Rest In Peace Len Wein

It was with great sadness that I read that comic legend Len Wein passed away this week. Wein was truly a prolific creator with a career that spanned decades. He created Wolverine. He started the All-New X-Men team which reinvigorated that franchise. He created Swamp Thing and had a brilliant run on that initial book with Bernie Wrightson. And he had a run on Spider-Man that is lauded. And that is just scratching the surface.

Because he also was a tremendous editor. He edited Camelot 3000. He edited the early Moore Swamp Thing issues. His touch is literally on 100s of books in my collection. Just a force within the comics industry. Legendary. Prolific. Esteemed. Missed.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that he wrote Superman and Supergirl every so often. In fact, two of my favorite stories where the cousins team-up were written by Wein. I have covered them both here in the past but many years ago.

In the landmark issue Superman #338, Wein had Superman finally enlarge the bottle city of Kandor, leading to the creation of Rokyn. Here is my review from way back when I first started this place in 2008!
http://ift.tt/29Jq6Fx

It is a great story, and a gutsy one given it was (at the time) irrevocably changing a major part of Superman mythos.

But the thing that stuck out to me in this story was that Wein wrote Supergirl as an equal to Superman, a partner. Not a junior hero or a sidekick. In fact, Kara has the best moment in the book in my opinion.

It's Kara who makes the tough decision to let Brainiac continue to shrink, victim of his own weapon. There isn't enough energy to enlarge Superman, Kandor, and Brainiac. And in that equation, Brainiac loses.

That is hard core.

Wein also wrote a tremendous three part story in DC Comics Presents, spanning issues 27-29. It is a wild story, introducing Mongul and the concept of Warworld to the DCU. It brought Martian Manhunter back into the spotlight. And in the third part, Superman basically meets God. Just brilliant.

The middle chapter has Superman teaming up with Supergirl to fight Mongul. I reviewed this one way back in 2011:
http://ift.tt/2eSF8sh;

Once again, Wein writes Supergirl as an adult hero and having her chastise Superman when he tries to protect her.

It's Kara who finds the trail to Warworld.

It's Kara who understands the scope of the problem.
And it is here that she tells Superman that she needs him. And it is her duty to join him in protecting the universe. She won't be sent home.

And ultimately, it's Supergirl who disables Warworld, using herself as a battering ram to gut the thing.

Wein's career was just too voluminous to cover in one post. But when I see writers treating a character like Supergirl with the dignity and respect she deserved, especially then, I have to tip my cap. So thanks for all the stories Mr. Wein. God speed!

Posted in: Reviews