Howard Mackie
Encyclopedia
Howard Mackie is an American
comic book
editor
and writer
. He has worked almost exclusively for Marvel Comics
.
, mostly raised by his mother (Mackie's father died when the boy was just seven years old).
in the mid-1980s. Promoted in early 1987 to Managing Editor of Special Projects, Mackie then oversaw many of Marvel's New Universe
line. He also edited Avengers
and Avengers West Coast while John Byrne worked on those titles. Early in Mackie's career, a running gag in Gruenwald's columns was that Mackie was a mysterious figure whose face no one at Marvel had ever seen.
series for Marvel, revamping the character and introducing a new host, Danny Ketch. Mackie stayed on as Ghost Rider writer until issue #69 in 1996. Throughout Mackie's run of over five years, the Ghost Rider's ultimate origins and nature were never explained. A later writer, Ivan Velez, Jr.
, provided the character with a back-story shortly before the series was cancelled.
Shortly after the title's cancellation, Mackie had Ghost Rider guest star in Peter Parker: Spider-Man
and denounce Velez's origin story as being "lies" or at least incomplete. Since then, the true status of Ghost Rider/Noble Kale
's origin and Dan Ketch's fate has yet to be determined.
Mackie was also the author of the cult classic Ghost Rider
/Wolverine
/Punisher
team-up mini-series, Hearts Of Darkness (1991), and its follow-up one-shot The Dark Design (1994). Both feature Ghost Rider's archenemy Blackheart
as the primary villain. Focusing on those who walk the line between good and evil, Blackheart
tries to corrupt Ghost Rider, Punisher, and Wolverine by promising them their fondest desires in an attempt to persuade the trio to assist Blackheart in destroying Mephisto
. Blackheart ultimately fails in his attempt, and the group eventually follows Blackheart
back into his own realm for a final confrontation.
In 1992, Mackie became a regular writer of Web of Spider-Man
with #85. He would remain on various Spider-Man
titles through the Clone Saga
and beyond, finally leaving nine years later with The Amazing Spider-Man
Vol. 2, #29 in April 2001.
Mackie also worked for the X-Men
line, writing the spin-off
title X-Factor
from #115-149 (1995–1999) as well as its successor Mutant X
title (1999). He also wrote several mini-series
featuring Gambit
, Wolverine
, and Rogue
.
In the Fall of 2009, Mackie teamed with Tom DeFalco
to write a six issue miniseries entitled Spider-Man
: Clone Saga
(later collected in trade paperback as Spider-Man: The Real Clone Saga), telling the story using Mackie's original notes for the 1990s crossover.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He has worked almost exclusively for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
Childhood
Mackie grew up in Cypress Hills, BrooklynCypress Hills, Brooklyn
Cypress Hills is a sub-section of the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City, lying north of City Line and south of Cypress Hills Cemetery, in the far northeastern corner of Brooklyn. It is abutted on the west by Bushwick and on the east, across the Brooklyn–Queens border, by...
, mostly raised by his mother (Mackie's father died when the boy was just seven years old).
Editor
His first comics work was as an assistant editor for Mark GruenwaldMark Gruenwald
Mark E. Gruenwald was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler. Gruenwald got his start in comics fandom, publishing his own fanzine, Omniverse, which explored the concept of continuity...
in the mid-1980s. Promoted in early 1987 to Managing Editor of Special Projects, Mackie then oversaw many of Marvel's New Universe
New Universe
The New Universe is a comic book imprint from Marvel Comics that was published in its original incarnation from 1986 to 1989. It was created by Jim Shooter, Archie Goodwin, Eliot R. Brown, John Morelli, Mark Gruenwald, Tom DeFalco and edited by Michael Higgins.In 1986, in honor of Marvel Comics'...
line. He also edited Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
and Avengers West Coast while John Byrne worked on those titles. Early in Mackie's career, a running gag in Gruenwald's columns was that Mackie was a mysterious figure whose face no one at Marvel had ever seen.
Writer
Mackie first gained attention as a writer in 1990, when he and artist Javier Saltares launched a new Ghost RiderGhost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
series for Marvel, revamping the character and introducing a new host, Danny Ketch. Mackie stayed on as Ghost Rider writer until issue #69 in 1996. Throughout Mackie's run of over five years, the Ghost Rider's ultimate origins and nature were never explained. A later writer, Ivan Velez, Jr.
Ivan Velez, Jr.
Ivan Velez, Jr. is a Xeric Grant-winning American writer of comic books.His work includes Gay Comix for Bob Ross, Blood Syndicate and Static for Milestone Comics, Ghost Rider, Venom and Abominations for Marvel Comics, Extreme Justice for DC Comics, Flinch for Vertigo, Power Puff Girls for DC's...
, provided the character with a back-story shortly before the series was cancelled.
Shortly after the title's cancellation, Mackie had Ghost Rider guest star in Peter Parker: Spider-Man
Peter Parker: Spider-Man
Peter Parker: Spider-Man is the name of two comic book series published by Marvel Comics, both of which feature the character Spider-Man.-Volume One :...
and denounce Velez's origin story as being "lies" or at least incomplete. Since then, the true status of Ghost Rider/Noble Kale
Noble Kale
Noble Kale, the man who would be Ghost Rider, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Background and history:Noble grew up with his abusive father, Pastor Kale, and his younger brother, Dante, in the eighteenth century...
's origin and Dan Ketch's fate has yet to be determined.
Mackie was also the author of the cult classic Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
/Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
/Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
team-up mini-series, Hearts Of Darkness (1991), and its follow-up one-shot The Dark Design (1994). Both feature Ghost Rider's archenemy Blackheart
Blackheart
Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...
as the primary villain. Focusing on those who walk the line between good and evil, Blackheart
Blackheart
Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...
tries to corrupt Ghost Rider, Punisher, and Wolverine by promising them their fondest desires in an attempt to persuade the trio to assist Blackheart in destroying Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
. Blackheart ultimately fails in his attempt, and the group eventually follows Blackheart
Blackheart
Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...
back into his own realm for a final confrontation.
In 1992, Mackie became a regular writer of Web of Spider-Man
Web of Spider-Man
Web of Spider-Man is the name of two different monthly comic book series starring Spider-Man that have been published by Marvel Comics since 1985, the first volume of which ran for 129 issues between 1985 and 1995, and the second of which ran for 12 issues between 2009 and 2010.-Volume 1:The first...
with #85. He would remain on various Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
titles through the Clone Saga
Clone Saga
The Clone Saga or Spider-Clone Saga was a major story arc in Marvel Comics which ran from 1994 to 1996 involving many clones of Spider-Man.The story is considered to be one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories ever told...
and beyond, finally leaving nine years later with The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
Vol. 2, #29 in April 2001.
Mackie also worked for the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
line, writing the spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
title X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
from #115-149 (1995–1999) as well as its successor Mutant X
Mutant X (comics)
Mutant X was a comic book published by Marvel Comics featuring Havok, a mutant and former member of the X-Men, who was transported into a parallel dimension. It was written by Howard Mackie....
title (1999). He also wrote several mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
featuring Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, and Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
.
In the Fall of 2009, Mackie teamed with Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well known for his association with Marvel Comics and in particular for his work with Spider-Man.-Career:...
to write a six issue miniseries entitled Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
: Clone Saga
Clone Saga
The Clone Saga or Spider-Clone Saga was a major story arc in Marvel Comics which ran from 1994 to 1996 involving many clones of Spider-Man.The story is considered to be one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories ever told...
(later collected in trade paperback as Spider-Man: The Real Clone Saga), telling the story using Mackie's original notes for the 1990s crossover.