Earlier this week, Stan Lee, creative partner to Jack Kirby and towering comics legend, celebrated his 95th birthday. But all was not well, true believers.
According to a report by The Blast, the Beverly Hills Police Department is conducting an investigation into an apparently fradulent check cashed from the Marvel icon’s bank account to the tune of $US300,000 ($384,522). The check, which contains an apparent forged signature, was made out to Lee’s Hands of Respect charity. According to the Blast, Lee is adamant that he did not write the check himself.
The Blast also reports that the police are investigating Lee’s inner circle, as the amount of people who would benefit from that money being deposited to the charity’s coffers is fairly small. The investigation is ongoing, and Lee’s camp has remained mum on the issue so far.
Lee, the former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief and current cameo-haver in every Marvel Studios film, has worked in and around comics for decades. Alongside Jack Kirby, he’s credited as the co-creator behind Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The X-Men. He can be a divisive figure in the comics community, as some blame him for Kirby not receiving proper credit for his contributions to the superhero canon. Whether or not that’s true, I hope dude gets his money back. It’s not cool to steal from old people, true believers.