Stan Lee (1922–2018) began his career with wartime Timely Comics, and staying the course throughout the Atlas era, Stan the Man made comic book history with Fantastic Four #1, harbinger of a bold new perspective in story writing that endures to this day. With some of the industry’s greatest artists, he introduced hero after hero in Incredible Hulk, Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men, and more, forming a shared universe for rival publishers to measure themselves against. After an almost literal lifetime of writing and editing, Lee was involved in movies and television via his company POV! Entertainment. He was Marvel’s chairman emeritus and best-known public representative.

Gerry Conway began his professional comic book career in 1969, when DC Comics published his first work in its anthology The House of Secrets. He went on to co-create the characters Firestorm, the Nuclear Man, Vixen and Killer Croc for DC. Conway also worked for Marvel Comics, where he notably wrote "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" in The Amazing Spider-Man #121, as well as serving briefly as that company's editor-in-chief. His numerous writing credits include the first DC/Marvel crossover, Superman vs. Spider-Man.

In addition to comics, Conway has published the science fiction novels The Midnight Dancers and Mindship. He has also written for and/or produced such TV series as Hercules- The Legendary Journeys, Baywatch Nights, Silk Stalkings, Law & Order, Law & Order- Criminal Intent, The Huntress and Batman- The Animated Series.

John Romita is a comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man and for co-creating characters like The Punisher and Wolverine. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002.