Len Wein Quotes

A true friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else.

Art is always in the eyes of the beholder. Only posterity has the right to point out our mistakes.

When I'm my own editor, there's very little difference between the first draft and the final. I write what feels right to begin with. I rarely make any major changes.

I think jazz and comic books are probably the two uniquely American art forms.

It all depends on which side of the desk you're sitting on.

I was a very sickly kid. While I was in the hospital at age 7, my Dad brought me a stack of comic books to keep me occupied. I was hooked.

Never be embarrassed by the things you cannot do. Be embarrassed by the things you can do and don't do well.

These days, it seems that if you're not already in place, you can't get there from here.

I'm a neurotic New York Jew by birth. Creating characters is second nature to me.

I try not to violate what came before me and to leave lots of wiggle room for those who will follow.

A writer writes. Period. No matter if someone is buying your work or not.

In general, shorter is better. If you can encapsulate your idea into a single captivating sentence, you're halfway home.

Unfortunately, there are writers whose only concern is how good they could make themselves look on a title.

I always wanted to fire rays out of my fingertips.

I've always been the audience that I wanted to reach, so I write for myself.

I think every time you take a female character, a black character, a Hispanic character, a gay character, and make that the point of the character, you are minimalizing the character.

The bottom line always remains the same: What is the basic humanity of the character? How do I make them resonate with the reader?

I realized the only thing I owed my audience was my own judgment and my own best effort.

I think there's something inherently dishonest in trying to go back and mess with the past.

I try to find what makes even the worst, most despicable character sympathetic at his or her core.

There is an ancient legend which warns that, should we ever learn our true origin, our universe will instantly be destroyed.

I've had editors over the years who couldn't find a clue if it was stapled to their butt.

When I submitted samples, I had only written stories to give myself something to draw. I was told, "The art is good, but not quite professional yet. But, I like the writing." I've been a writer for almost a half a century. It's very cool.

It's all about who's where on the food chain. When I'm the story editor, I expect my writers to follow my vision. When I'm working for another editor, I'm obliged to follow their vision.

The villain is always more entertaining because he has fewer limitations. The hero is bound by honor, by justice and by the law, sometimes.