Creator Profile: Len Wein
Throughout his illustrious career, Len Wein made significant contributions to both DC and Marvel. The New York City native became interested in comics when he was hospitalized as a kid and his father gave him some books to entertain himself. As teens, he and his friend Marv Wolfman worked on sample superhero stories to show the DC editorial staff while they toured the DC office.
His first professional job was the story “Eye of the Beholder” in Teen Titans #18 (December 1968). At this time, Wein wrote for DC’s House of Secrets, Marvel’s Tower of Shadows and Chamber of Darkness, Skywald Publications’ horror magazines Nightmare and Psycho, and Gold Key’s Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery. In 1970 he did his first superhero work at Marvel on Daredevil #71.
Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson co-created Swamp Thing in House of Secrets #92 in 1971. They worked on the initial run of Swamp Thing’s title from ’72 to ’76, then in the mid-’80s he edited Saga of the Swamp Thing, along with two films and a TV series.
In the early ’70s he regularly wrote for Marvel and served as editor-in-chief of the color comics line, as well as long runs of Marvel Team-Up, Amazing Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Fantastic Four.
In 1974, he co-created one of Marvel’s most popular characters. Wein and artists John Romita Sr. and Herb Trimpe co-created Wolverine for a cameo in Incredible Hulk #180 and full first appearance in #181. A year later he and Dave Cockrum revived the X-Men, reformatting it as Giant Size X-Men #1.
In the late ’70s he returned to DC to write for Batman, creating Wayne Foundation executive Lucius Fox, and he wrote the first Batman miniseries in ’80, The Untold Legend of the Batman. His editing duties included Camelot 3000, New Teen Titans, All-Star Squadron, and Who’s Who in the DC Universe.
Next he was editor-in-chief of Disney Comics in the early ’90s, followed by work as a story editor for animated shows. In the 2000s he was a recurring panelist on the LA stage revival of the game show What’s My Line? and wrote for Cartoon Network Ben 10 shows and Marvel Super Hero Squad. In 2012 he worked on the Before Watchmen miniseries, writing the Ozymandias miniseries.
Throughout his career, Wein won several awards, including a Shazam for Best Writer, Inkpot Award, Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Award, and was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2008.
Popular Topics
Overstreet Access Quick Links
Creator Profile: Len Wein
Throughout his illustrious career, Len Wein made significant contributions to both DC and Marvel. The New York City native became interested in comics when he was hospitalized as a kid and his father gave him some books to entertain himself. As teens, he and his friend Marv Wolfman worked on sample superhero stories to show the DC editorial staff while they toured the DC office.
His first professional job was the story “Eye of the Beholder” in Teen Titans #18 (December 1968). At this time, Wein wrote for DC’s House of Secrets, Marvel’s Tower of Shadows and Chamber of Darkness, Skywald Publications’ horror magazines Nightmare and Psycho, and Gold Key’s Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery. In 1970 he did his first superhero work at Marvel on Daredevil #71.
Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson co-created Swamp Thing in House of Secrets #92 in 1971. They worked on the initial run of Swamp Thing’s title from ’72 to ’76, then in the mid-’80s he edited Saga of the Swamp Thing, along with two films and a TV series.
In the early ’70s he regularly wrote for Marvel and served as editor-in-chief of the color comics line, as well as long runs of Marvel Team-Up, Amazing Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Fantastic Four.
In 1974, he co-created one of Marvel’s most popular characters. Wein and artists John Romita Sr. and Herb Trimpe co-created Wolverine for a cameo in Incredible Hulk #180 and full first appearance in #181. A year later he and Dave Cockrum revived the X-Men, reformatting it as Giant Size X-Men #1.
In the late ’70s he returned to DC to write for Batman, creating Wayne Foundation executive Lucius Fox, and he wrote the first Batman miniseries in ’80, The Untold Legend of the Batman. His editing duties included Camelot 3000, New Teen Titans, All-Star Squadron, and Who’s Who in the DC Universe.
Next he was editor-in-chief of Disney Comics in the early ’90s, followed by work as a story editor for animated shows. In the 2000s he was a recurring panelist on the LA stage revival of the game show What’s My Line? and wrote for Cartoon Network Ben 10 shows and Marvel Super Hero Squad. In 2012 he worked on the Before Watchmen miniseries, writing the Ozymandias miniseries.
Throughout his career, Wein won several awards, including a Shazam for Best Writer, Inkpot Award, Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Award, and was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2008.
Popular Topics
Overstreet Access Quick Links
