…And your mother said comic books were a waste of money. Stan Lee, best known for co-creating many of your favorite superheroes from Spider-Man to Daredevil, was presented with an Arts Medal from President George W. Bush. The yearly honor given to professionals working in the arts and humanities fields is considered by many to be the most prestigious honor our country bestows on civilians. Laugh if you choose, but Stan Lee has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people for the last fifty years. I’m not even a comic book fan, and I hold Stan in the highest regards.

According to The Washington Post, the writer and artist took the award in stride, initially wondering why it took the government so long to recognize him before telling a reporter, “Say, ’He said it with a laugh’, or I’ll shoot you.”

Still unrelentingly good natured, Stan Lee is going strong at eighty-five. Here’s to hoping he continues to bring a little happiness into the world for another fifty years.