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Remembering Len Wein: A West Side Time Travel Story

Michael Davis writes:

I've said many times no one was more Milestone than Dwayne McDuffie. Denys Cowan's larger than life idea created the company. Dwayne showed up with the details for that idea.

Milestone has made an impact on the comics world to be sure. Most would say comics have had an impact on the world and I would agree.

Just as no one was more Milestone than Dwayne, there was no one more 'comics' than Len Wein. That may be my opinion, but I defy anyone who knew Len to prove me wrong. Comics at their best induce moments where you're living within the world you're reading about. As an adult, if you're lucky that feeling will last a few minutes if you achieve it at all.

As a child, those moments lasted hours maybe even longer depending on your level of interest and in my case your level of pain. Some of my childhood memories are as vivid now as when I was eight years old. Some thankfully are faded one memory so horrid I repressed it only to have it surface in a series of dreams (nightmares) later confirmed by my mother as a memory.

Don't get me wrong I had a wonderful childhood except for the times it wasn't. Then it was bad, hence the repressed memory. But remembering any occasions reading comics was, as we say in the hood, All Good.

Len's presence always made me think back to when I was a kid. For most kids in grade school there was nothing more important than Saturday, Sunday and summer any times away from school.

Kids who loved comics were a wee bit different.

Yeah, we loved summer but where I grew up no two days were as important than Tuesday and Thursday. Those were the days the new comics came in. I lived on Beach 58st Far Rockaway Queens. The store that sold comics was on Beach 67th street. I could walk there in about twelve minutes or bike there in about three.

Since it was in my 'hood' odds were I'd still have my bike and comics when I exited the store. That may not be the case with the comic store located at Beach 40th street-NOT my hood. We called it the 40. The 40 had a much better selection and a spinner rack! Until then I'd never seen one before, and yeah it was a big deal.

My grade school best friend Julian Butler and I were distraught one comic book Tuesday because Silver Surfer #1 was not in the new comics. We prayed for what must have been the longest two days of our young lives it would come on Thursday.

Nope.

"I'm not going to the 40," Julian told me. "You're stupid if you do."

Julian had been beat up his bike stolen at the 40. My friend Earl and I were chased from there my mother told me never to go back.

Julian was so right.

Going there would be stupid, and I almost never disobeyed my mother.

I was stupid I went there and I did say 'almost.'

What else could I do? Comics were magic and my first love. When in love people do stupid things. Yeah, it was stupid, but it felt like magic.

Each moment I spent with Len Wein I was blessed with the magic of time travel, because it felt like I traveled back to that time when I'd risk a beat down for a comic book.

At his graveside service, Len wanted a joyful sendoff, and his family and friends didn't disappoint he got one. Fantastic Len stories genuinely funny were plentiful. I'm a hilarious guy, but I couldn't speak let alone tell a humorous tale I was so heartbroken over his passing.

Others were just as heartbroken they were stronger than I and I'm glad they were. Still I think Len would have liked me to tell a amusing tale or two.

I'll try and do that now.

Len's life force was pure love. If you were fortunate enough to know him, you felt that. Always positive upbeat joyful and there for you. Len never brought you problems, but few were better with solutions. His cool calm and enlightened manner made his advice damn near spiritual.

That manner also cost me a Hugo Boss jacket.

"I know who you are," I said with deadpan seriousness.

We were having lunch at an Oakland restaurant during Wonder Con. Len stopped looking for a waiter to look at me… like I was crazy. "Brilliant, changing one word of your teachings and who would ever think Buddha was a Jew?" I said as I looked attentively into his eyes.

He laughed so quick and hard whatever diet soda he was drinking ended up all over my Hugo Boss. He got the joke before I finished telling it. During the con whenever I would see Len talking to fans I would greet him by bowing my head and asking him to honor me with an autograph on; Len and the art of motorcycle maintenance, the way of Len, etc., etc.

You get the idea, but it took you a second. Len was quicker on the upbeat than anyone I knew. Len insisted he pay for the dry cleaning of my jacket and I should have let him. I left Oakland forgetting my blazer was in the cleaners.

Any time spent with Len was memorable. Some so outrageous if others were not involved no one would believe me. There was the time I drove some of the biggest names in comics to a party along the way we encountered both police then a car full of gangbangers.

Both confrontations featured LOUD BLASTING MUSIC from my truck. Not the hip-hop you'll expect from an early 30s-ish Black man, but show tunes.

Yeah, I like a good musical, surprised?

"Maria" from the West Side Story soundtrack greeted the cops when I slammed to a stop alongside them. I was speeding and did not see the patrol car until last minute.

Len was riding shotgun he shot me a 'be calm' look. I calmly asked the cops for directions which they gladly gave no doubt Len's broad smile putting them at ease.

The cops drove on, and the music resumed with 'America.' My car was full of white people who all started singing at the top of their lungs.

I like the island Manhattan.
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!

I stopped at a red light glanced to my right, and my heart stopped.

Right next to us was a car full of gangbangers.

LATINO gangbangers.

I like to be in America!
OK by me in America!

All at once I turned off the music, and everyone stopped singing. I'm praying these guys were not fans of musical theater. Len rolled down his window smiled and said. "Know it?" The banger behind the wheel nodded slightly then said; "Everything free in America."

There was a beat of utter disbelief before both vehicles broke into laughter. I threw up some look like gang signs and shouted "WEST SIDEEEEEEEEE!" Without missing a beat Len added; "Story."

Get it?

Yeah, that happened.

When I was around Len beautiful things like that happened all the time. His presence made me time travel to my younger self. I became the kid who couldn't wait to buy new comics every month couldn't wait to see what happened to Spiderman when he grew six arms. No way I could stay calm after Oliver Queen walked in on Speedy with a needle in his arm.

How could anyone be patient after seeing the ad for Swamp Thing #7?

I felt I was in the fourth grade back to PS 105 when around Len.

That was always a good thing even if I'm too stubborn to see at times. The odds of a fourth grader no longer hating but becoming friends with a reformed bully are the stuff of After School Specials. That's what happened after I almost killed Ronnie Williams. I hit him in the back of the head with a chair when he took my Fantastic Four #73.

I forgave Ronnie but kids forgive like they eat candy, they could care less how sick it makes them.

The odds of A now successful middle-aged Black man from the hood with the chips stacked against him (on his shoulder) disregarding a history of conflict with the former (gone to his) head of a major comic book company?

Low.

The odds of A middle-aged successful Black man with a chip on his shoulder from the hood crying like a little girl after reading the former's gone to his head accounts of Len?

Trump becoming President of Mexico in a landslide win was a better bet.

Finishing each installment of Paul Levitz's 'week of Len' on Facebook stabbed me with a razor blade of sadness. The narrative was written wonderfully, and for the briefest of moments, Len was alive. I almost made an "I never knew that…" call to him. After my mom passed, I dialed her number and began to leave a message on her answering service on three separate occasions.

To me in every way but blood Len was family and each tick of the clock believing he was still here was a gift. What Paul's Facebook post gave me the comments took away by bringing me back to this damn reality.

He meant so much more to the world than what the press focused on. Yes, he was a fabulous writer, but he was an even better man. Len was the kind of person who cared about things that need to be cared about.

Sounds simple, but try naming five people you can truly say that about. Len didn't need a hurricane to do the right thing.

This inadequately written offering has taken me weeks to write as I'm hurt and not seeing things clearly. I've been here many times. The Seven Stages of Grief are more like a 'quick start' guide to me these days.

I've lost many in the last few years just look at the tributes I've written then add eight.

Len's death is different; it's harder because Len while fighting his battle looked out for me while I was fighting mine. I tried to look out for him; I failed repeatedly.

When at rock bottom battling depression Len and his wife Christine insisted, I come to dinner with them one night. That was a night left alone I fear my inner demons may have won out.

The restaurant was six minutes away it took a herculean effort and almost two hours to get there. They waited, called, waited, called, and may have saved my life.

Whenever Len was in the hospital, I'd attempt to see him. The closest I've gotten was sitting in the hospital parking lot willing myself to move. I don't see people in the hospital it's something I just can't-do.

I spoke to Len about that he understood.

A week before Len died he called and asked me to come by his home. I called Christine to see when would be a good time.

I didn't go.

I had every intention of going set a date took out the third row of seats in my SUV to fit Len's wheelchair so that I could take him to lunch and then I moved our meeting date.

Len died the day before the new date.

Something in me died the moment I heard.

Len set the standard of integrity kindness fair play and honesty. He loved his fans like friends, loved his friends like family and loved his family above all. Knowing he would have understood not seeing him before he died gives me little relief.

I'll try to be a good friend to Christine and Michael their support kept me from completely losing it when It should have been the other way around.

I loved that man; we, all of comics loved that man if you knew him or not you loved Len Wein.

I fear this is a pain I may never get over and fear my time traveling days are over.

So be it.

The time I spent with Len is well worth me staying put and trying to be a better man.

If you're a regular reader of my work, you will notice there is no profanity in this piece out of my love and respect for Christine Michael and their family who may want to read this account.

Those new to my work who may seek out other articles by me be warned I swear and use hood slang often and I'm about to so again because Len LOVED this line:

Heaven, you smell that? That's Len Wein; he's the shit.

Rest in peace, dear friend, and thank you.

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