Robert Downey Jr. has posted a heartfelt and emotional tribute to Marvel Comics writer Stan Lee after his death.
Lee was the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, and was responsible for creating or co-creating characters such as Black Panther, Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Mighty Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and the Incredible Hulk, among many other superheroes.
He sadly passed away yesterday (November 12) at the age of 95 in Los Angeles.
In 2009, The Walt Disney Co. purchased Marvel Entertainment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger spoke of the legend in a statement:
Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created. A superhero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world, Stan had the power to inspire, to entertain and to connect.
The scale of his imagination was only exceeded by the size of his heart.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said:
No one has had more of an impact on my career and everything we do at Marvel Studios than Stan Lee. Stan leaves an extraordinary legacy that will outlive us all.
Our thoughts are with his daughter, his family and the millions of fans who have been forever touched by Stan’s genius, charisma and heart.
Lee’s death was met with a wave of tributes from both fans and celebrities, some of whom had the pleasure of bringing Lee’s characters to life through Marvel films.
Downey Jr. appeared as Tony Stark – aka Iron Man – in the movies; he made his first appearance a whole decade ago in Iron Man, and went on to appear in The Incredible Hulk, Avengers films and Spider-Man Homecoming.
The actor posted a picture of himself and Lee to his Instagram page, writing:
I owe it all to you… Rest In Peace Stan..
Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine, also shared a post honouring the writer, calling him a ‘genius’.
His post read:
We’ve lost a creative genius. Stan Lee was a pioneering force in the superhero universe. I’m proud to have been a small part of his legacy and …. to have helped bring one of his characters to life.
Mark Ruffalo, who transformed into The Incredible Hulk in the Marvel films, wrote:
Sad, sad day. Rest In Power Uncle Stan. You have made the world a better place through the power of modern mythology and your love of this messy business of being human… you let us be extra human… superhuman even.
I am deeply honored to have been a small part in the Stan Lee constellation.
Lee truly changed the world with his creations; he will be missed.
Rest in peace.
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.