Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer. He is notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own series titled Astro City, and a four-year run on The Avengers, Thunderbolts, and Superman.

Busiek did not read comics as a child because his parents disapproved of them. However, he began reading them regularly at the age of 14, starting with a copy of Daredevil #120. This sparked his interest in the medium's rich history and interconnected narratives.

Throughout high school and college, he and his friend Scott McCloud, also a future writer and artist, practiced creating comics together. During this period, Busiek also contributed to the comic book community by writing letters published in comic book letter columns and developing theories about characters, such as the idea that the Phoenix was a separate being impersonating Jean Grey.