Michael B. Jordan is "heartbroken" over the death of Marvel Comics colossus Stan Lee.
The legendary comic book writer passed away at the age of 95 on Monday after a career in which he created or co-created scores of beloved superheros including Spider-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Hulk and Black Panther.
According to Entertainment Tonight after hearing news of Stan's death, Michael, who played villain Erik 'Killmonger' Stevens in the recent movie adaptation of Black Panther, spoke of his pain at a special screening of his latest film Creed II in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
"(I'm) heartbroken, honestly," the 31-year-old said. "(He was) 95 years old, he lived a full life. He made an impact on so many different people, (and) literally changed the face of entertainment in so many different ways. He showed people how to dream how to escape the problems that they have and their current situations. (He was) so creative, so fun, It's incredible. I feel honored to be a part of one of the last films he got a chance to be a part of."
Stan was famous for his cameos in Marvel Studios films and appeared in Black Panther as a patron of a South Korean casino. He co-created the character, the first black superhero to appear as a cover star in mainstream American comics, with the artist Jack Kirby in 1966.
Michael said he was delighted to have helped the writer bring his pioneering creation to the big screen, adding: "For him to kind of see that come full circle was awesome and something I'll cherish with me for the rest of my life. Rest in peace, Stan Lee. We lost a really really good one."
A host of stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have paid tribute to Stan, including Captain America actor Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, who portrays the Hulk, and Iron Man himself, Robert Downey, Jr.
