Remembering Star Trek author and comics legend Peter David (1956-2025)
His stories starred genre heroes from Star Trek, plus Spider-Man, Supergirl, Babylon 5, and more
Sad to learn that writer Peter David has died at 68, following years of fighting health complications. As an author, his Star Trek fiction included the Star Trek: New Frontier books—which starred its own original cast—making him the only Star Trek novelist I know of who actually got to officially write his own brand extension. (He also wrote some great Star Trek novels starring the likes of Kirk and Spock, Riker and Troi, and Picard and Q.)
David’s comic book writing included notable runs with characters like Spider-Man 2099, Aquaman, Hulk, Supergirl, X-Factor, Captain Marvel, and more. (Including comic books where he wrote even more Star Trek stories.)
His science fiction novels, novelizations, and other media writing also included Babylon 5, Transformers, Space Cases, and more.
Science fiction writer Keith DeCandido, shared the sad news on his Facebook page:
“Just got the news that Peter David finally lost his rather lengthy battle with his failing physical form last night… I have a lot to say about him, but right now I'm just sad that I won't get to enjoy his delightfully smart and funny presence ever again. And I'm also thinking of his wife Kathleen O'Shea David, and his daughters Ariel, Shana, Gwen, and Caroline.”
A legendary author whose career spanned like two decades, David wrote original works, plus adaptations and media tie-ins for pretty much every media format. The Wikipedia bio for him says that he would jokingly describe his occupation as “Writer of Stuff.”
With more than 50 novels published (several of which were New York Times bestsellers), his books include Howling Mad (about the wolf that keeps changing into a man), Sir Apropos of Nothing (which Publishers Weekly called a “fast, fun, heroic fantasy satire”), the Arthurian fantasy Knight Life, and the Psi-Man adventure series (about a government agent with psionic powers).
As we mentioned before, David’s several official Star Trek novels include his Star Trek: New Frontier series. But he also wrote Trek novels with TOS and TNG characters like Q-Squared, The Siege, Q-in-Law, Vendetta, I, Q (co-written by David with the Q-actor himself, John deLancie), A Rock and a Hard Place, and Imzadi.
His Babylon 5 stories included some novels, plus scripts for the TV show.
David also had short fiction published in collections, including Shock Rock, Otherwere: Stories of Transformation, plus Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
David’s comic book work includes an award-winning TWELVE-YEAR run on The Incredible Hulk! He also wrote more than once for official Star Trek comics. There were also his stories for Supergirl, Young Justice, Soulsearchers and Company, Aquaman, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, X-Factor, Wolverine, The Phantom, Sachs & Violens, and many others.
His comic book-related prose fiction includes the novel The Incredible Hulk: What Savage Beast. He also co-edited The Ultimate Hulk short story collection. He also wrote a number of novelizations of comic book-related movies, including the books The Return of Swamp Thing, The Rocketeer, Batman Forever, Iron Man, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, plus adapting a couple of Hulk movies and three Spider-Man movies.
Then there was the Cable Ace Award-nominated science fiction series Space Cases. David co-created that with sci-fi icon Bill Mumy (of Lost in Space and Babylon 5). That ran for two seasons on Nickelodeon.
David won several awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1993 UK Comic Art Award, a 1995 OZCon award, Comic Buyers Guide 1995 Fan Awards, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award, and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
More about Peter David
Peter David: Complete Star Trek: New Frontier Series (Monster Complex)
Peter David’s Best Star Trek Novels (StarTrek.com)
Star Trek: New Frontier (Wikipedia entry)
Interview with NY Times Bestselling Author Peter David (Michael A. Ventrella)
Peter David Talks The Returned, Part 1 (StarTrek.com)
Peter David Takes Fans Down Blind Man’s Bluff (Star Trek: New Frontier) (StarTrek.com)
Peter David on The Incredible Hulk—Guest Essay (Entertainment Weekly)
REFLECTIONS: Talking with Peter David (Comic Book Resources)
Anthony Kuchar interviews Peter David for DC in the 80s (DC in the 80s)
2099 25 Interview with Peter David (Doom2099.com)
Interview: Maestro Peter David Talks About Hulk's Imperfect Future (Previews)
The DC vs Marvel interviews, Part 4: writer Peter David (Pop Mythology)
Peter David comics Interview (Jamie Coville)
More about Monster Complex
Sad to learn that writer Peter David has died, following years of health complications His memorable stories starred genre heroes from Star Trek, plus Spider-Man, Supergirl, Babylon 5, and more.