Stan Lee passed away on Nov. 12, 2018. As I write this, he passed away two days ago and I still can't believe it has happened. While his death wasn't tragically surprising, the man was 95 years old after all, it still left a deep impact and it's becoming hard to see a world of comic books and superheroes without him. This must have been what it was like for my parents and grandparents to wake up one day in December 1966 and find out that Walt Disney died.

Stan Lee has left behind a legacy in the comic book industry unmatched by anyone. When he collaborated with artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, they created some of the most iconic superheroes in the entire industry, such as Hulk, X-Men, Daredevil, Iron Man, Thor, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, and of course, Spider-Man. I'm sure I left some out, but that just shows you how much impact this man and his collaborators had on the industry.

While I read comics from both Marvel and DC growing up, I've always considered myself a Marvel guy, mostly due to it housing two of my favorite superheroes; Spider-Man and Captain America. Despite this, I only ever rarely read comics (there aren't a lot of comics stores around). Most of my exposure to the Marvel Universe and its heroes came from the films and video games based on them.

I remember seeing "X-Men" with my friends and liking it, but I truly fell in love with Marvel when I saw "Spider-Man" for the first time in theaters. The character of Peter Parker spoke to me like no other super hero did. Peter was just an average nerdy kid who had to deal with the typical problems teenagers have to deal with such as bullies, homework, dating, and trying to fit in. On top of that Spider-Man has to deal with being a superhero, a job that doesn't always get him much appreciation (or in J. Jonah Jameson's case, gets him condemned).

However, that's not what being a hero is about. Spider-Man taught me that doing the right thing sometimes won't get you rewards and it may even inconvenience you, but you still do it. If you have the power to stop an injustice than you have the responsibility to, or as Stan Lee through Uncle Ben put it, "With great power comes great responsibility." These are words that people who've never even read a comic in their lives can recognize and have internalized.

While Stan didn't create Captain America (that credit goes to Joe Simon and Jack Kirby), he did contribute by establishing many famous elements of the character such as his circular shield and the fact that he becomes frozen in ice and unfrozen in modern times. That element made Captain America interesting to me. Steve Rogers is a "man out of time." His ideas and morals don't always match with the contemporary age, but he always fights for the safety and freedom of not just America, but the world.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is one of my favorite films in the MCU, due to it touching on many relevant political issues (something Stan Lee never shied away from). This film hit upon discussions of freedom vs. security and how Captain America was somewhat sickened by the morally dubious things America does in the name of its security. This is all embodied when Steve sees the automated Helicarriers for the first time and states that they're offering security, "by pointing a gun at everyone and calling it protection."

This, along with many other revelations, cause Steve to turn against S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to save millions of lives. In a way, Captain America has turned against America when it no longer stood for peace and democracy. This is something that happened often in the comics and taught me to think more critically of my countries government and what it does. In a way, Stan and the others at Marvel taught me that the ideals of America (freedom for all, democracy, equality) are more important and worth protecting than the flawed and dated establishment, traditions, and norms that formed around it.

These are just a few of the characters created by Stan Lee and Marvel that taught me important lessons in the form of colorful and weird comic books. Stan Lee is so memorable because his creations are so memorable. Stan was also a character in and of himself, popping up in various films, television, and video games. He created a unique image of himself, to the point where any one, even those who don't read comics, can look at a picture of him and know it was Stan Lee.

Many people online are discussing Stan's life and the large legacy he left behind. I wanted to do something a little different and discuss how the man's characters and stories influenced me personally. His characters were flawed and relatable, and helped form my sense of morality. These weren't just colorful fighters in costumes, to many of us they were teachers. Stan's work got me interested in superheroes and helped me find my "nerdy" identity. Stan Lee gave us a world of heroes, where the hero could be either you or me. Excelsior Stan, you will be missed.