Editing Peter David (section)

====1980s====
[[File:Peter David and Larry Stroman.jpg|thumb|left|Peter David and [[Larry Stroman]] at a comic book signing for ''[[X-Factor (comics)|X-Factor]]'' in the early 1990s]]
David eventually gave up on a career in writing and came to work in book publishing. His first publishing job was for the [[E.P. Dutton]] imprint Elsevier/Nelson, where he worked mainly as an assistant to the editor-in-chief.<ref>David, Peter. [http://www.peterdavid.net/2012/09/17/where-man-josh/ "Where Man Josh"]. peterdavid.net. September 17, 2012. Originally published in "But I Digress..." ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1260. January 9, 1998</ref> He later worked in sales and distribution for Playboy Paperbacks. He subsequently worked for five years in [[Marvel Comics]]' Sales Department, first as Assistant Direct Sales Manager under [[Carol Kalish]], who hired him, and then succeeding Kalish as Sales Manager.<ref name=CBR3.29.14/><ref name=Q&A2/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Dark-Tower-Gunslinger-Born-Premiere-David-Furth-Lee/9780785121442-item.html?pticket=xrihiqudmjjz11bxeufd3tuw7WdN8BjGsGdwTBCEaadncSJwFKE%3d|title=Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born' Premiere HC|publisher=Indigo|access-date=November 25, 2011}}</ref><ref name=Trades>{{Cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060522234716/http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=1306 | archive-date = May 22, 2006 |url= http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=1306 | last = Carter | first = R.J. Carter | title= Interview: Peter David: An Apropos Conversation|publisher=The Trades|date=August 14, 2002}}</ref> During this time he made some cursory attempts to sell stories, including submission of some [[Moon Knight]] plots to [[Dennis O'Neil]], but his efforts were unfruitful.<ref>David, Peter. "Because Hue Demanded It"; ''But I Digress Collection''; Page 12. Reprinted from the July 27, 1990 ''Comics Buyer's Guide''.</ref>

Three years into David's tenure as Direct Sales Manager, [[Christopher Priest (comic book writer)|Jim Owsley]] became editor of the [[Spider-Man]] titles. Although crossing over from sales into editorial was considered a conflict of interest in the Marvel offices, Owsley, whom David describes as a "maverick", was impressed with how David had not previously hesitated to work with him when Owsley was an assistant editor under [[Larry Hama]]. When Owsley became an editor, he purchased a Spider-Man story from David, which appeared in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' #103 (June 1985).<ref name=BillMitchel/><ref name=CBR3.29.14/> Owsley subsequently purchased David's "[[The Death of Jean DeWolff]]", a violent murder mystery darker in tone than the usually lighter Spider-Man stories that ran in issues #107–110 (October 1985&nbsp;– January 1986) of that title.<ref name=CBR3.29.14/><ref>{{cite book|last = Manning|first = Matthew K. |editor-last=Gilbert |editor-first=Laura |chapter= 1980s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 150|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= Revered as one of the finest Spider-Man stories ever told, this four-part saga, written by Peter David and penciled by Rich Buckler, was a decidedly dark tale for the usually lighthearted web-slinger.}}</ref> Responding to charges of conflict of interest, David made a point of not discussing editorial matters with anyone during his 9-to-5 hours as Direct Sales Manager,<ref name=CBG1321>David, Peter. "But I Digress..." ''Comics Buyer's Guide '' #1321; March 2, 1999</ref> and decided not to exploit his position as Sales Manager by promoting the title. Although David attributed the story's poor sales to this decision, he asserted that such crossing over from Sales to Editorial was now common.<ref name=BIDCollection101/> In the Marvel offices, a rumor circulated that it was actually Owsley who was writing the stories attributed to David.<ref name="priest">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/08/19/no-more-black-panther-comics-but-maybe-a-novel-christopher-priests-bleeding-cool-interview/ |title=No More Black Panther Comics, But Maybe A Novel&nbsp;– Christopher Priest's Bleeding Cool Interview |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=August 19, 2016 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]]|publisher=[[Avatar Press]]}}</ref> Nonetheless, David said he was fired from ''Spectacular Spider-Man'' by Owsley due to editorial pressure by Marvel's editor-in-chief [[Jim Shooter]], and he commented that the resentment stirred by Owsley's purchase of his stories may have permanently damaged Owsley's career.<ref name=BillMitchel/> Months later, [[Bob Harras]] offered David ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'', as it was a struggling title that no one else wanted to write,<ref name=BIDCollection101/><ref name=CBG1321/> which gave David free rein with the character.<ref>David, Peter (July 27, 2012). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2012/07/27/looking-back-on-the-hulk/ "Looking back on The Hulk"]. peterdavid.net. Reprinted from ''The Comics Buyer's Guide'' ##1244 (September 19, 1997)</ref>

During his 12-year run on ''Hulk'', David explored the recurring themes of the Hulk's [[multiple personality disorder]], his periodic changes between the raging, less intelligent Green Hulk and the more streetwise, cerebral [[Grey Hulk]], and of being a journeyman hero, which were inspired by ''The Incredible Hulk'' #312 (October 1985), in which writer [[Bill Mantlo]] (and possibly, according to David, [[Barry Windsor-Smith]]) had first established that Bruce Banner had suffered childhood abuse at the hands of his father [[Brian Banner]]. These aspects of the character were later used in the [[Hulk (film)|2003 feature film adaptation]] by screenwriter [[Michael France]] and director [[Ang Lee]].<ref name=CBR3.29.14/><ref name=Trades/><ref>{{Cite web|last=David|first=Peter|url=http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2010/02/19/bigger-than-life/|title=Bigger Than Life|website=PeterDavid.net|date=September 4, 1992|access-date=February 19, 2010}} Reprinted from ''[[The Comics Buyer's Guide]]'' #981</ref> [[Comic Book Resources]] credits David with making the formerly poor-selling book "a must-read mega-hit".<ref name=BillMitchel/> David collaborated with a number of artists who became fan-favorites on the series, including [[Todd McFarlane]], [[Dale Keown]], and [[Gary Frank (comics)|Gary Frank]].<ref name="CBR3.29.14" /> Among the new characters he created during his run on the series were the [[Riot Squad (comics)|Riot Squad]] and the [[Pantheon (Marvel Comics)|Pantheon]].<ref name="CBR3.29.14" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Manning |first=Matthew K. |title=Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2008 |isbn=978-0756641238 |editor-last=Gilbert |editor-first=Laura |location=London, United Kingdom |page=248 |chapter=1990s |quote=Continuing his legendary ''Hulk'' run, writer Peter David, along with artist Jeff Purves, created the Riot Squad.}}</ref><ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 253: "The Hulk first met Agamemnon, the leader of the Pantheon team, in a story written by Peter David with art by Dale Keown."</ref> David wrote the first appearance of the [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]], a team created by [[Kurt Busiek]] and [[Mark Bagley]], in ''The Incredible Hulk'' #449 (January 1997).<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 282: "Writer Peter David and artist Mike Deodato, Jr. debuted Marvel's newest superteam, the Thunderbolts in issue 449 of ''The Incredible Hulk.''"</ref>

It was after he had been freelancing for a year, and into his run on ''Hulk'', that David felt that his writing career had cemented.<ref name=Q&A2/> After putting out feelers at [[DC Comics]], and being offered the job of writing a four-issue miniseries of [[The Phantom]] by editor [[Mike Gold (comics)|Mike Gold]], David quit his sales position to write full-time.<ref>David, Peter. "But I Digress..." ''Comics Buyer's Guide '' #1325; April 9, 1999. p. 58</ref> David had a brief tenure writing [[Green Lantern]] when the character was exclusive to the short-lived anthology series ''[[Action Comics]] Weekly'' (issues #608–620) in 1988.<ref>{{cite journal|last= Martin|first= Brian|title= Where the ''Action'' is...Weekly|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue= 98|pages= 62–63|publisher= [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date= August 2017|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref>

David took over ''[[Dreadstar]]'' during its [[First Comics]] run, with issue #41 (March 1989) after [[Jim Starlin]] left the title, and remained on it until issue #64 (March 1991), the final issue of that run. David's other Marvel Comics work in the late 1980s and 1990s includes runs on ''[[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]]'', the [[New Universe]] series ''[[Mark Hazzard: Merc]]'' and ''[[Justice (New Universe)|Justice]]'', a run on the original ''[[X-Factor (comics)|X-Factor]]'', and the futuristic series ''[[Spider-Man 2099]]'',<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 260: "Writer Peter David and artist Rick Leonardi's ''Spider-Man 2099'' character was first glimpsed in a sneak preview in the pages of ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #265 in August 1992."</ref> about a man in the year 2099 who takes up the mantle of Spider-Man, the title character of which David co-created. David left ''X-Factor'' after 19 issues, and he wrote the first 44 issues of ''Spider-Man 2099'' before quitting that book to protest the firing of editor [[Joey Cavalieri]]. The book was cancelled two issues later, along with the entire 2099 line.<ref name=BID3.13.98>David, Peter (October 22, 2012). [http://www.peterdavid.net/2012/10/22/more-assorted-things/ "More Assorted Things..."]. peterdavid.net. Originally published in "But I Digress...", ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' # 1269 (March 13, 1998).</ref>