Marvel Comics writer Gerry Conway has died at 73. The writer was known for co-creating the Punisher, developing Carol Danvers into Ms. Marvel, and writing the death of Gwen Stacy.

Gerry Conway

“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. His writing has inspired all of us at Marvel, and will continue to inspire generations of writers, readers and fans to come,” said Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise.

“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,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “His writing has been hugely impactful across our comics, but it has also inspired so much of what we’ve done on screen, 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.”

“From Spider-Man to the Avengers, Iron Man to Captain Marvel, Gerry Conway has deftly written almost every character in the Marvel Universe,” said Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “He thrilled us with new characters like the Punisher and broke our hearts in emotional tales like ‘The Night Gwen Stacy Died,’ a story that affects Spider-Man to this day. Gerry Conway’s legacy has made an undeniable and indelible impact on the Super Hero stories we know and love. He will be dearly missed.”

Born September 10, 1952, Conway published his first comics at age 16. By 1971, he was writing for Marvel’s Daredevil, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk. He brought horror to the forefront with Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, and Dracula. At age 19, he replaced Stan Lee as the writer of The Amazing Spider-Man.

In 1973, Conway wrote the famous story arc “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” killing off Peter Parker’s girlfriend and the Green Goblin. Conway introduced anti-hero the Punisher in 1974’s The Amazing Spider-Man #129.

In 1977, he re-introduced the existing character Carol Danvers, giving her the powers that made her one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel canon. She became the first Ms. Marvel and would later take over the Captain Marvel moniker.

He also created Marvel villain the Jackal and wrote issues of Fantastic Four, Thor, Avengers, and Defenders. He was briefly Marvel editor-in-chief in March 1976 but stepped down to focus on writing.

Conway also wrote for DC in the late ’70s, co-creating Firestorm, Power Girl, Jason Todd, and Killer Croc. He wrote the Justice League of America for eight years. In 1976, he wrote the crossover event Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century.

Gerry Conway is survived by his wife, Laura Conway.

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