Gerry Conway, Comic Book Writer Who Co-created The Punisher And Ms. Marvel, Dies At 73

Gerry Conway, a prolific comic book writer who co-created characters specified arsenic nan Punisher, nan first Ms. Marvel, Jason Todd and Power Girl during his tenures astatine some Marvel and DC, has died. He was 73.

A erstwhile Marvel editor successful chief, Conway penned stories for galore of nan company’s awesome superheroes complete nan people of his career, but he is possibly champion known for his contributions related to Spider-Man. Marvel announced Conway’s decease connected Monday.

“Gerry Conway brought existent stakes to his writing, capable to weave together sensational ace heroics pinch nan quality and relatable, and successful doing truthful created immoderate of nan astir memorable stories and characters of each time,” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said successful a statement. “His penning has been hugely impactful crossed our comics, but it has besides inspired truthful overmuch of what we’ve done connected screen, from ‘Werewolf by Night’ to ‘Daredevil’ to ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Punisher.’ Gerry was a awesome collaborator and friend to truthful galore and will beryllium dearly missed.”

Jim Lee, president and main imaginative serviceman of DC Comics, paid tribute to Conway connected societal media.

“Gerry defined an era of bold, character-driven storytelling during nan Bronze Age of comics, balancing heart, action, and humanity successful a measurement that inspired and captivated generations of readers and creators,” Lee wrote Monday connected Instagram. “While galore cognize his Marvel accomplishments ... Gerry’s contributions to DC were arsenic impactful and significant: shaping Batman, Superman, nan Justice League of America, and co-creating Firestorm, Jason Todd and Power Girl and truthful galore more.”

“Thank you, Gerry, for nan worlds imagined and nan heroes created,” Lee added. “What an unthinkable bequest you time off behind. Rest successful peace.”

Born successful Brooklyn connected Sept. 10, 1952, Conway was a lifelong superhero comic book instrumentality who collapsed into nan manufacture arsenic a teenager. He sewage his commencement penning short stories successful scary and imagination comics anthologies for DC and Marvel. Before long, he was penning afloat superhero stories for Marvel.

He had stints connected titles specified arsenic “Daredevil,” “Iron Man,” “The Fantastic Four,” “Thor,” “Defenders” and “Avengers,” but immoderate of his astir salient activity was connected “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Conway succeeded Stan Lee arsenic nan bid writer successful nan 1970s and his tally included “The Night Gwen Stacy Died.” The seminal storyline saw nan Green Goblin termination Stacy, Peter Parker’s then-girlfriend, aft discovering nan webslinger’s identity.

Conway’s clip connected “The Amazing Spider-Man” included nan preamble of nan vigilante antihero Punisher, besides known arsenic Frank Castle, whom he co-created pinch artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. In summation to penning nan character’s first appearance, Conway provided Castle’s root communicative successful a 1975 rumor of “Marvel Preview.” Other characters nan writer co-created during this clip are nan supervillain Jackal and Parker’s clone Ben Reilly.

Besides his activity connected “Spider-Man,” Conway’s Marvel résumé besides includes transforming Carol Danvers, an Air Force serviceman whose little comic book history included being saved by Captain Marvel, into a cosmically powered superhero starring her ain bid arsenic nan first Ms. Marvel. He besides near his fingerprints successful nan company’s much supernatural side, helping present Marvel’s loop of nan iconic vampire Dracula arsenic good arsenic co-creating nan original lycanthrope known arsenic Werewolf by Night.

Conway besides co-created a number of characters pinch various artists during his clip arsenic a writer for DC Comics, including superheroes specified arsenic Firestorm, Steel and Vixen. He besides helped present nan Batman villain Killer Croc, arsenic good arsenic Jason Todd, nan young man who would win Dick Grayson arsenic Batman’s sidekick Robin.

“I was a lifelong fan,” comic book writer Gail Simone wrote successful her social media tribute to Conway. “[T]he characters he created, nan stories he told, person been specified a portion of my emotion of comics (and this profession I adore) astatine a molecular level. ... [H]e’s 1 of those creators whose activity meant truthful overmuch to maine that I person a difficult clip quantifying it properly.”

Conway, who previously discussed a pancreatic crab test and being cancer-free aft room successful 2023, had reportedly been battling crab again.

He is survived by his wife, Laura Conway.