--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always felt that heroes were…" description: "\"I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. Villains were more exotic and could do more interesting things.\" — Jerry Robinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/jerry-robinson-42591_always_i-always-felt-that-heroes-were-essential_1876559.jpg" --- # I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. Villains… ![“I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. Villains were more exotic and could do more interesting things.” quote by Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/jerry-robinson-42591_always_i-always-felt-that-heroes-were-essential_1876559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/jerry-robinson-42591_always_i-always-felt-that-heroes-were-essential_1876559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/jerry-robinson-42591_always_i-always-felt-that-heroes-were-essential_1876559.jpg) > “I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. Villains were more exotic and could do more interesting things.” [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Heroes often appear ordinary, while villains provide drama and complexity **In simple terms:** Villains seem more interesting than heroes Key Takeaway Embrace complexity in storytelling Themes creative writing character development narrative tension Mood reflective inquisitive Type literary critical When to use this quote - comic book scripts - film plots - novels Key Concepts hero archetype villain archetype story arcs Questions to Reflect On - How does villain depth affect audience engagement? - Can heroes be compelling without contrast? A Different Perspective Simplifying heroes can make stories predictable ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Exotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exotic/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) [Villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villains/) ## Related quotes > [Elektra isn't a villain and isn't a good girl, but as Frank Miller said, she is one of the villains with a weak streak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elodie-yung/elektra-isn-t-a-villain-and-isn-t-a-good-girl-but-as-frank-miller/) [Elodie Yung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elodie-yung/) > [I love the villains who are really hyper-smart. When at the end of the movie you find out what they were about, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/i-love-the-villains-who-are-really-hyper-smart-when-at-the-end-of-the/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A superhero movie is only as great as its villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/a-superhero-movie-is-only-as-great-as-its-villains/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [I think people respond to villains because people in general are more villainous than heroic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-people-respond-to-villains-because-people-in-general-are-more/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I didn't expect to feel pathos for the villains in our show. I feel quite moved in several of our episodes; I never realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-lehman/i-didn-t-expect-to-feel-pathos-for-the-villains-in-our-show-i-feel/) [Kristin Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-lehman/) > [Some people that are heroes to some can be looked at by another group of people as villains. As far as a middle point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bernthal/some-people-that-are-heroes-to-some-can-be-looked-at-by-another-group/) [Jon Bernthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bernthal/) > [Villains are always the best roles, but that meant that for months afterwards, all I got offered were absolute cads and bounders and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pigott-smith/villains-are-always-the-best-roles-but-that-meant-that-for-months/) [Tim Pigott-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pigott-smith/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [If you look at all of the villains in the course of human history, they've all believed, delusionally, in the virtue of their actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/if-you-look-at-all-of-the-villains-in-the-course-of-human-history/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [As a writer I'm more drawn to villains who are just slightly mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/as-a-writer-i-m-more-drawn-to-villains-who-are-just-slightly-mad/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I've played more villains than anything else. And I love playing villains, because I can just be evil and do whatever I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-ve-played-more-villains-than-anything-else-and-i-love-playing/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > ['Forever Evil' is my love letter to DC super villains. It's my chance to take all of the villains I've worked with and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/forever-evil-is-my-love-letter-to-dc-super-villains-it-s-my-chance-to/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [One thing that's happened to me is I've been around a long time and I've played a lot of villains and so forth. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/one-thing-that-s-happened-to-me-is-i-ve-been-around-a-long-time-and-i/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [Villains never know they are villains in a picture so I play this like I'm the nicest guy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-rogers/villains-never-know-they-are-villains-in-a-picture-so-i-play-this/) [Wayne Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-rogers/) > [“Never believe that villains are hurting people by accident. They want to get better at their craft of breaking jaws just as you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/never-believe-that-villains-are-hurting-people-by-accident-they-want/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) ## More by Jerry Robinson > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [You look at Superman, the story of an orphan coming to America, keeping his identity secret and even the names, Kal-El and Jor-El, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/you-look-at-superman-the-story-of-an-orphan-coming-to-america-keeping/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [We were just emerging from the Depression. Superman started in 1938. Batman started in 1939. So, we were just recovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/we-were-just-emerging-from-the-depression-superman-started-in-1938/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [So once I thought of the villain with a sense of humor, I began to think of a name and the name "the Joker"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/so-once-i-thought-of-the-villain-with-a-sense-of-humor-i-began-to/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [So, Im thinking of a name for a villain that has a sense of humor. I thought of The Joker as a name, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/so-im-thinking-of-a-name-for-a-villain-that-has-a-sense-of-humor-i/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [Looking at the Batman pages is like revisiting my youth. My first seven years in New York were the first seven years of Batman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/looking-at-the-batman-pages-is-like-revisiting-my-youth-my-first/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [We really lived, ate, drank and slept Batman - ideas, characters and stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/we-really-lived-ate-drank-and-slept-batman-ideas-characters-and/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [I did 32 years of political cartoons, one every day for six days a week, I wrote and drew every word, every line. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/i-did-32-years-of-political-cartoons-one-every-day-for-six-days-a/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [Even though at 17 it was limited, I had a life before Batman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/even-though-at-17-it-was-limited-i-had-a-life-before-batman/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) [Explore all 10 Jerry Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. 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