As a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and as an art historian, I would like to pay a humble tribute to the incomparable Stan Lee.  Say what you will about the pulp nature of comic books, those images are as much a part of art history as any oil painting or historic monument.  Through comic books, Stan Lee was responsible for creating heroes and villains and worlds that have had an enormous affect, not just on pop culture, but on humanity itself.

Stan Lee’s creations have affected me directly with the advent of the MCU.  In fact, I make multiple references to the MCU in my most recent lecture series, “How to Read a Painting.”  I reference Captain America’s shield and Thor’s hammer, mjolnir, when discussing the impact symbols have on our collective psyche.  I also discuss the MCU and the very idea of superhero films as the mythology of the 21st century.  And why not?  Ancient myths were created to explain the inexplicable and in 2018 we are living in desperate, challenging times that often seem difficult to understand.  The mythology of the MCU provides us with characters who also experience desperate, challenging times which they tend to overcome.  That hope – that humans can overcome whatever life sends our way – is at the heart of Stan Lee’s creations.

Excelsior.