--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best comics editors have the smallest…" description: "\"The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst ones feel like they have to justify their salaries by making changes just so they can leave t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png" --- # The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst… ![“The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst ones feel like they have to justify their salaries by making changes just so they can leave their fingerprints. Every creative medium has those guys, and they're all loathsome.” quote by Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png) > “The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst ones feel like they have to justify their salaries by making changes just so they can leave their fingerprints. Every creative medium has those guys, and they're all loathsome.” [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editors who prioritize ego over collaboration hinder creative work; humility fosters better storytelling. **In simple terms:** Ego hurts editing; humility helps. Key Takeaway Value humility in editorial roles. Themes collaboration humility creativity leadership Mood critical reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - comic publishing - team meetings - project revisions Key Concepts ego authorial control creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can editors balance confidence with humility? - What structures support collaborative editing? A Different Perspective Ego can be hard to change without feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-book/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Fingerprints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingerprints/) [Making change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-change/) ## Related quotes > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-have-no-fear-of-making-changes-destroying-the-image-etc-because-the/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [“The role of the CEO is to enable people to excel, help them discover their own wisdom, engage themselves entirely in their work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vineet-nayar/the-role-of-the-ceo-is-to-enable-people-to-excel-help-them-discover/) Vineet Nayar > [“forward-looking accountability.”2 Accountability that is backward-looking (often the kind in trials or lawsuits) tries to find a scapegoat, to blame and shame an individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-dekker/forward-looking-accountability-2-accountability-that-is-backward/) [Sidney Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-dekker/) > [When we think about Islamic feminism, it is not just about women's rights. It's about a more progressive and tolerant expression of Islam in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asra-nomani/when-we-think-about-islamic-feminism-it-is-not-just-about-women-s/) [Asra Nomani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asra-nomani/) > [We always make so many excuses for ourselves - 'I'm so busy, I'm so tired, I don't want to do it.' You know? 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-boyce/we-always-make-so-many-excuses-for-ourselves-i-m-so-busy-i-m-so-tired/) [Cameron Boyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-boyce/) > [When I'm painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a get acquainted period that I see what I've been about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/when-i-m-painting-i-m-not-aware-of-what-i-m-doing-it-s-only-after-a/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [“Stop making excuses, start making changes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/stop-making-excuses-start-making-changes/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [We have been making changes continuously. You cannot expect everything to be perfect the minute it is made. Things change; they are dynamic as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-gandhi/we-have-been-making-changes-continuously-you-cannot-expect-everything/) [Rajiv Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-gandhi/) > [As a girl who was raised on the idea that we should give back to our community as much as possible, I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marano/as-a-girl-who-was-raised-on-the-idea-that-we-should-give-back-to-our/) [Laura Marano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marano/) > [“Yogis must have understood and applied the concept of neuroplasticity long ago. “Neuro” refers to the nerve cells of the brain, and “plasticity” refers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-t-lusk/yogis-must-have-understood-and-applied-the-concept-of-neuroplasticity/) [Julie T. Lusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-t-lusk/) > [“5. It is just as important to establish groups of followers who are seeking change as it is to foster leaders who will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-m-olitzky/5-it-is-just-as-important-to-establish-groups-of-followers-who-are/) [Kerry M. Olitzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-m-olitzky/) > [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Making changes isn't about stopping the problem, it's about starting the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/making-changes-isn-t-about-stopping-the-problem-it-s-about-starting/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Hi! I'm not here. I'm making changes in my life. Leave a message. If I dont call back, you're one of the changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hi-i-m-not-here-i-m-making-changes-in-my-life-leave-a-message-if-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mark Waid > [The nice thing about working with BOOM! on 'Irredeemable' and 'Incorruptible,' man, was they let me have my head. No one said boo about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/the-nice-thing-about-working-with-boom-on-irredeemable-and/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Captain America is an interesting character because it makes you ask those questions in yourself as a writer. What do we want as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/captain-america-is-an-interesting-character-because-it-makes-you-ask/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [I'm a big believer that if you buy a comic, you ought to own it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/i-m-a-big-believer-that-if-you-buy-a-comic-you-ought-to-own-it/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Real science is the greatest, most exciting springboard I have available to me as a writer, and I don't feel the least bit constrained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/real-science-is-the-greatest-most-exciting-springboard-i-have/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [To my mind, a mix of veterans and rookies is number one on the list of 'things that make a good Avengers team.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/to-my-mind-a-mix-of-veterans-and-rookies-is-number-one-on-the-list-of/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [I respect people of faith, but I'm not one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/i-respect-people-of-faith-but-i-m-not-one/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [There have been many days when I have had to work up to writing 'Irredeemable' because I just didn't feel like wallowing in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/there-have-been-many-days-when-i-have-had-to-work-up-to-writing/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [I love writing comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/i-love-writing-comedy/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Artists are not helper monkeys; they’re not in it to visualize 'your' story, because it stopped being 'your' story the moment you engaged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/artists-are-not-helper-monkeys-they-re-not-in-it-to-visualize-your/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Serial fiction is a conceit of comic books and soap operas. As one goes, so goes the other in terms of public consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/serial-fiction-is-a-conceit-of-comic-books-and-soap-operas-as-one/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [In a 22-page comic, figuring an average of four to five panels a page and a couple of full-page shots, a writer has maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/in-a-22-page-comic-figuring-an-average-of-four-to-five-panels-a-page/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [You're a superhero. Shut up and enjoy having superpowers. This makes me crazy. This is why the Marvel movies kick DC movies' asses right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/you-re-a-superhero-shut-up-and-enjoy-having-superpowers-this-makes-me/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [I knew I really wanted to work in comics in 1979.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/i-knew-i-really-wanted-to-work-in-comics-in-1979/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [If you go back and look at the first issue of 'Indestructible Hulk,' if you have a sharp eye, you'll catch something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/if-you-go-back-and-look-at-the-first-issue-of-indestructible-hulk-if/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [Teaching is good for me. It forces me to articulate ways of doing things or rules of thumb that I've sort of taken for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/teaching-is-good-for-me-it-forces-me-to-articulate-ways-of-doing/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) [Explore all 124 Mark Waid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) ## More Comic quotes > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [If you look at Marvel Comics, there are very few Marvel characters I would like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis/if-you-look-at-marvel-comics-there-are-very-few-marvel-characters-i/) [Garth Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) > [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) [Browse all 5,841 Comic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst ones feel like they have to justify their salaries by making changes just so they can leave their fingerprints. Every creative medium has those guys, and they're all loathsome.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Waid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smallest-egos-the-worst-ones-feel/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smallest-egos-the-worst-ones-feel/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e6/mark-waid-3704_comic_the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smalles_1934753.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best comics editors have the smallest egos. The worst ones feel like they have to justify their salaries…” — Mark Waid", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mark Waid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best comics editors have the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smallest-egos-the-worst-ones-feel/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/the-best-comics-editors-have-the-smallest-egos-the-worst-ones-feel/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```