Stan Lee, one of the inspirational founts that gave birth to the modern Marvel Universe and characters such as Blank Panther, Spider Man, and the X-Men, has always lived in a world populated by all-power villains and valiant heroes. But, these characters are imaginary. Today though, Lee is rumored to have attracted a following of real-life villains set on siphoning his wealth while keeping him a prisoner in his own home. After the death of his wife, Joan Lee, suspicions arose concerning Lee’s dwindling bank accounts and there were even some reports that a former associate stole his blood to sell to fans. The Hollywood Reporter recently released an investigative report claiming Lee’s daughter was subjecting him to elder abuse. Despite these allegations, a recent interview found Lee in good spirits and with him saying that he is “the luckiest guy in the world. Nobody has more freedom.”
See Ben Widdicombe, Is Stan Lee Being Held Prisoner by Real-life Villains?, The New York Times, April 13, 2018.
Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
