(Panini Books)

If comics characters had a god, it would be Stan Lee. He was the almighty creator of heroes and villains, the master of mythology, the shaper of worlds. His passing on November 12 2018 truly marked the end of an era for Marvel, as the man responsible for the company's phenomenal success over the decades was no longer with us.

This memorial collection not only features some of Stan's favourite self-penned strips from his long career, but also brings together a limited series of one-shot specials which found "The Man" coming face-to-face with some of his creations in stories penned by leading talents from within the comics industry.

They were originally released to mark his 65th year as a Marvel Comics employee back in 2006, but here serve as a tribute to remember the remarkable impact which he had on not just comics, but the modern mythology of pop culture as well.

Over the course of five issues of tongue-in-cheek humour and general irreverence, Stan meets Spider-Man, the Thing, Doctor Doom, Doctor Strange and the Silver Surfer in stories created by the likes of Roy Thomas, Alan Davis, Brian Michael Bendis and Joss Whedon.

A running theme throughout these stories is how Stan's characters dislike him for wreaking havoc throughout their lives, his trademark penchant for tragedy leaving them rather worse for wear as a result.

But there is also an acknowledgement of the cultural ripples he left in his wake after creating an entire universe of fantasy characters who have since evolved beyond comics to conquer other realms of cinema, television, video games and merchandise.

Farewell Stan, we will be forever in your debt.