Mention Marvel Comics, and the first thing that comes to mind is superheroes like Spider-Man and the Hulk. The next thing, probably, is Stan Lee -- who helped create those iconic characters and has been the public face of Marvel for decades.

So it's not surprising that Lee is pleased about Disney's proposed $4 billion acquisition of Marvel. What is surprising is that Lee doesn't stand to make a dime from it. Lee drifted away from Marvel in the mid-1990s -- indeed, he spent years in litigation with the company -- and now is chairman of another business, POW! Entertainment in Santa Monica.

Still, Lee never really left Marvel. At 86, he serves as its chairman emeritus, and though the position is largely ceremonial, it acknowledges Lee's role in building one of America's most enduring brands.

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