Steven Murray (born December 21, 1975), known by the pen-name Chip Zdarsky (Chip Zdarsky spills Daredevil Secrets – Ask Marvel), is a Canadian comic book artist and writer, journalist, illustrator, and designer. Murray worked for National Post for over a decade, until 2014, as an illustrator and humorist, writing and illustrating the "Extremely Bad Advice" column as well as The Ampersand, the online edition of the newspaper's pop culture section.
He uses the Zdarsky pseudonym for comics-related work, including Prison Funnies, Monster Cops, and as artist and co-creator of Sex Criminals with writer Matt Fraction. He has written comics such as Howard the Duck, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Daredevil, Spider-Man: Life Story, and Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow for Marvel Comics, Batman for DC Comics, and Jughead for Archie Comics.
He has also used the pseudonym Todd Diamond.
Early life Steve Murray was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Barrie, Ontario. He attended Sheridan College for illustration, graduating in 1996.
Career Murray has illustrated for such clients as The Globe and Mail, New York magazine, CBC and Canadian Business.
In 2000, Murray created Chip Zdarsky as a pseudonym and alter ego for his persona as a comic book writer and illustrator, developing his own independent projects, such as Prison Funnies and Monster Cops (which can be read online or in print) as well as collaborating on a variety of projects, including Dark Horse Comics titles Fierce and Rumble Royale. About his alter ego, Murray said "I wanted to have a sad-sack cartoonist persona that lives in his mom's basement, paints figurines for money, has restraining orders against him. And that became a character." He describes the character as "an idiot who doesn't know what I'm doing. I've had no success in my life. No matter what, I'm going to mess things up." Murray initially attempted to keep the identities separate and secret.
From 2008 to 2014, Murray penned and illustrated a weekly advice column for the National Post called "Extremely Bad Advice". He also wrote another column in that paper, Tear Jerk, in which he reviewed films to see if they could actually make him "weep like a baby".
Along with Kagan McLeod, Ben Shannon, and Cameron Stewart, he is a co-founder of the studio The Royal Academy of Illustration and Design, which produced Rumble Royale.
In 2010, he also launched a mock campaign for mayor of Toronto. He was not an officially registered candidate, launching his satirical "campaign" through social networking platforms after the deadline had passed to register as a candidate in the real campaign."Steve Murray Hates Toronto, and Wants to Be Your Mayor". Torontoist, October 1, 2010.
In June 2013, Image Comics announced that Chip Zdarsky had teamed up with Invincible Iron Man and Hawkeye writer, Matt Fraction, on a new creator-owned series titled Sex Criminals. The first issue was released on September 23, 2013. Sex Criminals was declared number 1 on Time magazine's list of "Top 10 Comics and Graphic Novels" of 2013.Wolk, Douglas (December 4, 2013). "Top 10 Comics and Graphic Novels". Time.
In 2014, Murray won a Will Eisner Award for Best New Series for Sex Criminals.
Zdarsky wrote the first series arc of the relaunched Jughead comic for the 2015 New Riverdale relaunch.
On February 15, 2017, it was announced that beginning that June, Zdarsky would be writing a brand new "back-to-basics" Spider-Man series Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man that would run alongside writer Dan Slott's run on The Amazing Spider-Man. Zdarsky later wrote the two Spider-Man miniseries Spider-Man: Life Story and Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow.
In November 2018, it was announced that Zdarsky would serve as the writer on Daredevil, with Marco Checchetto serving as artist. The series began publication in February 2019 and lasted until November 2021 with issue 36. This lead into the event Devil's Reign, also by Zdarsky and Checchetto. A new Daredevil #1 launched in July 2022, with Zdarsky and Checchetto returning from the previous volume. The series explored the fallout of Devil's Reign and the effect it had on both Matt and Elektra, as both were operating as Daredevil. August 2023 marked the end of his Daredevil.
In 2020, DC Comics announced that Zdarsky would be among the creators of a revived Batman: Black and White anthology series which debuted on December 8, 2020.
In 2021, it was announced that Zdarsky had signed a deal with Substack to develop exclusive comics for the service, such as Public Domain and volume two of Kaptara with Kagan McLeod.
In February 2022, it was announced that Zdarsky would serve as the new writer for the mainline Batman book, starting with issue 125 on July 5, with Jorge Jiménez serving as the artist. He concluded his run on February 5th, 2025 with the release of Batman #157 with Jiménez and Tony S. Daniel providing the art.
In March 2022, it was announced that Public Domain would be heading to print via Image Comics in June 2022.
In July 2024, Zdarsky announced that he would be releasing a monthly physical newsletter in comic shops called Zdarsky Comic News. The newsletter included content such as interviews, news on upcoming comic releases, games, humorous columns, and promos of his upcoming work. In the first month, Zdarsky released 50,000 copies of the newsletter to comic ships distributed through Diamond Comic Distributors.
In February 2025, it was announced that Zdarsky would be writing a new volume of Captain America for Marvel. The opening arc of the series follows Steve shortly after he is freed from the ice and tells the untold first encounter between him and Doctor Doom. Valerio Schiti serves as the main artist for the book. The first issue debuted in July 2025.
In June 2026, it was announced that Zdarsky would pen a new volume of Avengers illustrated by Marco Chechetto. The series, set after the events of Avengers: Armageddon, follows the new line-up of Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and David Colton/Miracleman with its first issue set to release in November 2026.
Awards and nominations Awards 2014 Eisner Award – Best New Series (Sex Criminals, with author Matt Fraction) 2014 Harvey Award – Most Promising New Talent 2014 Harvey Award – Best New Series (Sex Criminals) 2015 Harvey Award – Special Award For Humor (Sex Criminals; rejected by winner) 2016 Harvey Award – Special Award For Humor (Howard the Duck) 2017 Eisner Award – Best Humor Publication (Jughead, with Ryan North, Erica Henderson and Derek Charm) 2017 War Rocket Ajax Intercontinental Championship 2019 Eisner Award – Best Single Issue/One-Shot (Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310) 2019 Shuster Award – Best Writer (Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel Two-in-One) 2020 Eisner Award – Best Digital Comic (Afterlift, with artist Jason Loo) 2021 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book — Empyre, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling / Empyre: Aftermath Avengers (with Al Ewing, Dan Slott and Anthony Oliveira) 2023 Eisner Award – Best New Series (Public Domain) 2025 Tripwire Award – Best Comic-Related Publication (Zdarsky Comic News)
Nominations 2014 Eisner Award nominee – Best Series (Sex Criminals, with author Matt Fraction) 2017 Eisner Award nominee – Best Publication for Teens (ages 13–17) (Jughead, with Ryan North, Erica Henderson and Derek Charm) 2019 Eisner Award nominee – Best Writer (Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel Two-in-One) 2020 Eisner Award nominee – Best Writer (White Trees, Daredevil, Spider-Man: Life Story, Afterlift), Best Continuing Series (Daredevil with Marco Checchetto) 2021 Eisner Award nominee – Best Writer (Stillwater, Daredevil, Fantastic Four/X-Men) 2021 Eisner Award nominee – Best Continuing Series (Daredevil) 2021 Eisner Award nominee – Best Continuing Series (Stillwater) 2023 Eisner Award nominee – Best Continuing Series (Daredevil with Marco Checchetto and Rafael de Latorre) 2023 Eisner Award nominee – Best Writer (Stillwater, Daredevil) 2023 Harvey Award nominee – Book of the Year (Public Domain) 2025 Eisner Award nominee – Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism (Zdarsky Comic News)
Bibliography Archie Comics Jughead #1–8 (writer, October 2015 – August 2016)Jughead (2015–17) Volume 1 (collects #1–6, with Erica Henderson, tpb, 168 pages, 2016, ) #7–8 (with Derek Charm, 2016), collected in Volume 2 (tpb, 144 pages, 2017, )
Comixology Originals Afterlift (writer, 5-issue limited series, with Jason Loo, April 2020; republished by Dark Horse in February 2021, tpb, 136 pages, ) The All-Nighter (writer, with Jason Loo, October 2021 – February 2024) #1-5 (republished by Dark Horse in March 2022 as Season One, tpb, 136 pages, ) #6-10 (republished by Dark Horse in December 2023 as Season Two, tpb, 120 pages, ) #11-15 (republished by Dark Horse in January 2025 as Season Three, tpb, 128 pages, )
DC Comics Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special: "Bird Psychology" (writer, with Joe Quinones, November 2017) Harley Quinn story in Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook (writer, with Khary Randolph, October 2020) collected in Dark Nights: Death Metal: The Darkest Knight (tpb, 208 pages, 2020, ) Detective Comics #1027: "Many Happy Returns" (artist, with Matt Fraction, November 2020) collected as Batman: Detective Comics #1027 Deluxe Edition (hc, 184 pages, 2020, ) Red Hood: Cheer in Batman: Urban Legends #1–6 (writer, with Eddy Barrows, March 2021–August 2021) Collected as: Batman: Urban Legends Vol 1 (collects #1-6, 264 pages, 2021, ) Batman: Black and White vol. 5 #4: "The Green Deal" (writer, with Nick Bradshaw, March 2021) Justice League: Last Ride #1–7 (writer, with Miguel Mendonça, May–November 2021) Collected as Justice League: Last Ride (tpb, 154 pages, 2022, ) Batman: The Knight #1–10 (writer, with Carmine Di Giandomenico, January 2022–October 2022) collected as Compendium Edition #1 (collects #1–3, 99 pages, 2022) Batman: The Knight (hc, 318 pages, 2023, , tpb, 318 pages, 2024) Batman vol. 3 #125–157 (writer, with Jorge Jimenez, Mike Hawthorne & Giuseppe Camuncoli, July 2022–February 2025) Collected as Batman Vol 1. Failsafe (collects #125–130, HC, 176 pages, 2023, ) Batman Vol 2. The Bat-Man of Gotham (collects #131-135, HC, 224 pages, 2023, ) Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War (collects Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Battle Lines, Batman #137-138, Catwoman #57-58, and Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Scorched Earth, co-writer, with Tini Howard and various, HC, 272 pages, 2024 ) Batman Vol 3. Joker Year One (collects #139-144, HC, TP) Batman Vol. 4: Dark Prisons (collects #145-152, HC, TP) Batman Vol. 5: The Dying City (collects #153-157 and the lead story from Batman #150, HC, TP) Harley Quinn: Black + White + Redder #1: "The Man of Steal!" (writer, with Kevin Maguire, September 2023) The Penguin #0 (reprints backup stories from Batman #125-127, writer, with Belén Ortega, October 2023) Titans: Beast World Tour: Gotham: "The Good Boy" (writer, one-shot with Miguel Mendonça, December 2023)
Image Comics Sex Criminals (artist, with Matt Fraction, September 2013 – October 2020)Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick (collects #1–5, tpb, 128 pages, 2014, ) Volume 2: Two Worlds, One Cop (collects #6–10, tpb, 128 pages, 2015 ) Volume 3: Three the Hard Way (collects #11–15, tpb, 132 pages, 2016 ) Volume 4: Fourgy! (collects #16–20 tpb, 136 pages, 2017 ISBN ) Volume 5: Five-Fingered Discount (collects #21–25, tpb, 128 pages, 2018 ) Volume 6: Six Criminals (collects #26–30, 69, tpb, 152 pages, 2020 ) Big Hard Sex Criminals (collects #1–10, hc, 256 pages, 2015 ) Big Hard Sex Criminals Volume 2 Deluxxxe (collects #11–20, hc, 256 pages, 2018 ) Big Hard Sex Criminals Volume 3 Deluxxxe (collects #21–30, 69, hc, 272 pages, 2021 ) Sex Criminals: The Complete Edition (collects #1-30, 69, hc, 824 pages, 2024 )