Arguably the best Stan Lee cameo in Marvel Comics history turns the legendary writer into one of the Multiverse's many Spider-Man variants, in what was a fitting tribute to the iconic Webslinger's creator. Lee was responsible for creating, or popularizing, most of Marvel's most memorable heroes, but in many ways, Spider-Man is the centerpiece of his legacy.

Spider-Geddon #5 – written by Christos N. Gage, with art by Jorge Molina, and more – honors Stan Lee by including him in a brief but memorable cameo, as his own version of Spider-Man, who gets the distinction of being one of the final heroes to beat down the villainous Morlun.

Published only a month after Lee’s death, his cameo is a short, bittersweet memorial to the visionary comic book writer; it is fitting that, of course, he is depicted as one of the multiverse’s greatest heroes.

Stan Lee's Spider-Verse Comics Cameo: A Brief But Effective Tribute To The Marvel Creator

Spider-Geddon #5 – Written By Christos N. Gage; Art By Jorge Molina, Stefano Caselli, Caselli Vasquez, & More; Color By David Curiel; Lettering By Travis Lanham

Spider-Geddon #5's Stan Lee cameo does more than just honor the late, great creator – it acknowledges that the Multiversal Spider-verse plotline would not have ever been possible without the foundation laid for Spider-Man lore by co-creators Lee and artist Steve Ditko. subsequent creative teams reinvented the character again and again.

Stan Lee's Marvel movie cameos are beloved, but over the years, he also made a number of appearances in the pages of Marvel Comics, interacting with some of his greatest creations. Written before Lee ed away, and released shortly after, Spider-Geddon #5 is a perfect memorial to the author. While it is not the last time he has, or will, pop up in a Marvel Comic release – even post-mortem – his role as one of the Spider-saviors of the Multiverse is perhaps the most fitting, and touching.

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Every Spider-Hero Honors Stan Lee

Spider-Geddon was, in fact, the last Spider-event the surge of the Spider-Verse's popularity, thanks to the films, starting with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The fact that Spider-Man and his countless variants have, in many ways, essentially become the face of Marvel's ambitious Multiversal reflects the prominence of the character as Marvel's most recognizable hero, tracing as far back as Stan Lee's original run with the Webslinger. Spider-Verse concepts and characters now proliferate Marvel across mediums, and all of it is indebted to Lee's vision.

Tributes like the one in Spider-Geddon #5 are the best way to keep Lee's legacy in the memories of new generations of readers.

Characters like Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man 2099, and – however briefly fans got to glimpse him in Spider-Geddon #5, Spider-Stan – all trace their lineage back to the concept that originated with Stan Lee over sixty years ago now. In a sense, tributes like the one in Spider-Geddon #5 are the best way to keep Lee's legacy in the memories of new generations of readers; it is a fun, but also vital way that Marvel can Stan Lee and his contributions with Spider-Man and beyond.