(I struggled Sunday to find the words which would explain how important Len Wein was in my life, but found I could’t bring myself to write the eulogy he deserved. All I could manage was the following series of tweets, which I gather here in lieu of a proper celebration which I hope will come later.)
I first met Len Wein at Phil Seuling’s 1970 4th of July Comic Art Convention. I was member #38. Len was member #65. I was only 15 years old.
A year later, at the Times Square Nathan’s, Len—who’d wanted to be an artist, not writer—drew this sketch of a character he’d created.
A few years after that, I was no longer a fan to his pro, but working at Marvel where he gave me more chances than a kid like me deserved.
Thanks to Len, I got to write comics, starting with Scarecrow, which would never have been without him. Proud our names bookend the credits.
He also gave me my favorite assignment from all my years in comics, to write the Bullpen Bulletins which had turned me into a Marvel fanboy.
He wasn’t my boss for long. He eventually had to pass the Editor-in-Chief torch “for health reasons.” Even then, his health was an issue.
But during that time, his trust, his guidance, his wisdom, his support, set me on the path to where I am now. I would not be me without him.
Recently, I found—and sent off to Len—what I think is a photo of him taken one year before we met, at the 1969 Worldcon in St. Louis.
The photo (from the Jay Kay Klein archives) is only the back of a head, but it’s one surrounded by his friends. I’d like to think it’s him.
I was expecting to hear back from him, hoping to hear back from him, that, yes, it WAS him, surrounded by his old friends, Now I never will.
Funny how it all circles around. Our relationship began at a con, in 1970. And it ends with me thinking of one, in 2017, from 1969.
There’s more I could say about Len, more details, more anecdotes, but for now, what this has me thinking about is this thing we all have …
… this continuum that began before I was born and will go on after I die. It’s not just a fandom. It’s not just a business. It’s family.
So let’s be good to one another while we’re here. Let’s do our best to make this place welcoming. And … that’s all I got for now. RIP, Len.
