There is an ancient legend which warns that, should we ever learn our true origin, our universe will instantly be destroyed.
— Len Wein
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.
Were there stories I wrote along the way that were terrible clinkers? God, yes. But they were all a product of their time, and I did the best I could.
The most unrealistic thing I've ever read in comics is when some group of characters calls themselves the Brotherhood of Evil or the Masters of Evil. I don't believe any character believes their goals to be truly evil.
People who were more concerned with themselves and looking good to their readers then they were with the characters sacrificed a series for the sake of a story.
It all depends on which side of the desk you're sitting on.
I've never sat down and thought about the difference between plot and theme. To me, that's never been important.
I'm a neurotic New York Jew by birth. Creating characters is second nature to me.
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.
I think there's something inherently dishonest in trying to go back and mess with the past.
I had never really thought of myself as a writer; any writing I had done was just to give myself something to draw.
Art is always in the eyes of the beholder. Only posterity has the right to point out our mistakes.
You can read a dozen different textbooks or how-to manuals that will tell you the basic rules of what makes a story - a beginning, a middle, and an end.
When I got my first glimpse of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, my breath caught. In that single instant, he was Wolverine.
Unfortunately, there are writers whose only concern is how good they could make themselves look on a title.
The bottom line always remains the same: What is the basic humanity of the character? How do I make them resonate with the reader?
Lord of the Rings, I think, is far and away the most brilliantly done stuff.
In these litigious times, if you're a beginner, it's becoming harder and harder to get your work to the people who might actually be able to hire you.
I've had editors over the years who couldn't find a clue if it was stapled to their butt.
If a story isn't working, I'm simply unable to finish it. That's what usually tells me something is wrong.
I try to find what makes even the worst, most despicable character sympathetic at his or her core.
I realized the only thing I owed my audience was my own judgment and my own best effort.
I became an art major, took every art class my school had to offer. In college, I majored in Advertising Art and Design.
A writer writes. Period. No matter if someone is buying your work or not.
When someone writes to tell me something I've written made them laugh or cry, I've done my job and done it well. The rest is all semantics.
What makes a story is how well it manages to connect with the reader, the visceral effect it has.
These days, it seems that if you're not already in place, you can't get there from here.
Sometimes you're not even sure which of your stories were failures. There are things I've written that I thought were complete catastrophes when I finished with them that have gone on to generate some of my most positive feedback.
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.
In general, shorter is better. If you can encapsulate your idea into a single captivating sentence, you're halfway home.
I've always thought of myself as an organic writer, rather than a cerebral one. I feel my way along as I go, hoping I'll get to the place I intend to reach.
I would like immortality.
I try not to violate what came before me and to leave lots of wiggle room for those who will follow.
I hate the crazy, neurotic characters beyond a certain point.
I always wanted to fire rays out of my fingertips.
A true friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else.
