Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: Ben Urich, daredevil, frank miller, rip, Roger McKenzie
Roger McKenzie, Daredevil Writer, Dies Aged 75
Roger McKenzie, Daredevil writer and co-creator of Ben Urich and Cinnamon, Dies Aged 75
Roger McKenzie was a comic book writer and publisher best known for his influential run on Marvel’s Daredevil, where he helped introduce a darker, more grounded tone that paved the way for the series‘ later acclaim, and for his work on Captain America. He died peacefully in hospice care on the morning of the 21st of August, 2026, at the age of 75, after months of end-stage heart failure and kidney disease. He is survived by his wife, Tami and chosen family member Catherine. A notice from his family added, “he was certain that he still had some stories to tell in the time he had left, and struggled mightily to write one last script. He loved and valued all of his comic book colleagues, his friends, and the Peepsters who supported his work.”
Born on the 8th of November, 1950, Roger McKenzie entered comics in 1976 with the seven-page short story Ground Round in Warren Publishing’s Vampirella #50. He went on to write extensively for Warren’s black-and-white horror magazines Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella through the early 1980s. He also contributed to DC Comics, creating the Western character Cinnamon with artist Jack Abel in Weird Western Tales and writing for the publisher’s horror anthologies. An early collaboration with a young Frank Miller appeared in Weird War Tales.
In 1978, Roger McKenzie took over Marvel’s Daredevil with issue #151, infusing the series with a darker atmosphere drawn from his horror background. He co-created the chain-smoking Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich with Gene Colan, who would become a lasting supporting character. Beginning with issue #158 in 1979, he was joined by artist Frank Miller; their collaboration through the early 1980s laid important groundwork for the character’s modern interpretation, later collected in volumes highlighting Miller’s early work. McKenzie also wrote Captain America, where he and artist Don Perlin originated the concept of Captain America running for President of the United States, an idea Marvel initially rejected but that Roger Stern and John Byrne later used in Captain America #250, with Stern ensuring McKenzie and Perlin received credit. Additional Marvel credits included Ghost Rider, the Battlestar Galactica adaptation with Ernie Colón, and stories for Marvel Fanfare and other titles. He also briefly scripted the Star Hawks newspaper strip.
In the mid-to-late 1980s, Roger McKenzie worked extensively in independent comics for publishers including Pacific, Comico, Sirius, Eclipse, and others, notably on Sun Runners. From 1986 to 1988 he co-founded and co-published Pied Piper Comics with Mark L. Hamlin, also serving as managing editor. After a long hiatus from the industry, he returned in the mid-2010s as Executive Editor of the Charlton Neo line, writing for The Charlton Arrow and Charlton Wild Frontier, and co-creating the weekly webcomic Spookman with artist Sandy Carruthers.
Marvel Comics issued the statement, “Marvel mourns Roger McKenzie’s passing. A gifted writer, his work on Daredevil helped introduce the darker tone that defined the character for years. He’s had a lasting impact on Marvel’s storytelling, from Daredevil to Cap and beyond. Our condolences to his family and friends.” Roger McKenzie, 8th of November, 1950 to 21st of August, 2026, RIP.
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