When I was a kid, Disney was one of my gods. I just loved movies

When Stan Lee declared, “When I was a kid, Disney was one of my gods. I just loved movies like Snow White and Pinocchio,” he was confessing to a truth that lies at the root of all creation: that every maker is once a dreamer, and every dreamer is first inspired by the visions of another. In these words, Lee—who himself became a modern myth-maker through Marvel’s pantheon of heroes—revealed the source of his early wonder, the spark that ignited his imagination. For to a child, the works of Walt Disney were not mere entertainments; they were revelations, glimpses of magic woven into the fabric of the ordinary world.

The heart of this quote lies in the recognition of inspiration. Disney’s films were not only stories but worlds—worlds where innocence battled corruption, where courage triumphed over despair, and where even the smallest figures, like Snow White or Pinocchio, carried destinies of immense weight. For young Lee, they became something divine, shaping his sense of what stories could be. To call Disney “one of my gods” was no exaggeration, but the honest confession of a child whose reverence for imagination became the foundation of his own genius.

History has always shown the power of such early inspiration. Consider Homer, whose epics stirred the hearts of Greeks for generations. Alexander the Great himself carried the Iliad with him on his campaigns, not as a book of leisure, but as scripture for his soul. Just as Homer’s tales of Achilles and Odysseus planted seeds of destiny in a young conqueror, so too did Disney’s fables plant the seeds of myth in the boy who would one day create Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and so many others. The gods of one generation become the teachers of the next.

There is also in Lee’s words the sacred recognition that art, when created with sincerity, outlives its maker and takes on divine weight. Disney himself began as a struggling animator, laboring with pen and ink, yet through his creations he became a godlike figure in the imagination of children worldwide. Lee, inspired by him, would one day walk the same path, becoming a godlike figure to millions who grew up revering the characters he gave life to. Thus, the cycle of inspiration continues: one torch passed to another, one flame kindled by another’s fire.

The lesson here is clear: never dismiss the power of wonder. What may seem like a simple story, a song, or a film can shape the destiny of those who encounter it. Children especially live in a world where imagination is not trivial but sacred; the images they revere will become the blueprints of their future. Disney gave Lee courage to dream, and Lee, in turn, gave generations of children courage to believe in heroes, in justice, and in themselves.

Practical action lies in this: seek out what inspires you, and guard it as treasure. If you are a parent or teacher, remember that the stories you give to the young are not idle diversions but seeds of greatness. If you are a creator, labor with care, for your work may become the scripture of another’s imagination. And if you are a dreamer, do not be ashamed to revere your inspirations, for they are the roots from which your own strength will grow.

Therefore, let Stan Lee’s words echo like a commandment: honor your gods of imagination, cherish the works that stir your heart, and allow them to awaken the creator within you. For just as Snow White and Pinocchio gave Lee the courage to dream, so too may your dreams, if nurtured, one day become the myths that inspire generations yet unborn. This is the sacred chain of creation, stretching from Disney to Lee, and from Lee to all who carry his heroes in their hearts.