that he wanted a word that his competition couldn't copy and couldn't spell, securing the lexical high ground by adopting this distinctively spelled and elusive expression, and leaving his foes completely bamboozled.
Source => qz.com

9. Cameo Chameleon

Stan the Man was quite the cameo chameleon, shape-shifting and gracing our screens like a superhero watching over their city: From Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019), Stan Lee appeared in all 22 films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, alongside several Marvel television series, bringing joy and surprise to fans in roles ranging from a beauty pageant judge to a humble bus rider.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Four Cameos in a Day

Who says old age slows you down? Evidently, Stan Lee didn't get the memo: The nonagenarian comic book legend filmed not one, not two, but four Marvel movie cameos in a single day while visiting Georgia, as revealed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. Praise was given to Lee's boundless enthusiasm and energy during the shoot, proving superheroes don't always wear capes!
Source => latimes.com

11. Comic Book Cameos

Before becoming a Marvel-lous spirit medium, Stan the Man dabbled in weddings, circus acts, and professorial duties: Stan Lee, master of the comic book universe, graced many Marvel movies with his iconic cameos but also popped up in the comics – officiating Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' nuptials, donning a ringmaster's hat in the 1997 Flashback series, and molding young minds as a professor in Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #19, earning him the highest score on the cameo celebrity leaderboard.
Source => screenrant.com

12. Inspired by The Spider

Everyone thought Stan Lee had a thing for bugs, but perhaps he was slightly arachnophobic, dodging the limelight of the real source of his inspiration: His childhood hero The Spider, from Popular Publications, paved the way for the famous wall-crawler we know today as Spider-Man!
Source => screenrant.com