Martin Pasko

Martin Joseph "Marty" Pasko (born Jean-Claude Rochefort; August 4, 1954– May 10, 2020) was a Canadian comic book writer and television screenwriter.

Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC Comics over three decades.

He wrote Superman in various media, including television animation, webisodes, and a syndicated newspaper strip for Tribune Media Services, as well as comic books.

As a frequent contributor to Schwartz's letter columns, beginning in 1968, Pasko had been nicknamed "Pesky Pasko," in acknowledgment of the fact that his comments were more often than not acutely critical.

His campaign to become a "lettercol regular," as a way of breaking into comics writing, was inspired and encouraged by his friend and benefactor, writer Mike Friedrich, who advised Pasko that a name that was recognizable from the letter columns would have an advantage in terms of over-the-transom, or "slush pile," contributions, by being more likely to be read before the submissions of writers unknown to the editor.

His first published work, however, was a story titled "Eye Opener," in Vampirella #20 (October 1972), which was erroneously credited to his friend and professional benefactor, Doug Moench.

Pasko's first published comics writing credit was a short story titled "Package Deal " for Warren Publishing's Creepy #51 (March 1973).

Pasko started working for DC Comics and began his long association with Superman in 1973, as a result of his association with long-time editor Julius Schwartz.

Pasko's first Superman-related story was a "Private Life of Clark Kent" backup feature in Superman #277 (July 1974).

Pasko wrote a number of issues of Justice League of America between 1974 and 1977; he was the regular writer of Metal Men in 1976–1977, and wrote all seven published issues of Kobra in 1976–1977, a feature he redeveloped and re-created, loosely based on a significantly-different concept originated by Jack Kirby.

The story intended to be Kobra issue #8 appeared as the Batman story in DC Special Series #1.

He also co-created the 1975 revamp of Doctor Fate.

Pasko claimed to have been born as Jean-Claude Rochefort in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

As a teenager, he was a regular contributor to comic book letter columns and co-published a fanzine, Fantazine, with Alan Brennert, who is now a novelist.

After attending Northwestern University and New York University, Pasko settled in New York.

A solo Doctor Fate story in 1st Issue Special #9 (December 1975), written by Pasko and drawn by Walt Simonson, led to an important development in the life of the character.

With this story, Pasko added the concept that the spirit of Nabu resided in Doctor Fate's helmet and took control of Fate's alter-ego Kent Nelson whenever the helmet was donned.

Other titles Pasko wrote for DC included Wonder Woman from 1975–1977, featuring a major story arc documenting the heroine's attempt to gain readmission to the Justice League of America.

Wonder Woman had quit the organization after renouncing her powers.

In addition, Pasko wrote a number of issues of Adventure Comics between 1976 and 1980.

In addition to writing backup stories and occasional other features in Action Comics during this period, such as The Atom, Pasko was the featured Superman writer from 1977–1979.

DC Comics Presents, a team-up title starring Superman, was launched in 1978 by Pasko and artist José Luis García-López.

Pasko and Curt Swan created the Atomic Skull in Superman #323 (May 1978) and the Master Jailer in Superman #331 (January 1979).

In addition, during 1978 and 1979, Pasko scripted the syndicated newspaper comic strip The World's Greatest Superheroes which initially starred Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, and The Flash, but gradually changed its focus to primarily feature Superman.

From 1979–1982, Pasko contributed stories to the Superman Family anthology title, including runs as the regular writer of the Jimmy Olsen and Supergirl features.

He wrote a Daredevil prose story for Marvel Novel Series #9 (The Marvel Superheroes) in 1979 under the pseudonym of "Kyle Christopher".

In his first comics-format work for Marvel Comics, Pasko was the regular scripter of that company's Star Trek comic book in 1980–1981.

In 1981 Roy Thomas incorporated this into his series All-Star Squadron, as an explanation of the changes in Fate's helmet and powers.

He helped Alan Brennert enter the comics industry by having Brennert co-write Star Trek #12 (March 1981) for Marvel.

In 1982, this led to DC featuring Kent and his wife Inza in a series of back-up stories, written by Pasko, in The Flash.

Pasko was also a writer of the Star Trek comic strip from late 1982 through early 1983.

In 1982, Pasko and artist Thomas Yeates revived Swamp Thing, in a new series titled Saga of the Swamp Thing.

Pasko left Swamp Thing with issue #19 (Dec. 1983) and was succeeded by Alan Moore, who took the title and the character in a different direction.

Pasko wrote a number of issues of the First Comics version of Joe Staton's E-Man in 1983–1984.

DC later collected Pasko's stories into a three-issue limited series titled The Immortal Dr. Fate (Jan. 1985 - March 1985).

In 1988, Pasko wrote an issue of the DC Star Trek comic book.

In 1988–1989 Pasko was a regular contributor to Action Comics during its stint as a weekly anthology, where he developed a new version of "The Secret Six".

He also wrote the "Blackhawk" feature therein, based on the Howard Chaykin retcon, and the subsequent monthly title (1989–1990).

In 1994, he wrote the Marvel Comics licensed series Gargoyles, based on a Disney Television Animation series.

He then returned to New York to serve as DC's Group Editor-Mass Market.