Zeb Wells Explained

Birth Place:	Littleton, CO
Nationality:	American
Write:	y
Notable Works:	SuperMansion, Robot Chicken, New Mutants Vol. 3, Venom: Dark Origin
Spouse:	^[1]

Zeb Wells is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, director, and voice actor. He is known for his work at Marvel Comics, as well as being a writer, director, and voice actor on the Adult Swim animated series Robot Chicken. He is also the co-creator and executive producer of SuperMansion, as well as the voice of Robobot.

Early life

Wells grew up in Littleton, Colorado, and attended Columbine High School.

Career

Wells is an Emmy and Annie Award-winning writer^[2] and actor for the TV show Robot Chicken, including the Emmy-nominated . He later directed the sixth and seventh seasons of Robot Chicken.

Wells has written numerous titles like Heroes for Hire and and various Spider-Man titles^[3] and in 2006 signed an exclusive contract with Marvel.^[4] He then wrote Venom: Dark Origin telling the origin of Eddie Brock and the Symbiote,^[5] as well as the Dark Reign: Elektra tie-in series.^[6]

He wrote twenty of the first twenty-one issues of the third volume of New Mutants, a series he launched with artist Diogenes Neves, including the crossover with Necrosha.^[7] Being published in parallel with that series was Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Anti-Venom – New Ways To Live.^[8]

Wells launched the series Avenging Spider-Man with artist Joe Madureira in November 2011.^[9] He later wrote two Carnage miniseries with artist Clayton Crain: Carnage: Family Feud and Carnage: U.S.A.

In 2015 Wells co-created the stop-motion animated comedy television series SuperMansion and directed the first season.

In 2021, Wells was announced as one of the writers for the Amazing Spider-Man: Beyond storyline.^[10] In 2022, Wells took over as lead writer for The Amazing Spider-Man along with artist John Romita Jr. starting in April 2022.^[11] The book was relaunch with a new #1 after the Beyond storyline, making it the sixth new #1 for the title. In 2023, Wells claimed Marvel Editorial warned him not to attend any comic conventions after the release of #26 due to a surprised plot twist in the issue (later revealed to be the death of Ms. Marvel).^[12] Wells' run has come under scrutiny, particularly for another dissolution of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson's relationship, Mary Jane's new love interest Paul Rabin and the handling of Ms. Marvel's death, which has been criticized as fridging.^[13] CBR's Andrew Cutler claimed the series "needs a course correction" and that "the creative team must make changes to improve the overall quality of the storytelling".^[14]

Personal life

Wells was married to Saturday Night Live cast member Heidi Gardner from 2010 to 2023.^{[15] [16]}

Bibliography

Marvel Comics

• Spider-Man

• • Spider-Man's Tangled Web

• • • Volume 3 (tpb, 160 pages, 2002,) includes:
      • "I was a Teenage Frog-Man" (with Duncan Fegredo, in #12, 2002)
    • Volume 4 (tpb, 176 pages, 2003,) includes:
      • "Behind the Mustache" (with Dean Haspiel, in #20, 2003)

• • • Spider-Man's Tangled Web Volume 4 (tpb, 176 pages, 2003,) includes:
      • "Fifteen Minutes of Shame" (with Jim Mahfood, in #42–43, 2002)
    • Senseless Violence (tpb, 160 pages, 2003,) collects:
      • "Just Another Manic Monday" (with Francisco Herrera, in #51–52, 2003)
      • "Rules of the Game" (with Michael O'Hare and Khary Randolph, in #53–55, 2003)
      • "Reborn" (with Sam Kieth, in #56–57, 2003)
  • Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One #1–5 (with Kaare Andrews, 2004) collected as SM/DO: Year One (tpb, 120 pages, 2005,)
  • Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man #13–16 (with Patrick Scherberger, 2006) collected as MASM: Concrete Jungle (tpb, 96 pages, 2006,)
  • Spider-Man Family #1: "A New Assassin from Beast Road" (with Akira Yamanaka, 2007) collected in SM: Japanese Knights (tpb, 128 pages, 2008,)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man

• • • Brand New Day, Volume 1 (hc, 200 pages, 2008, ; tpb, 2008,) includes:
      • "Harry and the Hollisters" (with Mike Deodato Jr., in #546, 2008)
    • Brand New Day, Volume 2 (hc, 168 pages, 2008, ; tpb, 2008,) includes:
      • "Sometimes It Snows in April" (with Chris Bachalo, in #555–557, 2008)
    • Kraven's First Hunt (hc, 112 pages, 2008, ; tpb, 2009,) includes:
      • "Birthday Boy" (with Patrick Olliffe, in Extra! #1, 2008)
    • Crime and Punisher (hc, 136 pages, 2009, ; tpb, 2009,) includes:
      • "Old Huntin' Buddies" (with Paolo Rivera, in #577, 2009)
    • Election Day (hc, 184 pages, 2009, ; tpb, 2010,) includes:
      • "Spidey Meets the President!" (with Todd Nauck, in #583, 2009)
    • 24/7 (hc, 176 pages, 2009, ; tpb, 2010,) includes:
      • "Birthday Boy" (with Paolo Rivera, in Extra! #2, 2009)
    • Died in Your Arms Tonight (hc, 192 pages, 2009, ; tpb, 2010,) includes:
      • "Fight at the Museum" (with Derec Donovan, in #600, 2009)
    • The Gauntlet, Volume 5: Lizard (hc, 128 pages, 2010, ; tpb, 2011,) collects:
      • "Shed Prelude" (with Xurxo G. Penalta, in Web of Spider-Man #6, 2010)
      • "Shed" (with Chris Bachalo and Emma Rios, in #629–633, 2010)
    • Origin of the Species (hc, 232 pages, 2011, ; tpb, 2011,) includes:
      • "Honor Thy Father..." (with Mike del Mundo, in #647, 2010)
  • Venom: Dark Origin #1–5 (with Angel Medina, 2008–2009) collected as V: Dark Origin (tpb, 120 pages, 2009,)
  • Anti-Venom – New Ways to Live #1–3 (with Paulo Siqueira, 2009–2010) collected as The ASM Presents: AV (tpb, 120 pages, 2010,)
  • Carnage

• • • Carnage #1–5 (with Clayton Crain, 2011) collected as C: Family Feud (hc, 168 pages, 2011, ; tpb, 2012,)
    • Carnage U.S.A. #1–5 (with Clayton Crain, 2012) collected as C U.S.A. (hc, 120 pages, 2012,)
  • Avenging Spider-Man #1–5 (with Joe Madureira, Greg Land, and Leinil Francis Yu, 2012) collected in Spider-Man: My Friends Can Beat Up Your Friends (hc, 120 pages, 2012,)
• New Warriors v3 #1–6 (with Skottie Young, 2005–2006) collected as NW: Reality Check (tpb, 144 pages, 2006,)
• Fantastic Four/Iron Man: Big in Japan #1–4 (with Seth Fisher, 2005–2006) collected as FF/IM: Big in Japan (tpb, 120 pages, 2006,)
• Marvel Romance Redux: Guys & Dolls

"Formula for Love!" (with Gene Colan, 2006) collected in Marvel Romance Redux: Another Kind of Love (tpb, 168 pages, 2007,)

• Doc Samson #4–5: "Living Totem" (with Frank Espinosa, co-feature, 2006)
• (with Stefano Caselli, 2006) collected as Civil War: YA&R (tpb, 112 pages, 2007,)
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #17–20 (with Kano, 2006–2007) collected as MAFF: All 4 One, 4 for All (tpb, 96 pages, 2007,)
• Heroes for Hire (with Al Rio, Clay Mann and others, 2007–2008) collected as:
  • Ahead of the Curve (includes #8–10, tpb, 120 pages, 2007,)
  • World War Hulk (collects #11–15, tpb, 120 pages, 2008,)
• Daredevil: Battlin' Jack Murdock #1–4 (with Carmine Di Giandomenico, 2007) collected as D: Battlin' Jack Murdock (tpb, 104 pages, 2008,)
• Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust?

"Marvel Boy: Master of the Cube" (with Steve Kurth, one-shot, 2008)

• Elektra

• • Dark Reign: Elektra #1–5 (with Clay Mann, 2009) collected as Dark Reign: Elektra (tpb, 120 pages, 2009,)
  • Shadowland: Elektra (with Emma Rios, one-shot, 2010) collected in Shadowland: Street Heroes (hc, 192 pages, 2011, ; tpb, 2011,)
• X-Men

• • New Mutants vol. 3 (with Diogenes Neves, Paul Davidson and Leonard Kirk, 2009–2011) collected as:
    • Return of the Legion (collects #1–5, hc, 144 pages, 2009, ; tpb, 2010,)
    • Necrosha (includes #6–10, hc, 160 pages, 2010, ; tpb, 2010,)
    • Second Coming (includes #12–14 and Second Coming #2, hc, 392 pages, 2010, ; tpb, 2011,)
    • Fall of the New Mutants (collects #15–21, hc, 168 pages, 2011, ; tpb, 2011,)
  • X-Necrosha

"Binary" (with Ibraim Roberson, one-shot, 2009) collected in X-Necrosha (hc, 448 pages, 2010, ; tpb, 2010,)

• • Hellions (with Stephen Segovia, 2020 - 2021)
    • Vol. 1 (collects #1-4, tpb, 128 pages, 2020, ISBN 130292558X)
    • Vol. 2 (collects #7-12, tpb, 160 pages, 2021, ISBN 1302925598)
    • Vol. 3 (collects #13-18, tpb, 176 pages, 2022, ISBN 1302930184)
    • Hellions By Zeb Wells (collects #1-18, hc, 512 pages, 2022, ISBN 1302933728)
• Ant-Man vol. 2 #1-5 (with Dylan Burnett, 2020) collected as Ant-Man: Worldhive (tpb, 2020)

Virgin Comics

• Snake Woman

• • Snake Woman (with Shekhar Kapur, Michael Gaydos, Dean Ruben Hyrapiet and Vivek Shinde, 2006–2007) collected as:
    • A Snake in the Grass (collects #1–5, tpb, 144 pages, 2007,)
    • The Faithful (collects #6–10, tpb, 144 pages, 2007,)
  • Snake Woman: Tale of the Snake Charmer #1–6 (with Vivek Shinde, 2007) collected as SW: TotSC (tpb, 144 pages, 2008,)
  • Snake Woman: Curse of the 68 #1–4 (with Pradip Ingale, Manu P. K. and M Subramanian, 2008)

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008		Dengar / Imperial Officer / Youngling (voice)
2009–2016	Robot Chicken	Various voices	12 Episodes
2009	Titan Maximum	Marine #3 / Tank Commander / Cadet #6 (voice)	2 Episodes
2010		Dengar (voice)
2012	Robot Chicken DC Comics Special	Sinestro / Swamp Thing (voice)
2014		Sinestro / Swamp Thing / Captain Cold (voice)
2015–2019	SuperMansion	Robobot / Jewbot / Groaner / Newscaster Robobot / Deathbots (voice)	25 Episodes
2015		Green Arrow / Swamp Thing (voice)
2022		Writer	Episode: "The Retreat"
2023	The Marvels	Uncredited Co-writer
2024	Deadpool & Wolverine	Co-writer
	Marvel Zombies	Head writer
Unaired	Star Wars Detours	Dengar (voice)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Advice Ep! SNL’s Heidi Gardner On Getting Through Breakups, How To Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out The Best Career & More. Marie. DiNorcia. January 29, 2024.
2. Web site: Peter . Debruge . Kung Fu Panda Rules At Annie Awards . . January 30, 2009 . April 9, 2010 .
3. Web site: Sam . Evans . Zeb Wells: Tangled Web . . October 11, 2002 . March 15, 2008 .
4. Web site: Zeb Wells Exclusive . . March 20, 2006.
5. Web site: Ekstrom . Steve . Behind the Symbiote: Zeb Wells on Venom: Dark Origins . June 20, 2008 . . December 12, 2009 .
6. Web site: Ekstrom . Steve . Zeb Wells on Dark Reign: Elektra . February 18, 2009 . . May 6, 2009 .
7. Web site: Dave . Richards . CCI: Kyle, Yost, Carey, and Wells Talk "Necrosha" . . July 24, 2009 . December 7, 2009 .
8. Web site: Rogers . Vaneta . WEEKLY WEBBING with WELLS: Anti-Venom, Punisher, Lizard . December 8, 2009 . . December 12, 2009 .
9. Web site: Zeb Wells and Joe Mad Talk "Avenging Spider-Man". Comic Book Resources. Manning, Shaun. June 13, 2011.
10. Web site: New Team of Writers Take Spider-Man Beyond Your Wildest Expectations in 'Amazing Spider-Man' #75. Marvel Comics. Marvel. June 24, 2021.
11. Web site: Zeb Wells And John Romita Jr. Launch A New Volume Of Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel Comics. Marvel. January 13, 2022.
12. Web site: Schreur . Brandon . 2023-04-19 . Marvel Writer Zeb Wells Claims Upcoming 'Amazing Spider-Man' Reveal Is So Controversial That Editorial Warned "Not To Do Any Comic Conventions After This Issue Comes Out" . 2023-09-29 . CBR.
13. Web site: Marston . George . May 16, 2023 . The death of Kamala Khan in Amazing Spider-Man #26 may be "shocking" for all the wrong reasons . May 17, 2023 . . en . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517004540/https://www.gamesradar.com/the-big-twist-in-amazing-spider-man-26-may-be-shocking-for-all-the-wrong-reasons/ . live .
14. Web site: Cutler . Andrew . 2023-07-25 . Zeb Wells' Amazing Spider-Man Run Takes One Swing Forward, Two Swings Back . 2023-09-05 . CBR . en.
15. Web site: IN Conversation with Heidi Gardner. Cindy. Hoedel. August 1, 2019.
16. Web site: DiNorcia . Marie . 2024-01-29 . Advice Ep! SNL’s Heidi Gardner On Getting Through Breakups, How To Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out The Best Career & More . 2024-08-18 . Liz Moody . en-US.