Graduates of the UCLA Extension program got a shot of superhero power at their commencement ceremony Friday in Westwood.

Stan Lee, the 94-year-old co-creator of icons that are now Marvel Entertainment giants: Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, The Avengers and The Fantastic Four, told graduates at Royce Hall to Do your thing. Whatever you do, give it your best shot. Youll be glad you did.

About 2,000 students graduated from the Extension program this year, some transitioning to new careers and some exploring new interests. The program for working and mid-career professionals grants certificates rather than degrees, in areas like feature film writing and film scoring, marketing, real estate and finance.

Photos: Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee speaks At UCLA Extension Certificate Graduation

The Extension program is about life-long learning, Wayne Smutz, the schools dean told graduates. And Lee, who started at Timely Comics Marvel Comics predecessor when he was just 17, knows about career longevity.

Youre trying to ... add to what you already know, to make yourselves better workers, better contributors, Lee told the audience.

While Extension graduates got certificates Friday, Lee got an award of his own the Extensions first Icons of LA Award, coinciding with the programs 100th birthday.

Stan is considered the godfather of the modern-day superhero, Smutz said. He has exerted more influence over the comic book and entertainment industry than any other figure and is revered by fans of all ages, worldwide and of all cultures.

Related story: UCLAs largest ever class graduates with a message: Be relentless

Lee appeared at the commencement just two days after walking the red carpet at TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood for the premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming, the latest incarnation of the super-successful character he co-created with Steve Ditko in 1962.

At UCLA, he sat in a high chair in the middle of the stage, relaxed and funny in a black sweater and tan chinos, and told the graduates how Spider-Man almost didnt come to be.

After the creation of The Fantastic Four, Lees publisher asked him to come up with a new superhero.

The most important thing in a superhero at first is the superpower. Once you get that, everything else comes along, Lee said. So I thought, What power will I give the new guy? And I saw a fly crawling on the wall. And I said, Hey, if can get a superhero that could stick to walls and crawl on them, man, that would be cool. Actually, he interrupted himself, I probably said it would be groovy!

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He chose the name Spider-Man, made the character a teenager at a time when there were no teenage superheroes and then, just for fun, gave him a bunch of personal problems.

Related story: Stan Lee dishes on his many Marvel-ous cameos

His publisher was nonplussed. Stan, that is the worst idea, he told Lee. First of all, people hate spiders. ... Teenagers can only be sidekicks. ... You want him to have personal problems? Stan, dont you know what a superhero is?

Still, Lee stuck Spider-Man into the final issue of the comic Amazing Fantasy, which was about to end its run. It was a huge success, and the rest is history.

If you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, dont let some idiot talk you out of it, Lee told the Extension graduates.

I think you can only do your best work if youre doing what you want to do, Lee said. You can look at it and say, I did that, and I think its pretty damn good. Thats a great feeling.

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Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee spins web of inspiration at UCLA Extension graduation - LA Daily News