Judd Winick is an American cartoonist, comic book writer, and screenwriter, known for his work in both the comic book industry and television. Born on February 12, 1970, Winick first gained recognition on MTV's The Real World: San Francisco in 1994. He later achieved success in the comic book world with his autobiographical graphic novel Pedro and Me, which focused on his friendship with fellow castmate and AIDS educator, Pedro Zamora.

Winick's impact on the comic book industry includes his extensive work on DC Comics' Green Lantern and Green Arrow series. Moreover, he is credited with creating the animated TV series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee for Cartoon Network. Among his notable contributions is the acclaimed 2005 Batman storyline "Under the Hood," which marked the return of Jason Todd, the second Robin, as the anti-hero Red Hood. Winick further explored the character's story in the prequel mini-series Red Hood: The Lost Days and adapted the narrative into the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood.

Prior to his television and comic book fame, Winick began his cartooning career at the age of 16 with a single-paneled strip called Nuts & Bolts. This strip ran weekly through Anton Publications and accompanied him to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where it evolved into a four-panel strip with a full cast of characters. The collection of these strips from his college years was later published, showcasing Winick's early work and his development as a storyteller.