Stan Lee Will Be Missed

Anyone that has ever been to the movies for anything Marvel related, thought about "great power" and the responsibility that comes with it got the sad news that one of the greatest storytelling minds of out time has passed away. His ideas are what has driven and influenced what folks refer to as Marvel's Universe and he has made a cameo in nearly all the films related to the characters he had a hand in creating.

Mr. Lee passed away on November 12 and his influence has reached many people that have built a career on an industry he could be considered the father of. One of the most touching sentiments on his passing was from one of his biggest fans, that got to work with Lee. Kevin Smith's Instagram post on Lee's passing is probably the best words written, that describes how many Lee's fans feel.

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This is how I’ll always see you, @therealstanlee: as our benevolent leader and king, smiling down from your eternal throne on the generations of imaginations you fed and inspired. You were the first creator whose voice I knew before I’d ever actually heard it. You dreamed up some of my favorite modern myths and created characters that instilled in me a moral barometer, teaching me right from wrong and showing me it’s always better to be a hero instead of a villain. Your characters represented us: yes, they had extraordinary, unbelievable abilities, but they were also reflections of a world we knew, where a Spider-Man is really just a boy who wants to help. You showed me how to interact with the audience whenever you stepped onto Stan’s Soapbox to reach out to the readers. You showed me how to advocate for my field beyond the actual art itself whenever you tub thumped for comic books outside of the medium. It was never enough for you to simply make a comic because you were a true salesman at heart. So you not only sold comics, you sold me *on* comics - so much so that I built a life and career around your dreams and ideals. When you did Mallrats with us, you not only made a lifelong fan’s dream come true, you also lent me comic book credibility that I still get to spend today. And whether it was for @comicbookmenamc or @yogahosers, whenever I asked to borrow your heat again, you were always there for me with a smile. Your love story with Joanie and your long, happy marriage always shined as an example of what I wanted for my personal life. I long admired (and emulated) your kindness and patience and sense of humor when dealing with your public. Outside of my parents, you were the one adult who gave me the most useful life skills I still use today. Thank you, Stan, for making me not only the boy I was but also the man I am today. You had great power and you always used it responsibly, fostering billions of dreamers who all know your name - a name written in the stars for all time. You were not just the literary titan of comic books, you were our modern day Mark Twain. I will miss you all my days, my friend and hero. Excelsior forevermore. #KevinSmith #StanLee

A post shared by Kevin Smith (@thatkevinsmith) on Nov 12, 2018 at 12:22pm PST

Smith says, "you instilled in me a moral barometer, teaching me right from wrong and showing me it’s always better to be a hero instead of a villain." That is something many can relate to when they look at the way comic books can influence a young mind. The best way to honor Lee is to continue to read, write, and use the power of imagination to help others and yourself.

Smith's words are probably the best words that can explain the way many others feel about the loss of the man that taught a lot of us what a hero is. Smith says that Lee's stories helped make him the man he is today and said he used his gift to "foster billions of dreamers who all know your name." The Marvel Universe will never be the same.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lee.

"Excelsior!"