Marvel has a whole cinematic universe now, but the phenomenon began with one man. And Stan “the man” Lee has one hell of a story. Roy Thomas’s special-edition tome The Stan Lee Story tells that legendary tale in life-size detail, creating a comprehensive and colorful ode that will round out collections for serious collectors. Following the comic book icon’s fittingly cinematic career from teenage jobs to wartime censorship and Hollywood franchises, The Stan Lee Story is both a biography and a treasure trove of collectible art.

Limited to 1,000 copies, the book even includes complete, true-to-size facsimiles of some of his rarest and most beloved comics, reprinted from collector vaults and tucked inside the pages. And to make this take as authentic and in-depth as possible, Lee himself wrote the foreword, signed every copy, and contributed art and intimate photos that have never been published before.