A day everyone knew would happen someday has sadly come: Stan Lee has passed away leaving comic book fans in mourning.

I have read his creations since I was a kid and took some of his lessons to heart, including the one about how with great power comes great responsibility. It’s a lesson that many in today’s world need to remember. Lee made it easy for all ages to see issues of the times from all sides and make up our own minds, as well as be able to have a conversation about it and understand both sides better. He was a truly gifted writer.

He was ahead of his time, before comic books became so widely embraced by mainstream readers. He turned comic books from something just for kids into an art form for all ages that tackled all types of subject matter in ingenious ways. I always walked away from reading one of his comics with thoughts running through my head. And he always knew the right artists to partner with to bring his ideas to life in the best way possible.

Stan Lee knew how to tackle tough conversations in a way that many before him had not thought of. He revolutionized literature, not just in comic books, but across the board. He opened up a whole world of ideas for me to explore and made me ask tough questions that a lot of people in authority around me didn’t want to answer or hear my ideas about.

He also took a page from Stephen King’s book in doing cameos in all of the Marvel movies as well, something I think other authors will do in the future. Stephen King has said writers are meant to be like secret agents observing the world, and sometimes the best way to do that is by hiding in plain sight. Stan Lee seems to have embraced that idea early on with how he interacted with his fans so well in his editorial letters in the comics.

There will be others that do things similar to how Stan Lee did them, but it will be a long time before someone revolutionizes literature the way he did. He will be sorely missed, though he has earned his rest. I suspect he will be busy inspiring others on the other side. As Mr. Lee would say: Excelsior!

*Tips his hat and walks out the door, headed for the comic book shop*