Ralph Macchio (comics)

Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio at the 2007 New York Comic Con
Born	December 28 Queens, New York
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Writer, Editor
Notable works	Daredevil Thor Captain America Spider-Man Ultimate Marvel

Ralph Macchio (born December 28) is an American comic book editor and writer who has held many positions at Marvel Comics, including executive editor. Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Man line of comics, and the Ultimate Marvel line.

Macchio is not related to the actor Ralph Macchio, but is nicknamed "Karate Kid" after that actor's famous role.

As a young man, Macchio was a comics fan and "letterhack," and had many letters printed in Marvel comic books. His background, however, was in English literature, and he considered teaching as a career. In no hurry to get such a job, Macchio happened to meet Killraven writer Don McGregor at a comic book convention.

Knowing Macchio from his many letters, McGregor asked Macchio if he wanted a tour of the Marvel offices. During the tour, Macchio was asked by writer Chris Claremont to interview editor-in-chief Roy Thomas for FOOM (Marvel's self-produced fanzine). During the course of doing the interview, Macchio met many more Marvel employees, and eventually was asked by writer/editor John Warner to join the staff and assist Warner with Marvel's black-and-white magazine line. Macchio, having "nothing else to do after graduate school," agreed.

Macchio's most consistent early credits were as writer of Marvel Two-in-One, which he co-scripted with Mark Gruenwald from 1978 to 1981; and Thor, which he wrote (also with Gruenwald) from 1980 to 1981. Macchio shifted to mostly editing in 1982, though he wrote the scripts for the 1985-1986 The Sword of Solomon Kane miniseries, based on Robert E. Howard's Puritan swordsman; and wrote The Avengers from 1987 to 1988, and part of 1989. He has also written for Marvel Fanfare and X-Men Adventures, and the premiere issue of Transformers, among others.