Superhero Park Rides

Stan Lee Media Inc. and Iwerks Entertainment Inc., a maker of motion simulator rides, will announce this week plans to create theme-park rides based on Lee’s Internet-based superhero characters.

The companies will use a new set of characters that Lee, which created such comic book superheroes as Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk, is developing for the Web. The characters will be used in ride simulators, 3-D and giant-screen venues as well as other attractions.

Lee is introducing a new set of superheroes called “The Seventh Portal” exclusively on the Internet early next year, the first time in decades that the legendary comic book creator has developed new characters. The company is trying to build an audience for the characters, which it then would hope to extend to traditional forms of media and entertainment such as television and theme parks.

Burbank-based Iwerks has more than 280 attractions around the world in amusement parks, movie theaters, shopping centers, casinos and nightclubs.

Encino-based Stan Lee Media became a public company three months ago when the closely held firm combined with a public shell company. Lee has already drawn interest from media and technology companies such as IBM, which is providing the firm with a digital studio, and Time Warner Inc., which publishes DC Comics and operates entertainment-related Internet sites.