Mark Waid is a renowned comic book writer whose work continues to shape a bevy of superheroes, including The Flash, Superman, Captain America, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil. His Daredevil run was the basis for the Disney+ show, and his influence on Superman is so significant that he has a street named after him in this year’s film about the Man of Steel. In addition to his work for Marvel and DC, he also wrote the creator-owned comics, Irredeemable and Incorruptible, which Netflix may adapt into a feature film.
How did you catch the magic bug? The weekend my parents announced their divorce when I was 9, they softened me up with an unexpected gift. If I’d been older, I would have been suspicious, but I wasn’t, so I dove into my Mattel Magic Show kit with gusto and never looked back. I was always a ferociously curious kid, which is what prompted the choice of gift, and yes, I still have it.
Favorite trick you like to watch? Anything by Dani DaOrtiz is stunning. The ease with which he pulls off the most audacious moves right before your eyes never fails to impress me.