Artists create heartbreaking tributes to comics pioneer Stan Lee

Artists around the world have paid tribute to the memory and influence of Spider-man creator Stan Lee with comic strips and artworks commemorating the comic book pioneer.

Comic and storyboard artist Charlotte Norris, a 23-year-old from California, echoed the cover of “Death of Spider-man” with her piece.

The original features a maskless Spider-man walking into the afterlife with the ghost of his Uncle Ben.

“You did good, kid,” says Ben as the characters walk away. Charlotte reversed the roles for her tribute.

“It was a big moment where a beloved hero who I looked up to passed away. I guess hearing that Stan Lee had passed away filled me with that same feeling. I started making comics because of the groundwork Stan Lee laid out. I owe a lot to him,” she said.

Rafael Vadelate, a 38-year-old illustrator from Mexico, pictured Superman comforting a crying Spider-man.

“I chose Superman because I think not only the people of Marvel and the followers are sad about it, but everyone, including those who prefer DC comics,” he told the Press Association.

British artist James Hence drew Stan Lee with The Hulk, another of his most famous characters.

The 43-year-old, who lives in Orlando, said: “It’s impossible to overstate the impact that Stan Lee had on pop culture. He quite simply made generations of lost and lonely children feel like giants.”

Spanish artist Daniel Romero, from Seville, drew Mr Lee saying goodbye to Spiderman.

“I decided to recreate a scene in which Spider-Man was saying goodbye to his co-creator, as if he were his father, who gives him one last hug,” he said.

Erin Lefler, an artist and character designer at Lucasfilm, posted a portrait of Lee with his catchphrase “Excelsior”.

She said: “If it wasn’t for Stan Lee coming up with these various worlds we like to escape into, and creating these heroes that we all know and love, I would’ve never pursued my dream career of being an artist.”

“I wanted to create this piece as my way of saying thank you for everything he did for me, and to more importantly celebrate his legacy he leaves behind,” she added.

Kat Hudson, a character designer at Warner Brothers animation, shared a picture she initially drew in 2017, featuring Lee relaxing and talking with some of his most famous female superheroes.

“He’s had a hand in creating so many iconic female characters, I wanted to surround him by some of his girls,” she said.

Taipei artist Jun Chiu’s piece referenced the climactic ending of Avengers: Infinity War – one of the most recent Marvel films about Lee’s characters.

The piece sees Lee drawing at his desk before his hand starts to dissolve away.

The caption on the artwork reads: “Maybe we will forget many heroes, but we will always remember the man who created the heroes.”

Chiu said the piece is inspired by “the human nature” of heroes, and added: “I thank him for creating so many memories in my childhood.”