Tom DeFalco Tom DeFalco ( born June 26 , 1950 ) is an American comic writer and editor , well - known for his association with Marvel Comics and . Biography . Tom DeFalco was born in , , , where his family owned a supermarket . His introduction to comic books came when , aged five , an older cousin read an issue of " " to him . Early career . 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 in summer 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 " " as well as for other titles including " " and " " . He later joined Marvel Comics , with whom he would spend the next twenty years of his career . One of his earliest non - Archie credits was as writer , however , was with the " Distinguished Competition , " on the final ( 8th ) issue of aborted " Swords and Science " title " " ( Oct 1977 ) and a back - up story in " " before moving to Marvel , where he wrote a couple of issues of " " and the final five issues of " " . DeFalco was the chief designer and author for " " , and later became one of the most popular writers for the " " comic book series while at the same time rising through the editorial ranks . While writing " Dazzler " , he penned a couple of issues of " Marvel Team - Up " , before taking over from as editor of that title , as well as assuming editorial duties on " " , " What If . . . ? " and the Spider - Man titles , which he edited throughout the early 1980s . GI Joe and Hasbro . DeFalco worked closely with toy manufacturer Hasbro in the early 1980s , heading the creative team that " produced the backstory and dossiers that served as the basis for the of the phenomenally successful toy line and , " in 1985 . As part of this relaunch , Marvel produced a comic entitled " " in June 1982 . DeFalco personally edited the first six issues ( handing over to Denny O ' Neil in January 1983 ) , as well as assorted issues of G . I . Joe series ' throughout the 1980s . The core - " Real American Hero " - series would run for 155 issues over the next 12 years . DeFalco was also " part of the creative team that introduced the to the American public " in 1984 . Spider - Man and Star Wars . In August 1983 , DeFalco wrote the first four issues of the third series of " " and after shedding his Spider - Man editorial duties he took over from as writer of " " . The two collaberated on April - May ' s # 251 - 2 ( the " Secret Wars " crossover issues ) , before DeFalco took over fully with # 253 , for a two year run , chiefly in collaboration with artist . Concurrent with editing Jim Shooter ' s " " , DeFalco was dealing with Spider - Man ' s " " in the pages of " Amazing " . DeFalco and Frenz were both removed from " Amazing Spider - Man " by then Spider - editor , under the orders of Marvel Editor - in - Chief Jim Shooter . Issue # 285 ( Feb 1987 ) was their final issue , after which Owsley assumed writing duties . While writing " Amazing " , DeFalco continued editing various comics , including several of Marvel Star Wars titles . Editor - in - Chief . After co - writing two issues of " " ( # 301 - 2 ; April - May 1987 ) with Roger Stern ( DeFalco would return to writing the title between 1991 and 1996 ) , DeFalco took over writing duties on " " from with # 383 in September , before succeeding Jim Shooter as Editor - in - Chief effective from comics cover - dated November 1987 . He served from 1987 to 1994 , making him one of the longest serving individuals to hold that post . The only Editors - in - Chief with longer service than him were ( 1941 – 1942 , 1944 – 1972 ) and Shooter ( 1978 – 1987 ) . Actions as Editor - in - Chief . As with several others who held the post , DeFalco became one of the public faces identified with a number of controversial decisions taken by Marvel in the period , and he is sometimes held responsible for them in fan circles . He was a key member of the management team that took Marvel public , and under his leadership , Marvel ' s net profits from publishing rose by over 500 % . Under DeFalco ' s guidance , Marvel entered a phase of expansion that provided an opportunity for an army of " new talent " to enter the comic book industry , and released a number of new titles with original characters . After clashing with the company ' s upper management , DeFalco was fired in 1994 . During the year following his departure , Marvel decided to distribute its own comics and sales on most of Marvel ' s core titles sagged . At the same time , the company ' s finances entered a crisis point amidst accusations that owner had strip - mined the company for his own gain . Initially the position of overall Editor - in - Chief was scrapped in favor of breaking the line into five sub - sections with their own group editors . In late 1995 , the post was restored and filled by . During his tenure as Editor - in - Chief , DeFalco had continued to write as well , with noted runs on " " ( where he created the with artist Ron Frenz ) and the spin - off " " , as well as " " . Return to Spider - Man . His dismissal from the position of Editor - in - Chief coincided with a run on " " ( # 215 - 229 Aug 1994 - Oct 1995 ) , after which he returned to " " in January 1996 for a couple of years ( # 407 - 439 ) . During this time he helped co - write the controversial and much maligned which revealed ( temporarily , at least ) that was a clone of the original that had been active since 1975 . Peter would be replaced by the original Spider - Man under the alias " " . However , following several changes of creators and fan reaction , this was soon reversed . Other . DeFalco is also the author of over a dozen graphic novel s , several hundred comic book stories , several dozen cyber - comics , three novels and six children ' s books , including the best - selling guides to Marvel comics characters . These include : " Spider - Man : The Ultimate Guide " , " Avengers : The Ultimate Guide " , " Fantastic Four : The Ultimate Guide " and " : The Incredible Guide " . For he has compiled three volumes in their " Comic Creators On . . . " series of essays and thoughts on Marvel characters ( Spider - Man , the Fantastic Four and the X - Men , between 2004 and 2006 ) . DeFalco has personally created and developed over three dozen characters that have all been licensed for television , toys , t - shirts , posters , trading cards and other merchandise , and has written " " for . DeFalco also created , who currently has an ongoing monthly series which only sells satisfactory in the " direct market " , but does well in the collected digest format . In August 2008 , DeFalco will once again return to the character of Spider - Man in a new comic strip for " Amazing Spider - Man Family " , Mr . and Mrs . Spider - Man , which will serve as the definitive continuity of the MC2 Spider - Man universe