Without the influence of the late Stan Lee, it’s hard to imagine the Avengers ever assembling in the first place. So in the wake of the legendary comic book creator’s passing, the original six members of the superhero team have come together once more to pay tribute to the writer and his legacy.
In the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter, you’ll find a full-page ad which consists of the logo for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the following message:
“We acknowledge his creative contribution, the thousands of men and women it has long employed, the millions that will continue to be entertained, and above all, his inimitable wit, grace and humility.
Stan, we love you, we will miss you, we’re grateful to represent a small part of your amazing legacy.”
Signing off at the bottom of the page are the names Scarlett J, Chris H, Mark R, Robert D, Jeremy R, and Chris E.
It’s a nice gesture of gratitude to the man who helped make Marvel what it is today, though it’s far from the only example of these Phase 1 Avengers paying tribute to Lee in these last few days.
Chris Hemsworth, for instance, took to Twitter with a message thanking Lee for “the incredible adventures your stories took all of us on.” Meanwhile, Chris Evans praised the late publisher for how he “provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship and joy,” whereas Mark Ruffalo tweeted that Lee’s work “let us be extra human… superhuman even.” Robert Downey Jr., on the other hand, kept his comment short and personal, writing: “I owe it all to you,,, Rest In Peace Stan…”
These are just a few excerpts from the countless messages flooding social media from fans reflecting on Stan Lee’s life and work. Clearly the man’s influence spreads far and wide across our pop culture, and so long as heroes are still assembling for new stories on the page and screen, his legacy will no doubt live on.
