Tom DeFalco

Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, and Fantastic Four. While in college, DeFalco "wrote for a few local newspapers, a weekly comic strip and did a few short stories", and after graduation "got in touch with the various comic book companies", which led to him beginning his comics career as an editorial assistant with Archie Comics in mid-1972. During his tenure with Archie Comics, he "initiated and developed the Archie Comics Digest Series, which is still being produced today and remains the company's most profitable publishing series". Learning fast, DeFalco was soon writing for the flagship title Archie as well as for other titles including Scooby-Doo and Josie and the Pussycats. DeFalco briefly wrote for DC Comics in the late 1970s. He scripted several Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane stories for the Superman Family title; the final issue of Starfire (Oct.–Nov. 1977); and a Cain story in House of Mystery #258 (May–June 1978). DeFalco then moved to Marvel, where he would spend the next twenty years of his career. There he wrote two issues of The Avengers and the final five issues of Machine Man plus a Machine Man issue of Marvel Team-Up, before launching Dazzler in March 1981. DeFalco wrote Marvel Two-In-One stories featuring team ups with the Thing from 1981-1982. DeFalco later wrote a Machine Man limited series in 1984, with art by Herb Trimpe and Barry Windsor-Smith. DeFalco was the chief designer and author for Dazzler, and later became one of the writers for the Spider-Man comic book series while at the same time rising through the editorial ranks. While writing Dazzler, he wrote a couple of issues of Marvel Team-Up, before taking over from Dennis O'Neil as editor of that title, as well as assuming editorial duties on Ghost Rider, What If...? and the Spider-Man titles, which he edited throughout the early 1980s.