There’s perhaps no greater name in the comic book industry than Marvel Comics’ former creative leader, Stan Lee. Having acted as the writer, editor, publisher, and figurehead of Marvel for decades, Stan helped make the company the unstoppable juggernaut it is today by creating some of its most beloved characters. Of course, these heroes and villains would never have become popular in the first place if not for the amazing stories that introduced them and developed their three-dimensional personalities and struggles. By working with other creative geniuses like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, Stan wrote or co-wrote some of the most groundbreaking and nuanced Marvel stories in history.
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Stan Lee has always been a champion of developing compelling, relatable heroes and villains who would go on to be beloved by millions of people worldwide. Whether it be his work on Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, or any number of his other creations, Stan Lee’s stories made them the icons that they are today. These are the stories that will make any reader shout “Excelsior!”
10) “In Mortal Combat With… Sub Mariner!”
Stan Lee understands that it’s the person, not the powers, that makes someone a hero, something which “In Mortal Combat With…Sub Mariner!” perfectly exemplifies. When the anti-hero Namor decides to sue the human race for its treatment of the ocean, he asks for the aid of Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil. However, Matt has to explain to Namor that his case is ludicrous. Namor then expresses his dissatisfaction with the American legal system by going on a rampage. Daredevil must call upon all of his training and tricks to stop Namor. Despite being significantly outclassed and ultimately being unable to hurt Namor, Daredevil’s skill and determination to protect the people of New York are enough to earn the anti-hero’s respect. No wonder they call Daredevil the “Man Without Fear.”
9) “Mangog”
The pinnacle of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s run on the Thor series was when Asgard was faced with Ragnarok in the form of one of the most hateful and powerful creatures in the Nine Realms: Mangog. This gigantic beast was created by the combined fury of an entire alien race that Odin had exterminated. With the strength of billions upon billions of vengeful souls, Mangog is one of the few villains who can surpass Thor in raw strength. The story sees Thor pushed beyond his physical limits as he desperately tries to defend his home. “Mangog” exemplifies everything that made Stan Lee’s run of Thor great: bizarre monsters, battles of mythical proportions, and acts of heroism even in the face of overwhelming odds.
8) “He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube!”
After being absent for several decades, Red Skull, one of Marvel’s most iconic and evil villains, returns in “He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube!” The reemergence of Captain America’s World War II nemeses personifies the First Avenger’s past coming back to haunt him. Even worse, the Red Skull obtained the Cosmic Cube, an artifact created by the terrorist organization A.I.M with near-unlimited reality-warping capabilities. With the power of a god in the palm of his hand, Red Skull seeks to finally fulfill his dream of killing Captain America and taking over the world. With its high stakes and thrilling action, this was the perfect story to reintroduce Captain America’s archnemesis.
7) “Spider-Man No More!”
Superheroes are always portrayed as people who will always rise to the challenge, but Stan Lee wrote an emotionally impactful tale in which the hero gives up. “Spider-Man No More!” is an iconic storyline in which, after being endlessly harassed and hated by the public despite his many good deeds, Peter Parker decides to throw his Spider-Man costume away and stop crimefighting. The story is an incredibly sad, yet realistic, explanation of why Spider-Man would quit his role as a superhero. Of course, with the Kingpin’s debut and subsequent rise to power, Peter finds himself unable to resist the call, puts on his Spider-Man suit, and protects the innocent from the evil crime lord. It’s the ultimate tale of hopelessness and finding the strength to persist.
6) “Parable”
The Silver Surfer has always been Stan Lee’s favorite character because of his deep philosophical outlook on the universe and life. The two-part miniseries “Parable” sees Galactus arriving to destroy Earth yet again. However, instead of eating the planet, Galactus decides to have humanity annihilate itself by setting himself up as their new god and leading them towards self-destruction. It’s up to the Silver Surfer to not just defeat Galactus, but to save humanity from themselves. What follows is a nuanced and thought-provoking cautionary tale regarding faith, power, fanaticism, and corruption that’s just as important now as it was 38 years ago.
5) “Captain America Joins…The Avengers!”
Debuting in 1940, Captain America was one of Marvel’s first and greatest heroes until he went into hiatus during the ‘50s. However, America’s Hero returns in Avengers Vol. 1 #4 and regains his former glory. After a disastrous mission during World War II that seemingly killed Bucky and left Captain America frozen in ice for decades, he’s thawed 20 years later by the Avengers. It was an extremely compelling way to transition Captain America from the Golden Age to the Silver Age. Through engaging dialogue and gripping action, Captain America quickly cements himself as a core member of the Avengers. “Captain America Joins…The Avengers!” is a brilliant reinvention of one of Marvel’s earliest heroes that makes him even more engaging and tragic.
4) “This Man, This Monster”
“This Man, This Monster” is a profound and tragic tale about heroism and selflessness. The story follows an unnamed scientist who creates a device that allows him to steal the Thing’s powers and appearance. His plot is to infiltrate the Fantastic Four and destroy Mr. Fantastic, whom he’s deeply jealous of. However, when he gets stuck in the Negative Zone with Mr. Fantastic, the imposter realizes that the man he sought to kill is a genuinely good person. He then sacrifices his life to ensure Mr. Fantastic returns home to his family. Stan Lee has always been masterful in portraying the humanity of his characters, and “This Man, This Monster” is one of the best examples of that skill.
3) “Spider-Man!”
In just one section of the anthology comic Amazing Fantasy #15, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko crafted one of the best superhero origin stories of all time. It’s a tale that everyone is familiar with: Peter Parker, a high school nerd, was bitten by a radioactive spider and developed incredible powers. Yet, Peter initially used his abilities to get rich as a wrestler called Spider-Man. This, of course, would lead to Peter callously letting a burglar get away, who would then shoot and kill his Uncle Ben. It’s here that Peter learns the important lesson that with great power comes great responsibility, and he must use his abilities to be a hero. “Spider-Man!” is a subversive and emotional masterpiece that set off the career of Marvel’s greatest hero.
2) “The Master Planner Saga”
Few storylines capture the heart of Spider-Man’s character like “The Master Planner Saga.” In this story, Peter learns that his Aunt May is dying from a terminal illness caused by a blood transfusion of his radioactive blood. Peter discovers a serum that can cure her, but an enigmatic villain called the Master Planner is also after it. This culminates in Peter getting the serum but being trapped beneath tons of machinery in the Master Planner’s underwater base. In one of the characters’ most iconic moments, Peter channels all his willpower to lift the rubble and get the cure to Aunt May. This story sees Spider-Man at his most resilient as he pushes beyond his physical limits to save the people he loves.
1) “The Galactus Trilogy”
The biggest event of Stan Lee’s career, “The Galactus Trilogy,” has the Fantastic Four facing off against the greatest threat the Earth has ever known. This epic three-part storyline begins with the Silver Surfer arriving on Earth to announce the arrival of his master, Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. Things become so dire that Uatu the Watcher reveals himself to Marvel’s First Family to aid against Galactus. By the end, the Silver Surfer switches sides, and Mr. Fantastic manages to scare off Galactus by threatening him with the Ultimate Nullifier. ‘The Galactus Trilogy” proved that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were an unstoppable duo who could masterfully weave tales full of suspense, action, and character arcs of cosmic proportions.
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