Here's an interesting discussion for everyone who loves Wolverine or is just interested in character creation/controversies...(Look up who created Batman or the Joker if you haven't!)

Within the last year I attended MegaCon in Orlando, FL. One of the guests featured this year was none other than the 2nd Editor to Marvel Comics (the first of course being Stan Lee): Roy Thomas! He was editor at Marvel during the time that Wolverine was created. I did not ask him to talk about the adamantium clawed hero nor was I expecting him to. I was presenting Roy with Ghost Rider covers, X-men issues featuring Sauron, Conan etc etc (characters I knew he had a hand in and either created or co/created). I was just trying to be nice, greet him and thank him for his time when he openly engaged me in a conversation about one of the covers (which featured the X-men) Anyways he began talking about "when we came up with Wolverine."

Someone else in line was like "wait..What!?" "You helped create Wolverine?" Roy looked shocked that the man didn't know that "I mean, I was the Editor at Marvel at the time!" he told him and went on to explain that he took Romita and Wein out to lunch together to discuss the character. And it was Romita, who, during the later part of the discussion began sketching out the idea/s for the look on a napkin. The names came down to The Badger or Wolverine. Roy took credit for the name and the idea of Wolverine being short and tempered like a...Wolverine!

This is the best story I have walked away from MegaCon with and I hope someone get's to interview him and put his words in print---he was shocked when I told him he wasn't getting character credit on Marvel Wikia or Wikipedia. He seemed a little upset! He was however the nicest guy, very friendly and sociable.

Currently the credit is shared as follows: John Romita (Art Director at the time) came up with the look, Len Wein wrote the script and Herb Trimpe brought him to life illustrationg the incredible hulk #180, 181, and 182! (Some of the original artwork went up in flames when Len Wein's home burned down in California)!

So does he deserve credit--? Is it a lost cause? Will he get credit?

Does he deserve it? Absolutely!

Will he get it? Well, with the help of people like you telling this story, hopefully he will.

History is RIDDLED with people who do not get credit for their creations... Albert Einstein for example was given a Nobel prize for his work on The pizoelectric effect which he submitted in his 1905 paper... Sadly, the person who did THE MATH (and it was a theoretical physics paper) got no credit whatsoever... His first wife, Mileva Maric... But like I said, history is riddled with this kind of story.

Most people think of the writer or artist as a 'creator', but this is a classic example of how an editor can have creative input too. 

He was ahead of his time too.  When he created Banshee, he designed a female character but it was Stan who insisted that she should be a he.

@xerox_kitty: Cool story about Banshee--that really makes sense too!

@Timandm: Oh my lord, that is a story I am holding onto! Really nice!

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

@PowerHerc said:

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

The character of Wolverine inspired by the Character of Timber Wolf? Surely not!

.............................................................................................................................. Timber Wolf ...........................................................Wolverine

First off, they don't even look anything like each other!!! (Wolverine used to wear YELLOW spandex, so...)

And yes, it's true that their powers might have some SMALL similiarities... But what super hero DOESN'T have Rapid-healing, enhanced senses, agility, animal-instincts, and claws?

I can't help but think you're just reaching here. You might as well claim that 'The Sentry' is just Marvel's version of Super-Man, or that Cyborg is basically DC's version of Iron-man. They're like night and day!

LOL!!!!

@Timandm said:

@PowerHerc said:

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

The character of Wolverine inspired by the Character of Timber Wolf? Surely not!

.............................................................................................................................. Timber Wolf ...........................................................Wolverine

First off, they don't even look anything like each other!!! (Wolverine used to wear YELLOW spandex, so...)

And yes, it's true that their powers might have some SMALL similiarities... But what super hero DOESN'T have Rapid-healing, enhanced senses, agility, animal-instincts, and claws?

I can't help but think you're just reaching here. You might as well claim that 'The Sentry' is just Marvel's version of Super-Man, or that Cyborg is basically DC's version of Iron-man. They're like night and day!

LOL!!!!

You're right!

What was I thinking?!? LOL!

@PowerHerc said:

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

Weird.....I was watching one of my DVRd Wolverine And The X-Men DVDs this morning and thought it was interesting that Wolverine had "smell vision" like Timber Wolf does [in the Legion Of Superheroes animated series] Funny enough, Wolverine is my favorite X-Men and Timber Wolf (just in the animated series) is my favorite Legionaire.

@SupermanJohnathanKentJr said:

@PowerHerc said:

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

Weird.....I was watching one of my DVRd Wolverine And The X-Men DVDs this morning and thought it was interesting that Wolverine had "smell vision" like Timber Wolf does [in the Legion Of Superheroes animated series] Funny enough, Wolverine is my favorite X-Men and Timber Wolf (just in the animated series) is my favorite Legionaire.

It's not surprising that you like them both. They're both great characters.

I guess you know what you type of superheroes you like.

@PowerHerc said:

@SupermanJohnathanKentJr said:

@PowerHerc said:

I find it entirely plausible that Roy Thomas had a hand in the creation and naming of Wolverine.

What I wonder is if any of Wolverine's creators would admit to being influenced/inspired by Timber Wolf of the Legion of Superheroes.

Weird.....I was watching one of my DVRd Wolverine And The X-Men DVDs this morning and thought it was interesting that Wolverine had "smell vision" like Timber Wolf does [in the Legion Of Superheroes animated series] Funny enough, Wolverine is my favorite X-Men and Timber Wolf (just in the animated series) is my favorite Legionaire.

It's not surprising that you like them both. They're both great characters.

I guess you know what you type of superheroes you like.

I guess I do. :)

To anyone doubting Roy Thomas as one of the co-creators of Wolverine understand he, Len Wein and John Romita all collect royalty checks on the character and all get paid the same amount. Did anyone see the post credits on LOGAN? More people need to be aware of this.