After a lengthy and public battle with his health, prolific comic creator Peter David has died at 68 years old, per an announcement by Keith DeCandido, David’s long-time friend and fellow science fiction writer, on his Facebook page.
DeCandido wrote, “Just got the news that Peter David finally lost his rather lengthy battle with his failing physical form last night. Over the last three-and-a-half decades, he has been a respected creator, a good friend, a valued colleague, and a generally wonderful person.”
David has struggled with health issues since having suffered a stroke in 2012, including kidney disease, but was able to recover enough to continue writing—although what he earned in this period was never enough to pay his medical bills. On March 11, 2025, after the creator was dropped from his Long-Term Disability plan, a GoFundMe page was set up to help with his medical bills, which had received almost $120,000 in donations at the time of this writing.
Just a few days ago, Kathleen David, the beneficiary of David’s GoFundMe page, updated fans and supporters on his health status, writing, “Due to his inability to cough or clear his throat, he is temporarily on a ventilator. His color is much better and he is moving his limbs which is a good sign. He is under light sedation to keep him from fighting the tube down his throat.”
David is best known for his work on some of the most iconic comic book characters and series in history, such as his legendary 12-year run on the Marvel Comics series Incredible Hulk, which is widely regarded as definitive, where he explored Bruce Banner’s psychology in-depth and introduced multiple Hulk personas (like the gray “Joe Fixit”). At Marvel, he is also synonymous with redefining the X-Factor team of mutants, especially in his 2005–2013 run, in which he transformed the series into a noir detective story emphasizing character development and witty dialogue, as well as with Spider-Man, having worked on titles such as The Spectacular Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and notable story arcs like the “Death of Jean DeWolff.” Most recently, David wrote Symbiote Spider-Man 2099.
David also penned stories for DC Comics, notably his Aquaman and Supergirl runs, and for the Star Trek Universe, notably the “New Frontier” series of Star Trek: The Next Generation novels.
Ultimately, Davis legacy is that he made superheroes more human—and by doing so, made them more heroic. He showed that the best comic stories don’t just involve saving the world, but understanding the people in it. For his contributions to the industry, David was awarded with multiple Eisner Awards, a Wizard Fan Award, and a GLAAD Media Award, among others. In regards to the GLAAD Award, David was also an outspoken supporter (via his blog) of the LGBTQ+ community.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and his four daughters, Ariel, Caroline, Gwen, and Shana. The Beat extends our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
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