Marvel legend Stan Lee honored by famous friends on what would have been 100th birthday

Marvel fans, assemble.

Today marks the 100th birthday of Stan Lee, the comic book visionary who died in 2018 at the age of 95, and his friends and collaborators are marking the occasion.

Under Lee's leadership, Marvel Comics created some of the most iconic and instantly recognizable characters in comics and cinema, including Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, the X-Men, and, well, all the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Given that legacy, it's no surprise that a few high-profile fans offered tributes to Lee's life and work on social media.

"Happy 100th Birthday to Stan Lee," James Gunn posted on Instagram alongside photos of him and Lee on and off set. "You are missed, my friend."

Although Gunn was named co-chairperson and CEO of DC Studies in October, his Marvel roots are deep. Gunn helmed Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 and its 2017 sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as well as the just-released Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith also shared his memories of Lee.

"The @Marvel maestro was always a hero of mine, but thanks to making MALLRATS with him, we actually became friends!" the writer and director wrote on Twitter. "I miss the Old Man and his endless parade of smiles and good cheer. Happy Birthday, Emperor of Excelsior!"

Lee filmed a memorable cameo in Smith's 1995 comedy Mallrats, offering the lovelorn lead character relationship advice. This appearance predates the dozens of cameos Lee would make in Marvel films and television shows up to his death, which even continued beyond thanks to previously captured footage.

On Twitter, William Shatner bridged fandoms by offering his own tribute.

"Remembering Stan Lee on his 100th Birthday and Nichelle on her 90th," the original Captain James T. Kirk tweeted.

Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhara alongside Shatner on Star Trek and its cinematic spin-offs, died in July at the age of 89. Nichols also voiced a character in Marvel's animated Spider-Man: The Animated Series in 1997.

Comic book creators also shared their memories of Lee.

Rob Liefeld reached into his pouch to post a photo on Instagram, writing, "When Stan summons you, get there as fast as you are able. The Legend was catching a flight to the great beyond and there were stories yet to share." Liefeld co-created the characters Deadpool and Cable for Marvel Comics.

Mark Millar, who wrote the Marvel comics that inspired 2016's Captain America: Civil War and 2017's Logan, tweeted a photo of Stan Lee's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, wishing Lee a happy 100th birthday. "The best our game has ever had. Nuff said!" he wrote.

Tributes came from non-entertainment corners of the world as well, including a tweet from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Leonard Pitts Jr.

"People sometimes ask me which writer was most influential on me," he wrote. "Some are surprised when I name the guy in the green pullover, born a century ago today, but it's true. He was my first mentor. Thank you, ⁦@TheRealStanLee⁩ and (of course) 'Excelsior!'"

Lee's Twitter account also posted about the 100th birthday milestone, encouraging fans to share their memories in the thread.

"Over the last century, his work changed the pop culture landscape & influenced millions," the account tweeted. "We're thankful that your support will keep Stan's memory alive for years to come."

Fans responded, filling the "Real Stan Lee" account's mentions with photos of Lee smiling with fans and anecdotes of meeting him at comic conventions or being inspired by his work.

Michel Boutefeu/Getty Images Stan Lee at a Spider-Man 40th Birthday celebration in 2002.

Lee was born Stanley Martin Lieber in New York in 1922 to working-class Jewish immigrants from Romania. His comic creations weren't upstanding icons of unshakable virtue, but misfits and outcasts grappling with the full range of human experiences. He received the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal in 2008 and was inducted into the comics industry's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame and Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

You can read all the Stan Lee tributes under the hashtag #StanLee100 on Twitter and Instagram.

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