Ann Nocenti(I)
- Writer
Ann Nocenti is a veteran comic book writer and editor from New York City. As a writer, she is primarily remembered as the main writer for "Daredevil" vol. 1 #236-291 (1986-1991), "Catwoman" vol. 3 (2012-2014), and "Katana" (2013-2014). She has written stories for several other characters, including (among others) Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange, Nightmare, Spider-Man, and Venom. As an editor, Nocenti is primarily remembered for serving as an editor for both the "Uncanny X-Men" and the "New Mutants" from 1984 to 1988.
Nocenti has created several recurring characters for Marvel Comics. Her most popular creations include the tyrant and slave-master Mojo (portrayed as a parody of television executives), the young demon Blackheart (a son of the hell-lord Mephisto), the dimension-traveling sorceress Spiral/Rita Wayword, the pyrokinetic assassin Typhoid Mary/Mary Walker (both a love interest and a foe for Daredevil), the rebel leader Longshot (a love interest for Dazzler), the Inhuman prince Ahura Boltagon (a son of the heroes Black Bolt and Medusa), and the cyborg assassin Bushwacker/Carl Burbank (a recurring foe for Daredvil and the Punisher).
Nocenti was interested in comic books as a child, though her parents allowed her access to few series of the time. She liked teenage humor stories by Archie Comics, but thought that "bad girl" Veronica Lodge was a smarter and more enjoyable character than her "good girl" rival Betty Cooper. Nocenti loved reprints of the satirical comic strip "Pogo" (1948-1975) by Walt Kelly. Nocenti also enjoyed reprints of the detective-themed comic strip "Dick Tracy" (1931-) by Chester Gould. She found the strip's "grotesque" and deformed villains to be fascinating, and thought that the strip's heroes were comparatively bland. Nocenti never had access to superhero comics.
Nocenti received her college education at the "State University of New York at New Paltz", a public university which had its own art education program. As a college student, Nocenti found herself interested in the underground comix of Robert Crumb. They were representative of the values of the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Following her graduation from college, Nocenti replied to a Marvel Comics ad for new personnel. She was hired as an assistant editor by the editor Dennis O'Neil (1939-2020).
From 1982 to 1984, Nocenti primarily worked as an assistant editor for various Marvel titles. She variously worked under the supervision of the editors Al Milgrom, Carl Potts, and Louise Jones. She was also interested in writing her own stories. Her debut story was published in a 1982 issue of the anthology title "Bizarre Adventures".
Nocenti's first regular writing assignment was to write the final few issues of a series featuring the superheroine Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew. Since Nocenti was aware that the series was ending due to a decline in its sales, she decided to write a storyline which ended with Jessica's death. She came to regret this decision, as she realized that the readers had a "personal attachment" to the character. Nocenti served as a story consultant to an Avengers storyline which featured the resurrection of Spider-Woman.
Nocenti served as the solo writer of the miniseries "Beauty and the Beast" (1984-1985). It served as a spotlight for the mutant superheroes Dazzler/Alison Blaire and Beast/Hank McCoy. The series depicted them as lovers, and portrayed Dazzler as an outcast, following the end of her acting career. These subplots were not followed by other writers.
Nocenti created Longshot and his original cast of friends and foes in the eponymous miniseries "Longshot" (1985-1986). She used atypical influences for a comic book writer, crediting the works of Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman and Walter Lippmann for inspiring aspects of the series. Nocenti was pursuing her master's degree at the time, and figured that some of the texts available to her would make great material for a comic book story.
In 1986, Nocenti was asked to contribute a story to the series "Daredevil". The series had no regular writer at the time, following the end of long runs by Dennis O'Neil and Frank Miller. Two issues later, Nocenti was assigned as the series' new main writer. She took the series to a new direction, with the character Daredevil/Matt Murdock running a non-profit urban legal center. Nocenti's stories for the series often explored social issues, such as "sexism, racism, and nuclear proliferation". Nocenti continued writing the title until 1991, and she became the series "longest-running regular writer". She was then replaced by Daniel G. Chichester, who tried to conclude several of the series' long-running subplots.
From 1993 to 1994, Nocenti wrote the series "Kid Eternity" for Vertigo Comics. The series featured a revamped version of the Golden Age character Kid Eternity/Christopher "Kit" Freeman, who could summon demons to assist him in conflicts. For Marvel, Nocenti wrote 1990s miniseries for the villains Typhoid Mary (which she had created years earlier) and Nightmare. Nightmare had been a long-established demonic villain, who could manipulate subconscious minds of dreaming beings. Nocenti worked on the first attempt to turn him into a villain protagonist and to provide him with his own supporting cast.
In 1996, Nocenti wrote two issues of "The All-New Exiles" for Malibu Comics. The series focused on a misfit cast of villains and antiheroes who were forced to join forces after finding themselves collectively blamed for a mysterious disaster in New York City. They had to clear their names and discover what had actually caused the disaster. Nocenti's issues focused on a treacherous ally of the team, who was manipulating teammates Amber Hunt and Siena Blaze into fighting each other. The series only lasted for 11 issues, with its storyline resolved in a crossover title. This was Nocenti's last work for Marvel and its imprints during the 1990s.
During the 1990s, Nocenti started a new career as a journalist. She eventually placed her comic book work in hiatus, in order to pursue new career opportunities. She worked as a writer for the political magazine "The Nation" (1865-), while publishing articles in several other publications. In 2004, Nocenti became the new editor of the monthly magazine "High Times" (1974-).
In 2004, Nocenti started regularly writing for DC Comics. She wrote several stories for the Batman-related comic books. She published the graphic novel "Batman/Poison Ivy: Cast Shadows" (2004). The story had the hero Batman/Bruce Wayne and the female villain Poison Ivy/Pamela Lillian Isley teaming up for a case. Nocenti placed emphasis on Ivy's redeeming qualities, and hinted that Ivy's long-term attraction to Batman was based on genuine emotional needs, rather than mere lust.
In 2004, Nocenti wrote a two-part miniseries about Catwoman/Selina Kyle. In 2012, she was assigned as the main writer in a rebooted version of Catwoman's solo series. She continued writing the series until 2014. Nocenti contributed a Catwoman story to the anthology collection "Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular" (2020). The anthology celebrated the completion of 80 years of stories about the popular villain and antihero.
By 2022, Nocenti was 65-years-old. She has never fully retired from comic book writing, but she has mostly contributed stories to anthologies and miniseries in recent years. She has had a fan following due to her interesting takes on several established characters, and her own creation of eccentric characters.
Nocenti has created several recurring characters for Marvel Comics. Her most popular creations include the tyrant and slave-master Mojo (portrayed as a parody of television executives), the young demon Blackheart (a son of the hell-lord Mephisto), the dimension-traveling sorceress Spiral/Rita Wayword, the pyrokinetic assassin Typhoid Mary/Mary Walker (both a love interest and a foe for Daredevil), the rebel leader Longshot (a love interest for Dazzler), the Inhuman prince Ahura Boltagon (a son of the heroes Black Bolt and Medusa), and the cyborg assassin Bushwacker/Carl Burbank (a recurring foe for Daredvil and the Punisher).
Nocenti was interested in comic books as a child, though her parents allowed her access to few series of the time. She liked teenage humor stories by Archie Comics, but thought that "bad girl" Veronica Lodge was a smarter and more enjoyable character than her "good girl" rival Betty Cooper. Nocenti loved reprints of the satirical comic strip "Pogo" (1948-1975) by Walt Kelly. Nocenti also enjoyed reprints of the detective-themed comic strip "Dick Tracy" (1931-) by Chester Gould. She found the strip's "grotesque" and deformed villains to be fascinating, and thought that the strip's heroes were comparatively bland. Nocenti never had access to superhero comics.
Nocenti received her college education at the "State University of New York at New Paltz", a public university which had its own art education program. As a college student, Nocenti found herself interested in the underground comix of Robert Crumb. They were representative of the values of the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Following her graduation from college, Nocenti replied to a Marvel Comics ad for new personnel. She was hired as an assistant editor by the editor Dennis O'Neil (1939-2020).
From 1982 to 1984, Nocenti primarily worked as an assistant editor for various Marvel titles. She variously worked under the supervision of the editors Al Milgrom, Carl Potts, and Louise Jones. She was also interested in writing her own stories. Her debut story was published in a 1982 issue of the anthology title "Bizarre Adventures".
Nocenti's first regular writing assignment was to write the final few issues of a series featuring the superheroine Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew. Since Nocenti was aware that the series was ending due to a decline in its sales, she decided to write a storyline which ended with Jessica's death. She came to regret this decision, as she realized that the readers had a "personal attachment" to the character. Nocenti served as a story consultant to an Avengers storyline which featured the resurrection of Spider-Woman.
Nocenti served as the solo writer of the miniseries "Beauty and the Beast" (1984-1985). It served as a spotlight for the mutant superheroes Dazzler/Alison Blaire and Beast/Hank McCoy. The series depicted them as lovers, and portrayed Dazzler as an outcast, following the end of her acting career. These subplots were not followed by other writers.
Nocenti created Longshot and his original cast of friends and foes in the eponymous miniseries "Longshot" (1985-1986). She used atypical influences for a comic book writer, crediting the works of Marshall McLuhan, Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman and Walter Lippmann for inspiring aspects of the series. Nocenti was pursuing her master's degree at the time, and figured that some of the texts available to her would make great material for a comic book story.
In 1986, Nocenti was asked to contribute a story to the series "Daredevil". The series had no regular writer at the time, following the end of long runs by Dennis O'Neil and Frank Miller. Two issues later, Nocenti was assigned as the series' new main writer. She took the series to a new direction, with the character Daredevil/Matt Murdock running a non-profit urban legal center. Nocenti's stories for the series often explored social issues, such as "sexism, racism, and nuclear proliferation". Nocenti continued writing the title until 1991, and she became the series "longest-running regular writer". She was then replaced by Daniel G. Chichester, who tried to conclude several of the series' long-running subplots.
From 1993 to 1994, Nocenti wrote the series "Kid Eternity" for Vertigo Comics. The series featured a revamped version of the Golden Age character Kid Eternity/Christopher "Kit" Freeman, who could summon demons to assist him in conflicts. For Marvel, Nocenti wrote 1990s miniseries for the villains Typhoid Mary (which she had created years earlier) and Nightmare. Nightmare had been a long-established demonic villain, who could manipulate subconscious minds of dreaming beings. Nocenti worked on the first attempt to turn him into a villain protagonist and to provide him with his own supporting cast.
In 1996, Nocenti wrote two issues of "The All-New Exiles" for Malibu Comics. The series focused on a misfit cast of villains and antiheroes who were forced to join forces after finding themselves collectively blamed for a mysterious disaster in New York City. They had to clear their names and discover what had actually caused the disaster. Nocenti's issues focused on a treacherous ally of the team, who was manipulating teammates Amber Hunt and Siena Blaze into fighting each other. The series only lasted for 11 issues, with its storyline resolved in a crossover title. This was Nocenti's last work for Marvel and its imprints during the 1990s.
During the 1990s, Nocenti started a new career as a journalist. She eventually placed her comic book work in hiatus, in order to pursue new career opportunities. She worked as a writer for the political magazine "The Nation" (1865-), while publishing articles in several other publications. In 2004, Nocenti became the new editor of the monthly magazine "High Times" (1974-).
In 2004, Nocenti started regularly writing for DC Comics. She wrote several stories for the Batman-related comic books. She published the graphic novel "Batman/Poison Ivy: Cast Shadows" (2004). The story had the hero Batman/Bruce Wayne and the female villain Poison Ivy/Pamela Lillian Isley teaming up for a case. Nocenti placed emphasis on Ivy's redeeming qualities, and hinted that Ivy's long-term attraction to Batman was based on genuine emotional needs, rather than mere lust.
In 2004, Nocenti wrote a two-part miniseries about Catwoman/Selina Kyle. In 2012, she was assigned as the main writer in a rebooted version of Catwoman's solo series. She continued writing the series until 2014. Nocenti contributed a Catwoman story to the anthology collection "Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular" (2020). The anthology celebrated the completion of 80 years of stories about the popular villain and antihero.
By 2022, Nocenti was 65-years-old. She has never fully retired from comic book writing, but she has mostly contributed stories to anthologies and miniseries in recent years. She has had a fan following due to her interesting takes on several established characters, and her own creation of eccentric characters.