Punisher and Firestorm Co-Creator Gerry Conway Has Died
It’s been a sad year for comic fans, especially those whose fandom extends to the glory days of the medium’s Bronze Age, and the news is not getting any better. We have the unfortunate duty to report that veteran scribe and creator of a litany of memorable characters, Gerry Conway, has passed.
News of his passing was confirmed by several sources, including major trades, who confirmed Conway succumbed to his long, up-and-down battle against pancreatic cancer. Marvel verified the news as well, but provided no cause. He was 73.
He was initially diagnosed with the deadly disease in 2022. After a complex procedure, he seemed to be fighting back successfully. However, complications from his surgery led to many hospital stays, where he spent weeks in the ICU. Conway was also placed in a medically induced coma.
According to Gail Simone, he sent letters to friends letting them know privately about the progression of his disease and that he was in his final days.
Conway began his career at Marvel in the very early 70s working under Roy Thomas. He contributed short stories to anthology series such as Chamber of Darkness, Tower of Shadows, and Astonishing Tales. Eventually, he got his crack at superheroes with Daredevil and Ka-Zar.
Assignments on Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk followed before Conway succeeded Stan Lee as writer of The Amazing Spider-Man in 1972. He was a young and prolific wunderkind at only 19 years of age when he took charge of his first issue, which was #111.
During his tenure, Conway helped create legendary characters from The Punisher to Man-Thing. And, briefly in 1976, he served as Editor-in-Chief. However, his most infamous contribution to Marvel lore just might be penning “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” a story that forever changed the web-slinger’s trajectory.
When he moved over to DC, he left just as indelible a mark with the creation of even more iconic characters, including Firestorm and Jason Todd, who would suffer a more gruesome fate than Gwen.
Tributes to Conway pouring in on social media, and the interminable popularity of The Punisher, Man-Thing, and other characters who are going strong in the MCU, are proof enough that he left a lasting legacy.
