Len Wein
Writer and editor, Len Wein created famous characters such as Swamp Thing, Human Target and Wolverine. Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics during Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen.
Name:
Len Wein
Aliases:
Birth date:
June 12th, 1948
Death date:
September 10th, 2017
Home town:
New York
Country:
United States of America
Career In Comics
Early Freelancing Career
As a young man, Wein and friend Marv Wolfman (who would later create Blade) would often take the regular tours of DC Comics offices that were offered on Thursdays at that time, where he and Wolfman would submit art samples to DC's editorial staff. This lead to Wein and Wolfman being hired in 1968 as freelance writers. Wein's first story for DC comics was Teen Titans #18, which was published in December of that year. Wein would get further stories published in DC's House of Secrets, Marvel's Daredevil, and Gold Key Comics Star Trek series, among other series.
Creating Characters for DC & Marvel
In 1971, Wein and Bernie Wrightson created the character of Swamp Thing while writing for House of Secrets. The character would lead to Wein winning Shazam Awards for Best Writer (Dramatic) and Best Individual Story (Dramatic) in 1972 for Swamp Thing, winning the latter with Wrightson. The series also got Wein and Wrightson the Shazam Award for Best Ongoing Series the following year. Wein also went on to create Human Target with Carmine Infantino also in 1972 as a backup series for The Brave and the Bold and several other titles. Wein went on to Marvel Comics, where he would have long runs on The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man (where he wrote what has become known as the Clone Genesis storyline), and the Incredible Hulk. It was this last book where he co-created his longest lasting character, Wolverine. Wein would later include Wolverine in his revival of the X-Men series in 1975. He is also the co-creator of Nightcrawler, Storm and Colossus!
Editor for DC
In the late 70s, Wein returned to DC, originally working as an writer on Green Lantern (with Dave Gibbons on art), and on Batman, where he created the character of Lucius Fox. He was promoted to Editor, where he would oversee work on major series like All-Star Squadron, Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen. During this run at DC, Wein won the Inkpot Award at San Diego Comic Con in 1979, and the Best Editor Award from Comic Buyers Guide in 1982. Wein left DC for several years starting in the 90s, where he worked for Disney Comics, as well as writing for several major animated television series, including X-Men and Batman. Wein returned to DC in 2008, contributing to Final Crisis and Justice League of America. 2008 also marked Wein's induction into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.
Tragically, on April 6, 2009, Wein's home in California burned down, killing Wein's dog and destroying a great deal of original art from books that Wein worked on (including the cover and pages from The Incredible Hulk #181), as well as the Shazam Award trophies.
Full list of characters created by Len Wein (In alphabetical order)
- Abby Holland
- Alec Holland
- Anthony Lupus
- Anton Arcane
- Arisia Rrab
- Aurakles
- Baron Samedi
- Brain Child
- Brimstone
- Brother Voodoo
- Bulldozer
- Cheetah
- Clayface
- Colossus
- Constrictor
- Copperhead
- Demolition Team
- Equinox
- Fadeaway Man
- Firebug
- Lucius Fox
- Freedom Fighters
- Guardsman
- Gunfire
- Hammer and Anvil
- Abby Holland
- Human Fly
- Human Target
- Injustice Gang
- Jigsaw
- Jonny Double
- Krakoa
- Libra
- Jamie Madrox
- Matthew Cable
- Mongul
- Moondark
- Nebulon
- Nekron
- Nightcrawler
- Orb
- Patchwork Man
- Piledriver
- Red Star
- Nicholas Scratch
- Stegron
- Storm
- Swamp Thing
- Thunderball
- Thunderbird
- Un-Men
- Amanda Waller
- Will o' the Wisp
- Wolverine
- Wrecking Crew
