--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a publisher who felt comics were…" description: "\"I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little kiddies, so he never wanted me to use words of more than two syllables.\" — Stan Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg" --- # I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little… ![“I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little kiddies, so he never wanted me to use words of more than two syllables.” quote by Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg) > “I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little kiddies, so he never wanted me to use words of more than two syllables.” [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Publishers may limit creative expression, but breaking language rules can broaden appeal. **In simple terms:** Creative limits can be challenged. Key Takeaway Push boundaries despite constraints. Themes creativity language publishing innovation Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - comic writing - advertising copy - educational materials Key Concepts literary freedom graphic storytelling Questions to Reflect On - When is simplicity beneficial? - How can you balance clarity and depth? A Different Perspective Simplifying language may alienate sophisticated audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comics Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics-just-333243/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Little kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-kid/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Publisher Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publisher-felt-5266854/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Syllables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syllables/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-words/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Syllables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-syllables-1833785/) ## Related quotes > [It normally happens that if you put two words together, or two syllables together, one of them will attract more weight, more emphasis, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenton/it-normally-happens-that-if-you-put-two-words-together-or-two/) [James Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenton/) > [This universe can very well be expressed in words and syllables which are not those of one's mother tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-ben-jelloun/this-universe-can-very-well-be-expressed-in-words-and-syllables-which/) [Tahar Ben Jelloun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahar-ben-jelloun/) > [From 1940 to about 1960, I had been writing just regular comics, the way my publishers wanted me too. He didn't want me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/from-1940-to-about-1960-i-had-been-writing-just-regular-comics-the/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [“I'm used to people talking, saying words aloud to prove they know more than me, that they're better than me. But they're just words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/i-m-used-to-people-talking-saying-words-aloud-to-prove-they-know-more/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [Though to the average person that you'll meet on an airplane, if you tell them you draw comics, they'll still have sort of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/though-to-the-average-person-that-you-ll-meet-on-an-airplane-if-you/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [Personally, I wouldn't wait around for someone to tell you you're good enough before you make your own comics. Just make them, always try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-little/personally-i-wouldn-t-wait-around-for-someone-to-tell-you-you-re-good/) [Troy Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-little/) > [Comics are just another medium to express yourself. It's not cinema; it's not literature; it's just something else. It has a specific requirement, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/comics-are-just-another-medium-to-express-yourself-it-s-not-cinema-it/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I don't write anything. It's all done onstage, which is why I always tell younger comics that they just have to go do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iliza-shlesinger/i-don-t-write-anything-it-s-all-done-onstage-which-is-why-i-always/) [Iliza Shlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iliza-shlesinger/) > [The way I process things, they way I express myself, is in comics, just as poets process things that they are trying to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-forney/the-way-i-process-things-they-way-i-express-myself-is-in-comics-just/) [Ellen Forney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-forney/) > [I think you can do anything with comics that you could do in just about any art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-think-you-can-do-anything-with-comics-that-you-could-do-in-just/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I've actually steered away from just calling them 'comics.' I just call them books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/i-ve-actually-steered-away-from-just-calling-them-comics-i-just-call/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I wasn't ever a huge fan of comics. Just not one of those kids, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-wasn-t-ever-a-huge-fan-of-comics-just-not-one-of-those-kids-you-know/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [There are some short stories in R. Crumb comics that are just wonderful and touch me in ways no other comics do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/there-are-some-short-stories-in-r-crumb-comics-that-are-just/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Nowadays I’m really cranky about comics. Because most of them are just really, really poorly written soft-core. And I miss good old storytelling. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/nowadays-i-m-really-cranky-about-comics-because-most-of-them-are-just/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Art uses many different styles, but his voice is very consistent. He's always concise and clever and funny. That's true of somebody like Chris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-mouly/art-uses-many-different-styles-but-his-voice-is-very-consistent-he-s/) [Francoise Mouly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-mouly/) ## More by Stan Lee > [I think the way you become a good storyteller is to read a lot of stories and evaluate them in your own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-think-the-way-you-become-a-good-storyteller-is-to-read-a-lot-of/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [To tell you the truth, I never thought of myself as much of a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-never-thought-of-myself-as-much-of-a-success/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I am so impressed with people who can really make a big movie, a good movie. The amount of work that goes into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-am-so-impressed-with-people-who-can-really-make-a-big-movie-a-good/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [MARVEL IS A CORNUCOPIA OF FANTASY, A WILD IDEA , A SWASHBUCKLING ATTITUDE , AN ESCAPE FROM THE HUMDRUM AND PROSAIC. IT'S A SERENDIPITOUS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/marvel-is-a-cornucopia-of-fantasy-a-wild-idea-a-swashbuckling/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [Your humans slaughter each other because of the color of your skin, or your faith or your plitics -- or for no reason at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/your-humans-slaughter-each-other-because-of-the-color-of-your-skin-or/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [That's what everybody tells me. "I would've had a great comic-book collection, but my mother made me throw them away." But when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/that-s-what-everybody-tells-me-i-would-ve-had-a-great-comic-book/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I have always tried to have a message, not to be a preacher, but a message that shows it's better to be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-have-always-tried-to-have-a-message-not-to-be-a-preacher-but-a/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [ I was in the beginning when \[comic book superheroes\] started, but not anymore. Now I expect it. I've gotten very used to it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-was-in-the-beginning-when-comic-book-superheroes-started-but-not/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I always felt the 'X-Men,' in a subtle way, often touched upon the subject of racism and inequality, and I believe that subject has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-always-felt-the-x-men-in-a-subtle-way-often-touched-upon-the/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [Every kid loves fairy tales, stories of witches and giants and magicians. Then, when you get a little older you can't read fairy tales…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/every-kid-loves-fairy-tales-stories-of-witches-and-giants-and/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [Wherever we find news, excitement, mystery and adventure, there, too, we find the newspaper reporter. Always on the alert for something new, ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/wherever-we-find-news-excitement-mystery-and-adventure-there-too-we/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I hated teenagers in comics because they were always sidekicks. And I always felt if I were a superhero, there's no way I'd pal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-hated-teenagers-in-comics-because-they-were-always-sidekicks-and-i/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [The experience of reading a printed comic book will never change, but now, thanks to the digital age, there are many different ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/the-experience-of-reading-a-printed-comic-book-will-never-change-but/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I'm just somebody who tries to write things that entertain people. And if I can do it in a way that makes them prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-m-just-somebody-who-tries-to-write-things-that-entertain-people-and/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) [Explore all 224 Stan Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) ## 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": "I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little kiddies, so he never wanted me to use words of more than two syllables.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stan Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-just-for-little-kiddies-so-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-just-for-little-kiddies-so-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab4/stan-lee-1586_felt_i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-j_1459225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had a publisher who felt comics were just for little kiddies, so he never wanted me to use words of more…” — Stan Lee", "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": "Stan Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had a publisher who felt...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-just-for-little-kiddies-so-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-had-a-publisher-who-felt-comics-were-just-for-little-kiddies-so-he/#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 } } ] } ```