Stan Lee's 20 Greatest Marvel Comics Creations
1. Spider-Man
Fittingly, Stan Lee’s last words at Marvel were reportedly about Spider-Man. Speaking to the man who succeeded him as Marvel’s director, Roy Thomas, Stan Lee told him ‘take care of my boy, Roy’. We hope he will.
Lee often avoided picking his favourite character (though he does refer to Spidey as his favourite in the PS4 game), but Spider-Man is without a doubt the most beloved creation worldwide. In 2016, sales of Spider-Man merchandise outsold the Avengers combined. He’s a bona fide cultural icon.
Spidey has no money, no family legacy, no huge calling. He’s just a kid who wants to make the world a better place. He was written at a time when teenagers were often sidekicks (Robin, Bucky Barnes) but Lee insisted Peter Parker break the mould. It might just have been his finest decision at Marvel.
Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland were all good Spidey’s in their own ways. Thankfully, the silver screen has been kind to him. Lee apparently has his last few cameos recorded already, and it would be terrifically fitting if his last appearance was in Spider-Man: Far From Home.