Career
Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Manitoba line of comics, and the Ultimate Marvel line. Macchio is not related to the actor Ralph Macchio, but is nicknamed "Karate Kid" after that actor"s famous role. As a young man, Macchio was a comics fan and "letterhack," and had many letters printed in Marvel comic books
His background, however, was in English literature, and he considered teaching as a career.
In no hurry to get such a job, Macchio happened to meet Killraven writer Don McGregor at a comic book convention. Knowing Macchio from his many letters, McGregor asked Macchio if he wanted a tour of the Marvel offices.
During the tour, Macchio was asked by writer Chris Claremont to interview editor-in-chief Roy Thomas for FOOM (Marvel"s self-produced fanzine). During the course of doing the interview, Macchio met many more Marvel employees, and eventually was asked by writer/editor John Warner to join the staff and assist Warner with Marvel"s black-and-white magazine line.
Macchio, having "nothing else to do after graduate school," agreed.
Editing After working as an assistant editor for Warner on Marvel"s black-and-white magazine line, Macchio became Dennis O"Neil"s assistant editors Graduating to full editor in 1981, Macchio"s first major editing job was Master of Kung Fu, which he helmed from 1982 to 1983. His first line of books was The Saga of Crystar (which he co-created with John Romita, Junior and Mark Gruenwald), Dazzler, ROM, United States. 1, and Micronauts.
During this early period, Macchio"s assistant editor was Bob Harras, later to become Marvel editor-in-chief
From 1984 through 1995, Macchio was Daredevil editors He also spent nearly decade-long editing stints on Thor and Captain America, and shorter periods on Avengers and Fantastic Four.
He additionally edited movie adaptations, Star-Lord, and the barbarian book Kull the Conqueror. In 1996, Macchio became editor of the Spider-Manitoba line, which he helmed into the early 2000s.
Starting in 2000, he edited the Marvel Ultimates line.
In 2007, Macchio oversaw the adaptation of Stephen King"s Dark Tower novels into a comic-book series. Macchio retired from Marvel in 2011.
