Stan Lee Honored With Street in the Bronx
In a ceremony that took place on June 10th, 2021, part of University Way in the Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City in the state of New York, was renamed Stan Lee Way.
Stan Lee Way
According to the article from a local Fox News affiliate, Lee was raised in an apartment in the Bronx at 1720 University Avenue between Brandt Place and West 176th Street, and as a young man, he attended DeWitt Clinton High School.
Stan “The Man” Lee in High School. Photo: The Real Stan Lee
In a ceremony led by Councilmember Fernando Cabrera, University Way was co-named Stan Lee Way between West 176th Street and Brandt Place, another civic honor to add to the late Stan Lee’s achievements.
Fine Arts students from Dewitt Clinton attended the ceremony, and stated that Lee was an inspiration to those enrolled at the school, which has several portraits of Lee decorating the walls, created by artist Delania Alma.
Pierre Orbe, the principal of DeWitt Clinton High School, talks with students about Stan Lee’s influence on him and late comic book legend’s legacy at the school in front of a mural painted by Delania Alma. Lee graduated from Clinton in 1939, and died last November at 95. Photo: JULIUS CONSTANTINE MOTAL/The Riverdale Press
The Bronx
New York City plays an integral role in the world of Marvel Comics. Not only has the Marvel Comics publishing office always been located in the city, but many of the climactic events that occur within the panels of the stories take place there, as well.
Photo: Marvel Comics
This tradition has carried on into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where everything from the climactic battle in 2012’s The Avengers to the final episode of Captain America and the Winter Soldier is set in the Big Apple.
Photo: EW
In part, this is because of the history the founding figures of the Marvel Universe had with the city.
It wasn’t just Lee who was inextricable from NYC: Jack Kirby, the King of Comics, was actually a member of the Suffolk Street Gang, which was renamed the Yancy Street Gang for Marvel Comics – that’s right, Marvel Blog True Believers, they aren’t just a figment of the 616, they’re real-life historical figures from our universe!
Marvel Two-in-One #47 by Bill Mantlo, Chic Stone, Diana Albers, and Bob Sharen. Photo: Marvel Comics
It’s a Hell of a Town!
You can take the Marvel out of New York City, but you can’t take the New York City out of Marvel! Whether it’s the latest MCU streaming series (Loki’s first episode opens in Avengers Tower) or the newest addition to Disney Parks, Marvel offerings (Hotel New York, hello), Earth’s Mightiest Heroes only call one city home, Marvel Blog True Believers, and that’s still New York.
Learn more about Stan Lee’s life by viewing the documentary above, and then watch the full dedication ceremony here.
Featured Image/Source: Bronx News 12
