Stan Lee was a well-known comic book writer, entrepreneur, and more before his death in 2018. He’s most known for his role in Marvel Comics, where he either created or helped to create favorite characters, such as Spiderman, The Hulk, Captain America, and Iron Man. 

Stan Lee’s Net Worth

When he passed away, it was estimated that the Stan Lee Net worth was $50 million. However, some sources have placed that number much higher at $100 million. He never indeed revealed how much his net worth was or how much he made from certain things. When he was asked how much he made off the Walt Disney buyout, he said it wasn’t $100 million and left it at that. 

Early Life Stan Lee

Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber, was born on December 28, 1922, in New York City, New York. He was born in a small apartment in Manhattan to his Romania-born, Jewish immigrant parents: Celia Leiber and Jack Leiber. He grew up with a little brother named Larry Leiber. 

Growing up, Stan Lee wanted to write a fantastic novel. He enjoyed watching movies and reading books with heroic characters in them. He attended a public high school in the Bronx, DeWitt Clinton High School. 

He worked part-time jobs, such as one writing obituaries and another selling subscriptions to a newspaper. 

When he was fifteen, Stanley Martin Leiber entered an essay contest with a local newspaper. According to Stan, he won the prize money for three weeks in a row. When the paper wrote him and told him that he should consider writing professionally, it drastically impacted his future. 

Stan Lee Career

With a drive to be a writer and a passion that remained unrivaled, it was no surprise when he became the editor for Marvel Comics. He started off at the bottom of the ladder at Marvel and slowly worked his way up to Marvel President and Marvel Chairman. 

Stan Lee helped create the massive media empire that Marvel has become known for. When he first started working at Marvel, it was merely a tiny publishing house. He worked with famous artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to re-create the world of superheroes. As Marvel grew, so did the Stan Lee net worth. 

Other notable moments from his legendary career and the Stan Lee net worth include: 

• Was an assistant at Timely Comics, which would later become Marvel Comics
• He was embarrassed to be associated with comic books because such a low social status was associated with them. Because of that, he used the name Stan Lee instead of his real name. He later had his name legally changed. He had no idea that Marvel Comics would become the media powerhouse that it has today!
• Stan Lee worked as a playwright in the United States Army in 1942. He repaired communications equipment, made training videos, and wrote training manuals
• Worked with Dan DeCarlo to create a newspaper strip called My Friend Irma
• Received an induction into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall Of Fame 
• Helped co-create The Fantastic Four, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and the Silver Surfer
• Movies that feature his characters have brought in more than $20 million
• When Walt Disney bought Marvel, they struck a deal with Stan Lee that he would receive $1 million per year for the rest of his life
• In 2002, he sued Marvel, claiming that he was supposed to get 10% profit from all movies that featured his characters, but they ultimately reached a deal, and he was awarded a $10 million settlement
• Was inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall Of Fame
• Stan lived in a humble two-story home
• Stan Lee had a beautiful collection of artwork, including original paintings by Pablo Picasso.

Stanley Martin Lieber Philanthropy

Throughout his lifetime, Stanley Martin Lieber was involved in multiple works of charity, including the creation of the Stan Lee Foundation. It focuses on literacy. 

Sexual Harassment 

In 2017, several nurses accused Stan Lee of sexually harassing them in his home. He denied the claims, and nothing came from the accusations. 

Personal Life

Stan Lee was married to his wife Joan B. Lee from 1947-2017, when she passed away. Together, they had two children: Joan Celia Lee and Jan Lee. 

Elder Abuse

After the death of his wife, Stan Lee was a victim of elder abuse. His business manager, Keya Morgan, isolated Stan Lee to gain access to his large sums of money. It’s alleged that she made off with around $50 million. 

Jerardo Olivarez was also charged and found guilty of elder abuse. He came into Stan’s life after the tragic death of his wife when Stan Lee was most vulnerable. Olivarez went on to become his power of attorney, change what was in his will, and even transfer money to his own bank account to fund at least one real estate purchase. 

Death

Stan Lee remains well-known for his contributions to the world and to Marvel. In 2012, he had to have a pacemaker put in due to heart troubles. In 2018, he was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles due to an emergency. He died two days later at the hospital due to congestive heart failure. He was 95 years old.