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Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know that Marvel's iconic founder, Stan Lee, passed away on Nov. 12 at the age of 95. I've never been a comic book or movie fanatic but I was touched by the outpouring of love. I certainly, didn't realize so many Marvel stars were apart of the vegetarian and vegan community. Many of them took to Instagram to express their heartfelt tributes to the Marvel creator.
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Starting as a comic book writer, Lee created the grand Marvel universe that we know today.
​Many of those heroes included Iron Man, Thor, Spider-man, Captain America, The Wolverine, Deadpool, Daredevil, The Hulk, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange among many others. In 2009, Marvel was taken in by the Disney Corporation, bringing the Marvel universe into popularity in the modern era. Many characters were given their own movies, dominating the box office and creating a diverse audience and touching the hearts of many with tales of battles against evil and conquering villains and even modern social justice issues (as displayed in Black Panther). Lee’s influence has spread from his comic-book roots into something much larger, including his advocacy for The Benefit of Arts Literacy and Education for Children, a focus of his Stan Lee Foundation. The Walt Disney Company’s CEO and Chairman, Bob Iger, has stated on the topic of Stan Lee’s passing, “Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created. A superhero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world. Stan had the power to inspire, to entertain, and to connect. The scale of his imagination was only exceeded by the size of his heart.†|
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Many vegan and vegetarian Marvel actors also paid a respectful tribute, including stars of “Black Panther†and “The Avengers.â€
Benedict Cumberbatch, star of “Doctor Strange,†expressed on Facebook, “Thank you, Stan Lee, for bringing us so many great stories and fantastic heroes to our lives. For many of us, you are the true hero yourself.†Chris Hemsworth, Marvel actor of “Thor,†also paid tribute by thanking Stan Lee for all the “incredible adventures†that fans were taken on throughout all of his stories. Star actor of “The Hulk,†Mark Ruffalo, also thanked Stan Lee for giving his fans the ability to “be extra human...superhuman even.†Stars of “Black Panther,†vegetarian Angela Bassett and Winston Duke also thanked Stan Lee and paid tribute. Duke wrote, “You taught us that there are no limits to our future as long as we have access to our imagination.†Bassett also paid tribute by quoting Stan Lee’s signature sign off from Stan’s Soapbox column. “Excelsior,†She wrote. |
Kevin Smith, a vegan filmmaker, also posted on Instagram his own tribute. Though Smith has not starred in any of Lee’s films, he played a cameo in the 1995 “Mallrats†as the character “Brodie.†Smith also worked with Lee in the comic book industry and even wrote some of his own comic books for the Marvel Universe.Smith stated, “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 its always better to be a hero instead of a villain.â€
Smith also appeared in a PSA for Farm Sanctuary this year, shortly after experiencing a heart attack and switching to a new, vegan diet. His daughter, Harley Quinn, accompanied him, as they encouraged Americans to leave turkey off the menu and instead turn to more humane options in order to reflect his statement on becoming a real-life superhero.
Smith stated in honor of Lee, “You had great power and you always used it responsibly, fostering billions of dreams 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.â€
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Stan Lee will be dearly missed by all of those that had the honor of working with him and by his fans. However, he will not be forgotten by the many he has influenced positively over the years due to the tremendous hope he has inspired through his work and his optimistic attitude.
​Image Credit: Gage Skidemore/Flickr
Smith stated in honor of Lee, “You had great power and you always used it responsibly, fostering billions of dreams 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.â€
​
Stan Lee will be dearly missed by all of those that had the honor of working with him and by his fans. However, he will not be forgotten by the many he has influenced positively over the years due to the tremendous hope he has inspired through his work and his optimistic attitude.
​Image Credit: Gage Skidemore/Flickr
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