Stan Lee

In 2012, Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee (1922-2018) informed his followers that he'd had an operation to get a pacemaker fitted.

As expected, Lee took the surgery in his stride and with great humor.

In a statement, he wrote: "Now hear this! Your leader hath not deserted thee! In an effort to be more like my fellow Avenger, Tony Stark, I have had an electronic pacemaker placed near my heart to ensure that I’ll be able to lead thee for another 90 years.”

Sadly, it wasn’t nine decades more, but six wonderful years that fans enjoyed of Lee, the man who gave the world Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, the X-Men and many more superheroes.