Gerry Conway, the one-time Marvel editor-in-chief and groundbreaking comicbook writer who redefined the art and craft of the comicbook, has died. He had been battling cancer. He made what would be his last convention appearance at CCXP in Brazil in December and did a store signing near his home in Thousand Oaks in February. He was 73.
During his time at Marvel, Conway wrote on virtually every major title, ranging from The Amazing Spider-Man — where he took over from Stan Lee — to Fantastic Four, Thor, Avengers and Defenders. His writing was characterized by grounded character depictions and sophisticated storytelling, exploring the consequences of the actions of superheroes, and giving characters like Peter Parker greater emotional depth and nuance.
“Gerry Conway was a gifted writer. He was thoughtful, deeply attuned to the emotional and moral core of storytelling, and a wonderful and articulate advocate for comics and creators,” Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise, said in a statement. “His writing has inspired all of us at Marvel and will continue to inspire generations of writers, readers and fans to come.”
“Gerry Conway brought real stakes to his writing, able to weave together sensational super heroics with the human and relatable, and in doing so created some of the most memorable stories and characters of all time,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said in a statement. “His writing has been hugely impactful across our comics, but it has also inspired so much of what we’ve done onscreen, from Werewolf by Night to Daredevil to Spider-Man and Punisher. Gerry was a wonderful collaborator and friend to so many and will be dearly missed.”
Conway was part of a new generation of talent that flooded the comic book industry in the late 1960s and early ’70s, among the aspiring writers and artists who grew up loving the art form and becoming nerdy fans, unlike the industry’s then-gatekeepers. Alongside contemporaries including Len Wein and Marv Wolfman, he brought a new vitality to stories, infusing an electricity of emotion and realism that resonated with readers in their twenties.
Gerard Francis Conway was born September 10, 1952 in Brooklyn, New York. Like most of us, he was a fan of comic books from a young age. He wrote his first professional comic book story at only 16. In those days you could do that, now neither Marvel nor DC will hire minors. By 1971, Conway was writing full stories for Daredevil, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.
At the age of just 19, Conway replaced Lee as the series writer on the publisher’s flagship title, The Amazing Spider-Man. Over the course of three years, Conway helped create pivotal moments that redefined Spider-Man and the wider Marvel Universe.
For decades, he was one of the shining lights of the comic book world, writing superheroes, horror, and westerns. He also wrote two science fiction novels, Mindship and The Midnight Dancers. Conway won the prestigious Inkpot Award in 2013.
He also wrote TV and movie scripts, as well as novels. He is possibly best remembered, tongue in cheek, as “the man who murdered Gwen Stacy”, having written the story arc The Night Gwen Stacy Died in The Amazing Spider-Man #121–122 (June–July 1973). Many fans regard the death of Gwen Stacy as the end of the Silver Age of the Silver Age for Spider-Man and the beginning of the Bronze Age for our friendly neighborhood webslinger. But as with all literary criticism, that is, of course, a matter of opinion. He wrote this immortal storyline when he was just 20 years old.
By the late ‘70s, Conway alternated between writing for Marvel and rival DC. He briefly served as Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief but ultimately chose to focus on writing, returning to Spider-Man.
His work on Ms. Marvel in the late ’70s launched the series that repositioned Carol Danvers as her own cosmic hero. It established Danvers as one of the most powerful forces in the Marvel Universe and laid the groundwork for her to eventually become Captain Marvel.
Conway has influenced Hollywood for decades. Even separating the Gwen Stacy storyline, which has been playing itself out in movies one way or another since the Sam Raimi originals, Conway’s Punisher has headlined his own movies and shows and is poised to play a big part in this summer’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day as well as next month’s Disney+ special The Punisher: One Last Kill. Jon Berthnal is portraying the character. Brand New Day also features several villains co-created by Conway. His villain Killer Croc, meanwhile, is a key character in Absolute Batman, DC’s biggest monthly comic book seller.
Survivors include his wife, Laura, and two daughters from previous marriages.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows. Her nonfiction book THEY ENDURED will be published by B Cubed Press in 2025 or 2026.
