Marvel's Fantastic Four: High Expectations for Opening Weekend

Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer who became the primary creative leader of Marvel Comics.[1] Joining Timely Comics in 1939 as an assistant through family connections, he rose through the ranks, writing early Golden Age features like the Destroyer, Jack Frost, and Father Time under pseudonyms.[1][3] In the 1960s Silver Age, Lee co-created Marvel's iconic universe with artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, pioneering the "Marvel Method" of plotting before scripting dialogue.[1][2][3] Key achievements include the Fantastic Four in 1961, which introduced flawed, relatable heroes facing real-world issues; Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), an adolescent everyman with the motto "With great power there must also come great responsibility"; and others like the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, X-Men, and Avengers.[1][2][3][4] These innovations transformed Marvel from a small publisher into a multimedia empire dominating comics and films.[1] As editor and publisher, Lee fostered a shared universe with crossovers, broke the fourth wall to engage fans, and promoted the medium.[3][4] Later, he wrote for DC's Just Imagine series (2001), created Stripperella, and founded POW! Entertainment for media projects.[1] He appeared in cameos in Marvel Cinematic Universe films, boosting his cultural icon status.[2] Lee faced debates over creative credits, with collaborators like Kirby and Ditko receiving significant recognition, though his promotional genius and character development endured.[2][4] He died on November 12, 2018, at age 95.[1][4] Posthumously, biographies like Abraham Riesman's True Believer (2021) and Tom Scioli's graphic novel I Am Stan (2023) examined his complex legacy, sustaining his relevance amid ongoing Marvel dominance.[4][5]

Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg on August 28, 1917, in New York City's Lower East Side to Austrian Jewish immigrants; died February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer, and editor renowned as one of the medium's most influential creators, often called the "King" of comics.[2][3] Self-taught, he began in the 1930s at the Lincoln Newspaper Syndicate, drawing political cartoons, gags, and strips under pseudonyms like Jack Curtiss, before entering comics with features such as Blue Beetle and Solar Legion.[1][2][5] In 1940, Kirby partnered with Joe Simon at Timely Comics (later Marvel) to co-create the iconic superhero **Captain America**, which became a massive hit amid World War II.[2][3] Drafted in 1943, he served in the European Theater, scouting for military intelligence by sketching maps and Axis positions after D-Day, experiences that later informed war comics like Boy Commandos and Sgt. Fury.[4] Postwar, he worked across publishers including DC (then National), Harvey, and Crestwood, pioneering romance comics and launching Mainline Publications with Simon.[2][1] Kirby's 1960s Marvel tenure with Stan Lee revolutionized superheroes, co-creating **Fantastic Four** (1961), **Hulk**, **Thor**, **Iron Man**, **X-Men**, **Avengers**, **Silver Surfer**, **Galactus**, and **Black Panther**, defining the Marvel Universe and saving the company from decline.[3][5] He moved to DC in 1970, revamping Jimmy Olsen with concepts like the Newsboy Legion and Darkseid, and launching **New Gods**, **Kamandi**, **OMAC**, and **The Demon**.[1][2] Later, he freelanced on independents like Captain Victory and Destroyer Duck before retiring from comics in 1987, with animation stints at Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears.[1][5] Kirby's dynamic art style and hundreds of enduring characters remain central to Marvel and DC films, TV, and games, ensuring his legacy as a foundational figure in pop culture.[3][5] (298 words)