"I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers," Lee was quoted as saying in the Washington Post. "And then I began to realise: entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you're able to entertain people, you're doing a good thing."
Lee is credited as a key driving force behind the media powerhouse that is the Marvel Comic Universe, bringing characters such as Spiderman, Thor, Captain American, Black Panther, the X-Men and Iron Man (among hundreds more) to life in comics back in the 1960's, and reinvigorating the brand through film in the 2000's.
"There will never be another Stan Lee," said Captain America's Chris Evans in a tribute on Twitter.
Many of today's leading characters owe their careers to Lee, with Robert Downey Jnr. (aka. Iron Man) acknowledging; "I owe it all to you [Lee]". In fact, we here at Men's Health also owe the creative genius a debt of gratitude, with Marvel providing many an article and cover-man.
Many of Marvel's biggest characters have taken to social media to express their loss at the news of their boss's passing.
