Stan Lee: Beyond the Book. An exhibit about art, literature and Stan the Man!

The exhibit “Stan Lee: Beyond the Book” opens May 1, 2024 and runs to the end of October 2024 at the American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming. This highly anticipated exhibition honors the legendary comics creator, author, editor and Marvel Comics visionary, Stan Lee.
This immersive exhibit will provide visitors with an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Stan Lee. The exhibition will offer attendees a firsthand look at the remarkable impact of Lee on popular culture, from comic books to film and TV.
“Stan Lee, Beyond the Book” will reveal Lee the person, from his childhood to his later years. The exhibition will include documents, photographs and artifacts that have not been preserved elsewhere. Displays will explore Lee’s impact on the comic book industry; relations with his fans; the creative processes he and his teams followed; development of comic book characters; his involvement in social and political issues; personal memorabilia; and other aspects of his life, vision and career.
“Stan Lee’s legacy is not only in the stories he told, but in the imagination and inspiration he ignited in countless individuals,” says Professor Paul Flesher, the AHC’s director. “We are honored to share his remarkable journey and achievements through this extraordinary exhibition.”
Although Lee’s story cannot be told without the characters he created, this is neither a comic book exhibition nor a Marvel film exhibition. “The Stan Lee Papers are a prized collection at the AHC,” Flesher says. “For decades, Stan regularly sent materials to the center for preservation, providing an ongoing record of his development as an individual, a writer and artist, an entertainer and a businessman. This exhibition provides for his fans a deep dive into Stan and his achievements.”
From his humble beginnings in New York City to his pioneering work in the comic book industry and film world, the exhibition will chronicle Lee’s journey, highlighting his creativity, innovation and lasting influence. His contributions to Marvel Comics — including co-creating beloved characters such as the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men — have left an indelible mark on generations of fans worldwide.
Lee began a relationship with the AHC in 1977, more than 45 years ago. The relationship was personal and, for the next 30 years, he corresponded regularly with AHC directors and visited campus twice. He sent to the AHC documents, photographs, videos and audio recordings nearly every year. Even though he never earned a college degree, he called UW “my university” because of this connection. His donations now constitute a unique collection, with 126 cubic feet of materials.
The “Stan Lee, Beyond the Book” exhibition invites visitors to explore the life, work and enduring legacy of a true visionary. For more information about the exhibition and related events, visit the AHC website at www.uwyo.edu/ahc/exhibits.html , or email the Center at ahcref@uwyo.edu.