Cartoonist

Were there stories I wrote along the way that were terrible clinkers? God, yes. But they were all a product of their time, and I did the best I could.

It all depends on which side of the desk you're sitting on.

Lord of the Rings, I think, is far and away the most brilliantly done stuff.

The bottom line always remains the same: What is the basic humanity of the character? How do I make them resonate with the reader?

Art is always in the eyes of the beholder. Only posterity has the right to point out our mistakes.

I think there's something inherently dishonest in trying to go back and mess with the past.

I would like immortality.

I've always thought of myself as an organic writer, rather than a cerebral one. I feel my way along as I go, hoping I'll get to the place I intend to reach.

I try not to violate what came before me and to leave lots of wiggle room for those who will follow.

I've never sat down and thought about the difference between plot and theme. To me, that's never been important.

These days, it seems that if you're not already in place, you can't get there from here.

When I'm my own editor, there's very little difference between the first draft and the final. I write what feels right to begin with. I rarely make any major changes.

I was a very sickly kid. While I was in the hospital at age 7, my Dad brought me a stack of comic books to keep me occupied. I was hooked.

The most unrealistic thing I've ever read in comics is when some group of characters calls themselves the Brotherhood of Evil or the Masters of Evil. I don't believe any character believes their goals to be truly evil.

People who were more concerned with themselves and looking good to their readers then they were with the characters sacrificed a series for the sake of a story.

Unfortunately, there are writers whose only concern is how good they could make themselves look on a title.

In general, shorter is better. If you can encapsulate your idea into a single captivating sentence, you're halfway home.

I became an art major, took every art class my school had to offer. In college, I majored in Advertising Art and Design.

I've had editors over the years who couldn't find a clue if it was stapled to their butt.

I realized the only thing I owed my audience was my own judgment and my own best effort.