STAN LEE is an icon in the comic book world. He is the creator of the Mighty Marvel Universe and such classic and immortal characters as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and X-Men. He, in effect, invented the modern superhero and revived a dying industry. He has conceived more billion-dollar franchises than any other comics creator, and more than 2 billion comics based on his creations have sold in over 75 countries and in 25 languages. Stan Lee is the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2008.