Videogame maker Activision has hired legendary comic book creator Stan Lee as a consultant for the development of future video games based on Marvel characters.  Lee will work closely with Activision's developers during the production process and consult on game design, as well as story and character development.  Activision extended its video game licensing agreement with Marvel early this year (see 'Marvel Ending 2002,Starting 2003 Strong').  

While Activision's Spider-Man game was a major hit in the wake of the Spider-Man movie in 2002, its X-Men games have never caught fire in spite of the success of Marvel's X-Men films, including X-Men 2, the top comic-based film of 2003.  In addition to helping unlock the untapped potential of the X-Men, Activision is hoping that Lee will be able to help create a successful series of video games based on the Fantastic Four, since that property is in line to benefit from the launch of a major motion picture in late 2004 (see 'Marvel Movie Update').