ICONIC comic book covers signed by the Marvel legend Stan Lee are on display and available to buy at Bluewater.

Castle Galleries has limited edition signed prints of covers masterminded by Lee in the 1960s, including The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman and The Avengers.

The works include those by influential artists and capture defining moments in comic book history, such as the first edition of The Incredible Hulk, in which the hero is grey and not green.

Unlike other comics at the time, Stan Lee made superheroes relatable; he humanised them and conveyed their everyday struggles.

Peter Parker addressed the issues of social acceptance and personal identity, The Incredible Hulk was a reflection of society’s fears regarding a nuclear war-ridden age; and The Avengers were formed to combat a threat no individual could defeat

Now 90, Stan Lee continues to be as involved with his creations as ever.

Speaking about the covers, he said: “The characters featured on the covers are particularly special for me because they come from a time when it was unusual for superheroes to have human characteristics.”

“One of the Spider-man covers is particularly special to me (The Amazing Spiderman #75) because at the time no one thought it would sell because it was about him giving up being a superhero, only for that issue, because it was affecting his human life. However, people loved it and it was one of our biggest sellers.”

Mr Lee added: “Some children are only just discovering comics because they’ve been introduced to the characters though the movies, which is great because they’re finding a brand new world, which has become so culturally significant.”

All of the prints are signed by Stan Lee and come with certification. Prices start from £695. Call 01322 380038 or visit castlegalleries.com