Sunday, September 10, 2017

Len Wein - Co-Creator of Swamp Thing And Wolverine Dies

Len Wein did it all. He wrote, he drew, he colored, he edited - anything the company needed to make the best comic books possible. He was not as flashy as some of his contemporaries but he was an essential creator that anyone who knows comic books understands.  Yes, he co-created Wolverine and Swamp Thing and that would be enough for any lifetime but his fingerprints are all over some of the best work every done in the medium.


Wein introduced Wolverine with artists John Romita Sr. and Herb Trimpe. The Canadian mutant debuted in "The Incredible Hulk" number 181.

In 1975, he wrote and Dave Cockrum illustrated "Giant Size X-Men #1," the first new X-Men story in five years, after the original team created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby slipped from popularity. The new series featured a new team including Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus rescuing original X-Men Marvel Girl, Iceman and Angel, plus the recruits Havok and Polaris.

Today, the characters Wein introduced have helped bring in more than a billion dollars onscreen in the "X-Men" and "Wolverine" films. And Colossus was a key player in the breakout hit "Deadpool."
In 1971, Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson also introduced Swamp Thing for DC Comics. He later edited 1980s Swamp Thing stories by Alan Moore, and edited Moore and artist Dave Gibbons celebrated, genre-bending "Watchmen." Both "Swamp Thing" and "Watchmen" also led to film adaptations.


 
One of the most prolific and influential comic book writers and editors, Len Wein, has passed away at 69 years old. Wein is best known for co-creating Wolverine and Swamp Thing but he is also partly responsible for Giant Size X-Men #1 which introduced fans to Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm. Wein’s comic book career spanned close to five decades during which he edited the classic Alan Moore tale, The Watchmen and offered some memorable tales for The Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Justice League of America. Other characters that Wein co-created are Batman confidant Lucius Fox, Jamie Madrox, and Brother Voodoo.

Many giants from the comic book creative community have taken to social media to express their sorrow over Wein’s passing.

 
 

7 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I hope he was able to cash in a bit on his creations.

DrGoat said...

Damn shame. You never hear his name, but he contributed so much to what we are enjoying today. Rest in Peace, and thanks.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

I read that he did, Debra. Later on he did. He got a fat Wolverine cheque that bought his house. I should have posted that link. He got some sweet deadpool money too I understand because of Colossus being used in that film.

jester59388 said...

RIP Len! You have brought me endless hours of reading pleasure! Say hi to the rest of the gang in Comic Book Valhalla for me! We miss you all!

Oh, and to Rob Liefeld: THIS is how you build a legacy that lives forever. Quietly. Creatively. Working with other great creators to produce work that audiences love at the time and have nostalgia for later in life. Not stealing other people's ideas and then claiming all the credit for yourself, creating a body of work that leaves most people throwing up in their mouths to think that they ever spent money on such dreck. Oh and it helps to know how to write and/or draw, too.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Well said Jester. I agree with everything you said. I am surprised that Liefeld ever gets work these days. He never finishes his contract on time.

Shlomo Ben Hungstien said...

That is some sad news indeed I had so many Swamp Thing issues back in the day, he's still one of my all time favorite DC characters today and who doesn't love Wolverine?

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Even with all this appearances when he was in every third comic book I never got tired of Wolverine. And that early Swamp Thing stuff primed me for more sophisticated comics like Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen.