Editing Peter David (section)

==Early life==
Peter David was born September 23, 1956, in [[Fort Meade, Maryland]],<ref name=Salisbury>{{cite book|last=Salisbury|first=Mark|title=Writers on Comics Scriptwriting|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|date=1999|location=London, UK|page=[https://archive.org/details/writersoncomicss00mark/page/29 29]|isbn=978-1840230697|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/writersoncomicss00mark/page/29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=John Jackson|url=http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|title=Comics Industry Birthdays|work=[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]|date=June 10, 2005|location=Iola, Wisconsin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356/http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|archive-date=February 18, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> to Gunter and Dalia David (née Rojansky),<ref name="Q&A7">David, Peter. [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2011/01/19/so-what-do-ya-wanna-know/comment-page-2/#comment-279857 "So...what do ya wanna know?"] peterdavid.net. January 19, 2011.</ref><ref name="PAD5.31.17">David, Peter (May 31, 2017). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2017/05/31/r-i-p-dalia-rojansky-david/ "R.I.P. Dalia Rojansky David"]. peterdavid.net.</ref> an [[Israeli Jews|Israeli Jewish]] mother who had worked with DNA mappers [[James Watson]] and [[Francis Crick]], and to whom David credited his sense of humor.<ref name="Q&A7" /><ref name="PAD5.31.17" /><ref>David, Peter (February 24, 2009). [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2009/02/24/sooooelecting-barack-obama-was-an-act-of-cowardice/ "Soooo...Electing Barack Obama was an Act of Cowardice?"] peterdavid.net. (David mentions these facts in a February 24, 2009. 6:31pm post and in a February 25, 2009, 2:32pm post.)</ref><ref name="PoliticalCorrectness">David, Peter (November 19, 2010). [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2010/11/19/policitical-correctness-and-other-topics/ "Political Correctness and other topics"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1066 (April 22, 1994)</ref><ref name="Crystallographica">Magdoff, B.S.; [[Francis Crick|Crick, Francis]] (1955). [http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?a01462 "A new crystal form of ribonuclease"]. ''Acta Crystallographica''. 8, 468–472 [https://doi.org/10.1107/S0365110X55001473 "Mrs. Dalia Rojansky David, who did all the computation"].</ref> Peter David's paternal grandparents, Martin and Hela David, and his father, Gunter, emigrated to the United States in the 1930s after [[antisemitism]] in [[Nazi Germany]] progressed to the point that Martin's [[Berlin]] shoe store became the target of vandalism.<ref name=GayAbandon>David, Peter. "Gay Abandon". ''But I Digress'' Collection. 1994. [[Krause Publications]]. pp. 206–08. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #969 (June 12, 1992)</ref><ref>David, Peter. "A science-fiction con in Germany? Ja!" "But I Digress..."; ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1464; December 7, 2001</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=David |first=Peter |date=February 27, 2004 |title=Paranoid Jews? |url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2004/02/27/paranoid-jews/ |publisher=peterdavid.net}}</ref> He had two siblings,<ref>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/005829.html#366551 |title=Happy Thanksgiving (November 24, 10:49am post) |publisher=peterdavid.net|date=November 22, 2007 |access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref> a brother Wally,<ref>{{Cite web | last = David | first = Peter | url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2009/07/20/forty-years-ago-today/ |title=Forty years ago today...|publisher=peterdavid.net |date=July 20, 2009}}</ref> seven years his junior,<ref name=MoreDigressions>David, Peter (2009). ''More Digressions''. Second Age, Inc. p. 37.</ref> who works as an IT Systems Administrator in the financial sector, and a younger sister named Beth.<ref>David, Peter (July 23, 2012). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2012/07/23/summer-1997-convention-travels/ "Summer 1997 convention travels"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1242 (September 5, 1997)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=David|first=Peter|url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2008/07/09/by-popular-demand/ |title=By popular demand|publisher=peterdavid.net|date=July 9, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2011/08/29/david-family-practical-jokes/comment-page-1/#comment-473398|title=David Family Practical Jokes|publisher=peterdavid.net|date=August 29, 2011}}</ref>

David first became interested in comics when he was about five years old, reading copies of [[Harvey Comics]]' ''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost|Casper]]'' and ''[[Wendy the Good Little Witch|Wendy]]'' in a barbershop. He became interested in [[superhero]]es through the ''[[Adventures of Superman (TV series)|Adventures of Superman]]'' TV series.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Reddington | first = James | url = http://www.comicaddiction.com/features/interviews/int_pdavid_102407.htm | title = Zombie or Head? | publisher = Comicaddiction.com | date = September 11, 2008 | access-date = September 10, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071109004143/http://www.comicaddiction.com/features/interviews/int_pdavid_102407.htm | archive-date = November 9, 2007 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Although David's parents approved of his reading [[Harvey Comics]] and [[Gold Key Comics|comics featuring Disney characters]], they did not approve of superhero books,<ref name=BID9.22.00>David, Peter (May 5, 2014). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2014/05/05/remembering-carl-barks-work-marvel-editorial-changes/ "Remembering Carl Barks’ work & Marvel editorial changes"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1401 (September 22, 2000).</ref> especially those published by [[Marvel Comics]], feeling that characters that looked like monsters, such as the [[Thing (comics)|Thing]] or the [[Hulk]], or who wore bug-eyed costumes, like [[Spider-Man]], did not appear heroic. As a result, David read those comics in secret,<ref name=BID2.5.99>David, Peter (July 15, 2013). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2013/07/15/peter-and-the-king/ "Peter and the King"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from "But I Digress...", ''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'' #316 (February 5, 1999).</ref><ref>David, Peter (January 24, 2014). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2014/01/24/gil-kane-and-previews/ "Gil Kane and Previews"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from "But I Digress...", ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1316 (February 25, 2000).</ref> beginning with his first Marvel book, ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four Annual]]'' #3 (November 1965), which saw the wedding of [[Mister Fantastic]] and the [[Invisible Woman]].<ref>David, Peter (March 14, 2014). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2014/03/14/9635/ "Mighty Marvel Misinformation and More"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1385 (June 2, 2000).</ref> His parents eventually allowed him to start reading superhero titles,<ref name=BID9.22.00/> his favorite of which was ''[[Superman]]''.<ref name=BillMitchel/><ref name=Q&A2>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2003/10/21/whatcha-wanna-know-3/|title= What'Cha Wanna Know? |publisher=Peterdavid.net|date=October 21, 2003}}</ref> He cited [[John Buscema]] as his favorite pre-1970s artist.<ref>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/004131.html |title= What'Cha Wanna Know? |publisher=peterdavid.net|date=November 26, 2003}}</ref> David attended his first comic book convention around the time that [[Jack Kirby]]'s ''[[New Gods]]'' premiered, after asking his father to take him to one of [[Phil Seuling]]'s shows in New York, where David obtained Kirby's autograph, his first encounter with a comics professional.<ref name=BID2.5.99/>

David's earliest interest in writing came through the journalism work of his father, Gunter, who sometimes reviewed movies and took young Peter along (if it was age-appropriate). While Gunter wrote his reviews back at the newspaper's office, David wrote his own, portions of which sometimes found their way into Gunter's published reviews.<ref name=Q&A2/><ref name=Q&A5>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/005313.html |title="Q&A" peterdavid.net; April 14, 2007 |publisher=peterdavid.net |date=April 14, 2007 |access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref> David began to entertain the notion of becoming a professional writer at age twelve, buying a copy of ''The Guide to the Writer's Market'', and subscribing to similar-themed magazines,<ref>{{cite web | last = David | first = Peter | url= http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2010/02/15/on-publishers-and-vanity/|title=On Publishers and Vanity|publisher= peterdavid.net|date=February 15, 2010|format=Originally published in ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #980; August 28, 1992}}</ref> in the hopes of becoming a reporter.<ref name=BillMitchel/>

David lived in [[Bloomfield, New Jersey]],<ref>David, Peter. "But I Digress...". ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1251. November 7, 1997. Page 90</ref> in a small house at 11 Albert Terrace,<ref name=BID2.5.99/> and attended [[Bloomfield Public Schools (New Jersey)|Demarest Elementary School]].<ref>{{cite web|last=David|first=Peter|title=48 Years Ago Today|url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2011/11/22/48-years-ago-today|publisher=peterdavid.net|date=November 22, 2011}}</ref> His family later moved to [[Verona, New Jersey]], where he spent his adolescence.<ref name=GayAbandon/> By the time he entered his teens, he had lost interest in comic books, feeling he had outgrown them.<ref name="X-Factor#234">{{cite comic|writer=David, Peter|artist=[[Leonard Kirk]]|title=[[X-Factor (comics)|X-Factor]]|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]|date=June 2012|page=Letters page}}</ref> David's best friend in junior high and first year in high school, Keith, was gay, and David described how both of them were targets of [[ostracism]] and harassment from [[homophobes]].<ref name=GayAbandon/>

Although his family eventually moved to [[Pennsylvania]],<ref name=GayAbandon/> his experiences in Verona soured him on that town and shaped his liberal sociopolitical positions regarding [[LGBT]] issues. He later made Verona the home location of villain [[Morgan le Fay]] in his novel ''[[Knight Life]]'', and often discussed his [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]] views on LGBT issues in his column and on his blog.<ref>David, Peter. [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2008/09/18/just-to-clarify-regarding-george-and-brad/ "Just to clarify regarding George and Brad"], peterdavid.net, September 18, 2008.</ref><ref name=ShatSling>{{Cite web|last=David|first=Peter|url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2008/10/23/shat-slinging|title=Shat slinging|date=October 23, 2008|publisher=Peterdavid.net|access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref><ref name=AnonymousGoon>David, Peter. [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2008/11/03/anonymous-goons-attempt-to-make-bigotry-pay-in-new-york-politics "Anonymous goons attempt to make bigotry pay in New York politics"], peterdavid.net, November 3, 2008.</ref>

David's interest in comics was rekindled when he saw a copy of ''[[Superman vs. Muhammad Ali]]'' (1978) while passing a newsstand,<ref>David, Peter (September 20, 2017). [https://www.patreon.com/posts/make-mine-marvel-14474687 "Make Mine Marvel"]. [[Patreon]].</ref> and later, ''[[Uncanny X-Men|X-Men]]'' #95 (October 1975), and discovered in that latter book the "All-New, All-Different" team that had first appeared in ''[[Giant-Size X-Men]]'' #1 (May 1975). These two books were the first comics he had purchased in years.<ref name="X-Factor#234"/>

A seminal moment in the course of his aspirations occurred when he met writer [[Stephen King]] at a book signing, and told him that he was an aspiring writer. King signed David's copy of ''[[Danse Macabre (King book)|Danse Macabre]]'' with the inscription, "Good luck with your writing career.", which David in turn inscribed onto books presented to him by fans who told him the same thing.<ref>Interview with [[WCSH6]] News Center, [[Portland, Maine]], January 2007</ref> Other authors that David cited as influences included [[Harlan Ellison]], [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], [[Robert B. Parker]], [[Neil Gaiman]],<ref name=Q&A4>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/004131.html|title=What'cha wanna know?|publisher=peterdavid.net|date=June 20, 2006}}</ref> [[Terry Pratchett]],<ref name=Q&A2/> [[Robert Crais]]<ref name=Q&A5/> and [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]].<ref name=JohnCarter>Suru, Steve. [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=33351 "Exclusive: David & Ross Explore 'John Carter: World of Mars'"]. Comic Book Resources. July 18, 2011</ref> Specific books he mentioned as favorites included ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]'', ''[[Tarzan of the Apes]]'', ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'', ''The Essential Ellison'', ''[[A Confederacy of Dunces]]'',<ref name=Q&A3>{{Cite web|last=David |first=Peter |url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/000817.html |title= "What'Cha Wanna Know?" peterdavid.net; November 26, 2003 |publisher=peterdavid.net |date=November 26, 2003 |access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref> ''Adams Versus Jefferson'', and ''[[Don Quixote]]''.<ref name=Q&A5/> David singled out Ellison in particular as a writer whom he tried to emulate.<ref name=EllisonBID>David, Peter. [http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2010/10/08/friends-of-ellison-part-1/ "Friends of Ellison, Part 1"]. peterdavid.net. October 8, 2010. Reprinted from ''Comics Buyers Guide'' #1052. January 14, 1994</ref>

David attended [[New York University]], where he graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in journalism.<ref name=Q&A2/>