Stan Lee died at 95, 8 unknown facts about the American comics writer

A notable American comics writer, Stan Lee died at the age of 95 today. The co-creator of globally acclaimed fictitious superheroes including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Incredible Hulk is a man who needs no introduction.

Stan Lee or Stanley Martin Lieber served the comic book world for over five decades. The artist sadly passed away but his influence will live on forever.

Here are eight amazing unknown facts about the legendary Stan Lee:

Captain America is the first break

A week into his job at Timely Comics, Lee got the opportunity to write a two-page Captain America comic. He wrote it under the pen name Stan Lee (which became his legal name) and titled it "Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge." His first full comic script would come in Captain America Issue 5, published August 1, 1941.

Romeo and Juliet recreated by Lee

In 2012, Stan co-wrote a New York Times bestselling graphic novel for 1821 Comics called Romeo and Juliet: The War. The graphic novel is a retelling of the classic tale, but both families are superhuman soldiers who, after having crushed all their mutual enemies, turn on each other.

Story behind Fantastic Four group

Lee and his Marvel collaborators unveiled the Fantastic Four in 1961. The Fantastic Four group is known as Marvel’s answer to the Justice League from the competitive publisher, DC Comics.

What's with Stripperella?

Stan created an animated one season wonder for Spike TV, Stripperella, that starred Pamela Anderson. The show wasn’t renewed for a second season, something Anderson was happy about. In an interview with Vulture, Anderson simply commented, “Stan wanted nudity, I didn’t.”

Stan Lee film cameos

Beginning with the first Spider-Man film in 2002, Stan Lee has made quick cameos in Marvel films as a service to the fans. He said that his appearance in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) was inspired by the story of Reed and Sue Richards’ wedding in Fantastic Four Annual Volume 1 #3, in which he and artist/writer Jack Kirby attempt to crash the ceremony but are thwarted.

Stan Lee has written obituaries as well

Before writing about the fantastic lives of fictional characters, Lee wrote antemortem obituaries for celebrities at an undisclosed news office in New York. He said that he eventually quit that job because it was too “depressing.”

Stan won American National Medal of the Arts

In 2008, President George W. Bush presented Stan with the American National Medal of the Arts. Stan is the only comic book writer to ever receive the honour.