Celebrate National Superhero Day with its most iconic soundtracks

Masked vigilantes, caped crusaders, guardians, mutants and immortal gods are celebrated on National Superhero Day every April 28. On this anniversary, from Film Symphony Orchestra we join the celebrations to pay tribute to maestro Stan Lee, remembering his most important superheroes. We tell you how we are going to commemorate National Superhero Day: the importance of Stan Lee.

When is World Superhero Day celebrated?

Marvel employees had the idea of creating the National Superhero Day April 28, 1995, as a commemoration of the favorite superhero of every fan of the world of comics and the Marvel Universe. It should be noted that this day is only for superheroes, because, as we all know, villains do not deserve their own day.

The idea behind this day is to honor those who serve and protect while facing the dark side. No matter who our favorite hero is, honoring the real or fictional people who inspire us is a cause worth celebrating.

Why is World Superhero Day celebrated on April 28? Know the history

It is totally reasonable that it was the creators working for Marvel who came up with the celebration of National Superhero Day. Now, every year, since it was founded on April 28, 1995, people get together to celebrate their favorite superheroes. It doesn't matter if our favorite heroes are fictional or real, during this day, we thank them for their work and show them recognition.

If we're not very familiar with Marvel Comics, it's interesting to think about all those characters we loved as kids, and probably still do. Spiderman, Thor, Ironman, Captain Marvel and many others are all from the factory created by Stan Read. But, the creators of 'The Fantastic Four', 'The Avengers' or 'X-Men' are not the only ones we celebrate. Fans of Batman, Wonder Woman or Superman also have a place on this day, giving the importance that DC Comics also deserves.

What was the first superhero in history?

When we talk about the origin of superheroes, Superman is usually cited as the first and most influential. But to be exact, the first comic book superhero was The Phantom (The masked man), born on February 17, 1936, two years before Man of Steel (1938). It is still being published, so we can affirm that it is turning 87 years old.

The creator of one of the most interesting stages of the series was Lee Falk, together with the artist Sy Barry, beginning with the essential volume The Phantom 1961-1963. A stage that modernized the series, which until then presented exotic adventures set in Africa, to introduce social and political themes, such as slave merchants or opium traffickers. A stage that, decades later, remains one of the character's most remembered.

Origin of superheroes

Superheroes are a North American creation that began to be devised back in the 1920s, even the name "superhero" is only legally registered in the United States, but nevertheless, It was Superman who in 1938 opened the way to fame and great consumption in the comic world.. From that moment on, the rest began to appear, always with the common idea, in their principles, of helping the world and collaborating and fighting for good.

But if Superman, Batman, the Human Torch or Namor were the first heroes, the true Golden Age for the world of comics took place in the 60s. At that time 'The Fantastic Four', Hulk and Spiderman, among many others, appeared. . Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were the two greats who deserve the special mention of appearing with gold letters in the history of comics, because superheroes and the best adventures emerged from their pencils.

Stan Lee and his importance in the world of superheroes

On December 28, 1922, a star was born in New York: Stan Lee. One year after his centenary, we review the legacy of a man passionate about the world of superhero comics who marked several generations. Writer, comic editor, producer and actor, Stanley Martin Lieber was one of the transcendental figures in the world of superheroes and is responsible for the development of Marvel as we know it today.

He died just 5 years ago after leaving an indelible legacy in the genre. The figure of this man is known worldwide for weaving the networks so that the Marvel Cinematic Universe can be what it is today, and he is the man who has most influenced the success of comics and superhero movies, especially in the development of the Marvel Studios franchise. Every Marvel product is impregnated with the memory of Stan Lee.

Stan Lee and his work at Marvel

Among his greatest achievements is the creation of the most iconic characters in the world of superheroes. Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron-Man, Captain America, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Four, X-Men…are just some of the products created by the comics creator who marked several generations.

Normally accompanied by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, Stan Lee dedicated himself to growing the Marvel Comics universe until he brought it to the big screen and turned it into what it is today: his own universe with millions of followers around the world and one of the highest-grossing franchises in history.

Stan Lee's work has left contributions that have permeated the fictions of the comic world and, later, on the big screen. Among them, stands out the use of grandiloquent language and recharged, the humanization of the characters, which has allowed the viewer to empathize with their weaknesses and fears beyond their role as heroes. The famous Lee syndrome It consists of calling characters with the same initial in their first and last name (Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Reed Richards...).

What are Stan Lee's superheroes? Discover the most important

Spider-Man: Spider-Man: created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Spider-Man, called Spider-Man in its Spanish translation, is a fictional character and superhero that appears in books and comics published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, it had its first appearance in the number 15 Amazing Fantasy in August 1962.

Lee and Ditko conceived him as an orphan raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Being a teenager he has to deal with all the typical problems of his age, in addition to facing criminals with a red and blue costume. Their superpowers include great agility and flexibility, as well as the ability to cling to most surfaces with their web shooters or net launchers. Another of his main superpowers is his "spider sense" which warns him when he is in danger or when danger is approaching. Its great success made Marvel give Spider-Man his own series: 'The Amazing Spiderman'.

The X-Men: Archangel, Beast, Iceman, Jean Gray and Cyclops

In early 1961, when the publisher was called Timely Publications, Lee's boss suggested that he make a more or less obvious copy of the Justice League of America, the group that brought together the most important characters of what would later become DC Comics. Lee introduced the Fantastic Four, a family quartet who gained their incredible powers after a space trip in which they were exposed to cosmic rays.

Lee also worked with Jack 'The King' Kirby, the most suitable artist for the project, given his talent as a storyteller and his great imagination. Fantastic Four was launched, without much hope in 1961, being an immediate success.

Iron Man: know his origin

Since its launch, Hombre de Hierro He became one of Marvel Comics' most beloved characters. The character was co-created by Stan Lee, developed by screenwriter Larry Lieber and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. His first appearance took place in Tales of Suspense number 39 in 1963, and received its own title at number 1 of Hombre de Hierro, during May 1968.

Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man, is the son of Stark Industries boss Howard Stark and his wife Maria Stark. He is very intelligent and at the age of 15 he enters MIT to study mechanical engineering. After his parents die in a car accident, he inherits the company. The curious thing about his powered armor is that it gives him strength, superhuman durability, a wide variety of weapons, and the ability to fly. Thus, he is considered one of Marvel's most intelligent characters.

Daredevil: created by Stan Lee and Bill Event

Daredevil, the alter ego of Matthew Michael 'Matt' Murdock, was created by Stan Lee and artist Bill Everet, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Daredevil #1 in April 1964, in the so-called Silver Age of comics.

Daredevil's origins come from an accident he had in his childhood that gave him special abilities. While growing up in the historically rough, crime-ridden, working-class Irish-American neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen in New York City, Matt Murdock is blinded by a radioactive substance that falls from a truck after saving a man who was going to be hit by a car. This radioactive exposure heightened his remaining senses beyond normal human capacity and granted him his 'radar sense'.

The story of Black Panther

From the pencils and heads of Lee and Kirby we also have the story of Black Panther, which began in number 52 The Fantastic Four. He is the first black superhero in Marvel history and it should be noted that the character was created prior to the Black Panther Party, which was founded in October of the same year.

He is the king and protector of the fictional African nation Wakanda. In addition to possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakanda rituals, of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb. T'Challa also relies on his mastery of science, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to his country's wealth and advanced technology to combat enemies that threaten his culture and tradition.

Thor: one of the founding members of The Avengers

thor, as a Marvel superhero and under the creation of Lee and Kirby, is one of the founding members of The Avengers and is inspired by the Norse god of the same name. Thor, God of thunder and storm, began to be published in comics Journey into Mystery #83, in August 1962.

Several mortals have commanded the Asgardian God, such as Don Blake, Sirgurd Jarlson and Jake Olsen. Thor is the son of Odin and heir to the throne of Asgard, the world of the Norse gods. His half-brother, Loki, God of lies, will always do everything possible to try to snatch the throne and the grace of Odin from him. Always accompanied by his hammer Mjolnir, Thor is one of the founding members of this Marvel group.

Hulk, published May 1962

Hulk He is considered the strongest superhero in Marvel Comics. Also created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it makes its first appearance in The Incredible Hulk #1 published in May 1962. In his comic book appearances, the character is both the Hulk, a huge green-skinned, burly and muscular humanoid being, possessing great physical strength, and his alter ego Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a socially withdrawn, physically weak and emotionally reserved, the two personalities existing as independent and resentful of the other.

What superheroes didn't Stan Lee create?

Apart from the aforementioned DC Comics characters, not all Marvel characters and superheroes were created by Stan Lee. Among them, we find the villain Thanos, created by Jim Starlin; Deadpool, created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza; Namor, by Bill Everet; Wolverine, belonging to the X-Men, but created by Len Wein, Roy Thomas and John Romita; Captain America, moral leader of the Avengers, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon; Captain Marvel, by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan; Ms. Marvel, created by Stephen Wacker, Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Sana Amanat, or Venom, which debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #252.

Live superhero movie soundtracks

After this extensive review of the Marvel Universe and the world of superheroes, we cannot fail to mention that the Film Symphony Orchestra is touring our country with its latest tour 'Krypton. Heroes and Superheroes in concert'.

Krypton is an impressive musical spectacle inspired by the heroes and superheroes of cinema history. You can't miss the most emblematic musical themes from films such as Superman, The Last of the Mohicans, Spider-Man, Conan the Barbarian, Iron Man, Braveheart, The Dark Knight, Robin Hood, Captain America or The Incredibles, among many others.