Lee co-created Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, and dozens more Marvel characters. His innovation: superheroes with problems. Peter Parker worries about rent. Tony Stark battles alcoholism. The X-Men face discrimination. Lee humanized heroes, making them relatable while fantastic. He wrote Marvel comics for 40+ years, building a universe where heroes have flaws, make mistakes, and struggle with responsibility. The MCU films—the biggest franchise in cinema history—are built on his foundation: heroes who feel human even when they’re gods.
