William Patrick “Will” Murray, the prolific novelist, journalist, pulp fiction historian and co-creator of Marvel Comics’ Squirrel Girl, died suddenly on August 25, 2026, at the age of 73.

He passed away in Quincy, Massachusetts, according to a family obituary published by Keohane Funeral Home.

Murray was born on April 28, 1953, and grew up in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood before moving to North Quincy in 1969. He graduated from North Quincy High School in 1971 and later earned a degree summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

From an early age he was drawn to comic books, especially Marvel heroes such as Spider-Man, and later to the classic pulp magazine characters of the 1930s and 1940s, including Doc Savage and The Shadow.

That dual passion shaped a career that spanned more than five decades. In the 1970s Murray began writing for fanzines and edited titles such as Duende and Skullduggery. He co-authored The Duende History of The Shadow Magazine, a foundational work of Shadow scholarship, and received the Lamont Award in 1979 for his contributions to pulp fiction research while still in his mid-20s.

His deep knowledge of the pulps opened professional doors. After discovering an unused outline by Doc Savage creator Lester Dent, Murray completed the novel Python Isle, published in 1991 under Dent’s house name Kenneth Robeson. He went on to write more than 20 authorized Doc Savage novels drawn from Dent’s outlines and notes, serving for decades as literary agent for the Dent estate.

He also produced authorized continuations of other pulp and adventure characters, including The Spider, Tarzan, King Kong and later Sherlock Holmes and Cthulhu Mythos stories.

Parallel to his pulp work, Murray became a major contributor to the long-running men’s adventure series The Destroyer. After interviewing the series’ creators and producing a companion handbook, he began ghostwriting the books and ultimately produced dozens of novels in the series.

Public Reaction

Fans of the paperback adventures continued to seek out his entries long after he moved on to other projects.

In the comic-book world, Murray is best remembered for co-creating Squirrel Girl, also known as Doreen Green. In 1991 Marvel asked him for a story featuring Iron Man. Going beyond the assignment, he invented a new character inspired by a friend named Doreen who loved animals and by his own playful imagination.

Artist Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man, illustrated the origin story that appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #8 (Winter 1991). At the time Marvel showed little interest in continuing the character. Years later Squirrel Girl returned, developed a dedicated following, and eventually starred in her own acclaimed series, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. She has since appeared across Marvel media, including animated shows and video games.

Murray later said the creation combined elements of Peter Pan, animal-rescue enthusiasm and pure whimsy; seeing the character stand alongside the heroes of his childhood remained one of his proudest achievements.

Beyond fiction, Murray worked as a journalist for Starlog magazine, covering film productions on location around the world. He wrote introductions for numerous Marvel reprint collections, contributed regularly to publications such as Alter Ego and RetroFan, and remained a familiar presence at pulp and comic conventions.

He was a longtime fixture at PulpFest (and its predecessor Pulpcon), appearing as a dealer, panelist and, in 2013, guest of honor. His final public appearance came on August 1, 2026, on a PulpFest panel titled “Working With Licensed Characters.” He also contributed to every issue of the convention’s program book, The Pulpster, from its first edition in 1991 through the 2026 issue.

Murray’s interests extended into metaphysics. He studied Tarot, mediumship and remote viewing and published a book exploring spiritual themes. Friends and colleagues remembered him as endlessly curious—someone who sought out new experiences, unusual foods and far-flung locations whenever opportunity arose.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Power of North Quincy. He was predeceased by his parents, Patrick and Maureen (Teahan) Murray, and his brother Daniel. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to World Central Kitchen.

Murray’s body of work, dozens of novels, short stories, historical studies and one unexpectedly enduring superhero bridges the pulp past and the modern comics landscape. Through careful research and energetic storytelling he kept classic characters alive for new generations while leaving behind at least one creation that found its own devoted audience.

The stories he preserved and the characters he helped invent ensure his name will continue to appear on bookshelves and comic pages for years to come.