The face of comic book culture in the United States Stan Lee has died at the age of 95. The co-creator of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk died early on Monday in Los Angeles.

It was learned that he had suffered a number of illnesses in recent years.

“My father loved all of his fans,” his daughter told Hollywood monitor TMZ. “He was the greatest, most decent man.”

The New Yorker, known for his distinctive tinted glasses and impish grin, frequently appeared at fan events where he was revered.

Lee, according to a report by AFP, ended up in the comics business by accident, thanks to an uncle who got him a job when he was a teenager filling artists’ inkwells and fetching coffee.

“I felt someday I’d write the ‘Great American Novel’ and I didn’t want to use my real name on these silly little comics,” he once said, explaining why he had forsaken his given name, Stanley Lieber.