Legendary comics’ writer Gerry Conway, who created iconic characters for Marvel and DC, including The Punisher and Power Girl, has passed away at the age of 73. Marvel Comics confirmed the news on their official website, saying, “On behalf of his family, we are sad to share that writer and former editor-in-chief Gerry Conway has passed away. Gerry was a tremendous icon in comics who shaped pop culture itself. He was a dear friend, partner, and mentor, and our hearts are with his family and the millions he touched through his work. Marvel extends its sincerest condolences to all who knew and loved him.”
Conway reportedly passed away from complications from cancer. Conway was previously diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2022 and underwent surgery to remove the tumor. In September 2023, he confirmed he was cancer-free. Conway is survived by his wife, Laura, and two daughters from previous marriages.
Marvel Comics current editor-in-chief, C.B. Cebulski, said in a statement.
“From Spider-Man to the Avengers, Iron Man to Captain Marvel, Gerry Conway has deftly written almost every character in the Marvel Universe.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 superhero stories we know and love. He will be dearly missed.”
Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise, said:
“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.
Gerry Conway’s Career and Legacy
Gerry Conway was born on Sept. 10, 1952, in Brooklyn, New York. A fan of comics at a young age, when he was just 13 one of his letters was published in Fantastic Four #50 from 1966, notably the final issue of the iconic “Galactus Trilogy.” Conway later got his first job writing comics at 16, and after two years working for DC Comics, got a job at Marvel Comics, where he would write for comics like Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk, and was one of the co-creators of The Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night. At 19, he would be assigned to work on The Amazing Spider-Man, making some of the most iconic contributions to comics.
Conway is best known for his work at Marvel Comics, penning the iconic storyline “The Night Gwen Stacy Died.” Following that storyline, Conway co-created The Punisher alongside artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 in February 1974, ultimately creating one of Marvel’s most iconic characters. Conway also created the Spider-Clone Ben Reilly, aka The Scarlet Spider, and the villain The Jackal, both of which would be foundational in the 1990s Clone Saga comic. He also co-created the Carol Danvers incarnation of the hero Ms. Marvel, debuting in Ms. Marvel #1 in 1977. He briefly was Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief for a month before handing the job over to Archie Goodwin.
In 1975, Conway returned to DC Comics, notably co-creating the character Power Girl, an alternate version of Supergirl. In the 1980s, he began writing exclusively for DC Comics, co-creating iconic characters like Firestorm, Vixen, Vibe, Killer Croc, and the second Robin, Jason Todd. Conway also did a run on The Justice League of America, DC Comics’ flagship team book. Conway’s experience writing for both DC and Marvel Comics landed him the job of writing the first-ever crossover between the two companies, 1976’s Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special reprint.
Outside of comics, Conway also wrote scripts for a number of high-profile television series, including Batman: The Animated Series, Diagnosis Murder, Matlock, Hercules: The Legendary Journey, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In January 2026, just three months before his passing, Conway was confirmed to be inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. Conway’s last convention appearance was in December 2025 at CCXP in Brazil. He partook in a store signing near his home in Thousand Oaks in February.
Conway leaves behind an incredible legacy, and his death comes weeks before the premiere of The Punisher: One Last Kill, as well as the character’s later appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, uniting the Punisher with Spider-Man in a homage to Conway’s comics. Conway’s work and characters have influenced superhero titles Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Werewolf by Night, Blade Trinity, The CW series like The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, and many more.
Regarding his passing and influential comic run, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige said in an official statement via The Hollywood Reporter:
“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. 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.”
Mark Millar, whose credits include Marvel Comics like Ultimate X-Men, The Ultimates, and Civil War, alongside original titles like Kick-Ass, Kingsman, and Wanted, took to social media to pay respects to Conway. Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld and one of the founders of Image Comics also paid his respects to the legendary comic writer.
Our thoughts go out to Conway’s family and friends in this difficult time.
