Gilbert Hernandez Quotes

Powerful Gilbert Hernandez for Daily Growth

About Gilbert Hernandez

Gilbert Hernandez, born on March 5, 1961, in Oxnard, California, is an acclaimed American comic book artist and writer renowned for his unique narrative style and richly imaginative characters. Raised by Mexican immigrants, he grew up in a large family with nine siblings, many of whom also became artists or writers. This dynamic family environment greatly influenced Hernandez's creative spirit and the vivid, interconnected worlds that populate his works. In 1981, alongside his brother Jaime, Gilbert co-founded the groundbreaking comic book series 'Love and Rockets,' which has been published continuously for over four decades. This seminal work showcased Hernandez's distinctive artistic style while delving into complex themes such as love, identity, gender, and politics through captivating storytelling and intricately designed visuals. Gilbert's work is heavily influenced by the rich Mexican folklores, mythology, and popular culture he absorbed growing up in a predominantly Latino community. He also draws inspiration from classic American comics, film noir, and science fiction. These diverse influences have resulted in a distinctive body of work that resonates with readers around the world. Throughout his illustrious career, Gilbert has garnered numerous accolades, including three Eisner Awards, two Harvey Awards, and a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. His works continue to captivate audiences and inspire new generations of creators with their unparalleled storytelling, stunning visuals, and rich cultural tapestry.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life is too short to be a slave to anyone's expectations but your own."

This quote by Gilbert Hernandez suggests that individuals should prioritize their own aspirations and values above external pressures or expectations, as life is too precious to spend it fulfilling the desires of others at the expense of one's personal happiness and growth. It encourages people to live authentically, setting their own goals and defining their success based on self-fulfillment rather than societal or peer expectations.


"Creativity is not about finding the perfect answer; it's about asking the right questions."

This quote emphasizes that the essence of creativity lies not in arriving at a definitive solution, but rather in posing the right thought-provoking questions that challenge conventional thinking and inspire novel ideas. It encourages us to think outside the box, question established norms, and explore new possibilities, thereby fostering innovation and growth.


"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

This quote emphasizes the power of personal action and decision-making in shaping one's future. Rather than passively waiting for the future to unfold, we should actively work towards creating the outcomes we desire through our actions, choices, and initiatives. It encourages a proactive mindset that empowers individuals to take control of their lives and mold their futures according to their goals and aspirations. Essentially, it's saying that by putting effort into making things happen, we can have a meaningful impact on the future instead of simply being its victims.


"Inspiration is like a butterfly; if you chase it, it will elude you, but if you sit quietly and wait for it, it will come."

This quote suggests that inspiration, much like a butterfly, cannot be forced or pursued directly; instead, it should be patiently waited for to arrive naturally. The implication is that creative works, ideas, or moments of clarity are not solely the result of deliberate effort but also require an open and receptive state of mind. This idea encourages one to cultivate a calm, still environment conducive to attracting inspiration rather than chasing after it in a frantic or anxious manner.


"Everyone has a creative side, and in my opinion, life without creativity is like a sunless garden where nothing grows."

This quote emphasizes that creativity is an inherent part of every individual, much like how growth is essential to a garden. A life devoid of creativity is likened to a barren garden, suggesting that nurturing our creative side is as vital as nourishing other aspects of our lives. Without the opportunity to express ourselves creatively, we may feel stagnant and unfulfilled. The quote encourages us to embrace our innate creativity, for it enriches our lives and fosters personal growth just as sunlight does in a garden.


Reviewers and critics can be overly cynical. If something the least bit sentimental comes up, they'll often start flying off the handle. But I'm like, 'Wait a minute, you've had those times in your life. Everybody has.'

- Gilbert Hernandez

Wait, Everybody, Least, Overly

Dennis the Menace was probably the most realistic comic book ever done. No space aliens ever invaded!

- Gilbert Hernandez

Book, Space, Done, Menace

My two biggest influences are Archie comics and Dennis the Menace.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Influences, Biggest, Comics, Menace

I happen to think Latinas, Latin women, are the most beautiful women in the world. So that's what I'm going to draw. I love women from all cultures, of course, but if I was going to deal with any of them, that would be No. 1 for me.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Love, Beautiful, Deal, Women Are

I always felt I was living in two worlds. One was the Mexican world, because nearly everybody I knew, relatives and cousins and kids in the neighbourhood, were Mexican. Then school was a different world. It was ethnically mixed.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Living, Always, Everybody, Neighbourhood

We were very happy when a South African court, which had previously ruled against us, took another look and decided that this material was not obscene and allowed it into the country.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Very, Which, Took, South African

I think I related more literally to the early 'Spider-Man' comics from Steve Ditko because it could be upfront and direct about the problems of being a kid. He captured being a teenager so beautifully.

- Gilbert Hernandez

I Think, Upfront, Comics, Spider-Man

I wanted to do pretty much a purely boy story, yes. The girls are kind of the bad guys in 'Marble Season', although that wasn't my intention. It's also a world without adults.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Boy, Bad, Purely, Season

Whichever character I'm using and wherever I am in my mind dictates what kind of story I'm going to tell.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Mind, Going, Using, Wherever

Our father died when we were very young, so our mother raised six kids. We saw the world filtered through her eyes, being a minority woman raising six kids.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Through, Very, Raising, Minority

It wasn't until I started to do 'Poison River' that the readership started falling. 'Poison River' started out very slowly and simply, but then it got really dense and complicated. I don't know, I think the readers just got fed up or burned out. They started dropping off.

- Gilbert Hernandez

I Think, Very, Fed, Fed Up

I felt like challenging myself and challenging my readers with something darker and heavier. I don't know how to explain it, because I'm not a political person. I have two political stories, and that's it: 'Human Diastrophism' and 'Poison River.'

- Gilbert Hernandez

Political, Explain, Heavier, Readers

I grew up when comics were only sold in food markets and news stands, so the direct market is vital to me. The best way to make it stronger is if everybody buys my comics in multiple copies before they buy any others.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Everybody, Best Way, Buys, Copies

I grew up being really insecure and dumped on, over-feeling certain things in a negative way. So I thought I had something to prove.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Thought, Prove, Had, Insecure

For me, the reason to make the movie is that if people like the comic, then people would like the movie if it was well made. There are good movies for them, but very few. And I mean that in a true sense. If they love your story for freaking 30 years, then they can do a movie about it.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Love, Reason, Very, Good Movies

I know what a good movie is.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Good, Know, Movie, Good Movie

We thought everybody read comics. We didn't know we were weird. We didn't know people that collected comics were strange. It was as normal as listening to rock music on the radio.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Listening, Normal, Everybody, Rock Music

I've sort of dealt with the characters' lives more; particularly the women characters.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Characters, Particularly, Dealt

I've dealt with Hollywood about having my work made into a film or cartoon but nothing came of it. That's not to say I wouldn't like to see something happen.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Happen, Hollywood, Having, Dealt

When you're young you don't know anything, but you have lot of energy to express yourself. So you make a lot of mistakes and you stumble, but you also get a lot of truth from within.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Young, Stumble, Within, Express Yourself

I had always shown childhood as something difficult, something you want to get the hell out of, but now I wanted to do a story that was the opposite, about that moment in time when you're in that world of discovery, doing what you want to do. That fleeting moment when you're in your zone.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Doing, About, Had, Shown

It wasn't until school that we realised that we were abnormal.

- Gilbert Hernandez

School, Abnormal, Were, Realised

We grew out of the superhero comics, but we still liked comics, so we started putting our own experiences in the stories we were doing for our own amusement.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Doing, Still, Stories, Experiences

In the old days, I just could not leave characters alone. Now I just try to keep the ones that still have something in the way of stories to tell.

- Gilbert Hernandez

Old, Still, Stories, Old Days

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