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Joseph Kelly, born in 1971, is an American writer, artist, and editor prominent in the comic book industry. He has contributed to numerous well-known comic series, including "Deadpool," "Uncanny X-Men," "Action Comics," and "JLA," as well as award-winning runs on "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Superman."

Beyond his work on established characters, Kelly is also a co-creator of the popular animated series "Ben 10." He has also explored creator-owned projects and has worked in animation and video games. Kelly's education includes an MFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he also teaches. His career began after being recruited into Marvel Comics' "Stan-hattan Project," leading to his first published work in 1996.

Joseph Kelly's professional journey in comics began with his recruitment into Marvel Comics' "Stan-hattan Project" at NYU. This program led to his first scripting assignment for "Fantastic Four 2099." His initial published works for Marvel included "2099: World of Tomorrow" and "Marvel Fanfare." In 1997, he took over the writing duties for "Deadpool," a title that quickly gained popularity and was saved from cancellation due to strong fan support. He also wrote "Daredevil" and a "Daredevil/Deadpool" annual. Later, Kelly joined "X-Men" and "Uncanny X-Men," though his tenure on these titles was cut short due to reported editorial interference.

Transitioning to DC Comics, Kelly became the writer for "Action Comics," focusing on Superman, from 1999 to 2004. During this period, he penned the highly acclaimed "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" in "Action Comics #775," which introduced the anti-hero team The Elite. This story was lauded by Wizard Magazine as one of the best comic issues of 2001. He also had a brief stint on "Superboy" and began a significant run on "JLA," collaborating with artist Doug Mahnke. This collaboration later led to the twelve-issue limited series "Justice League Elite."

Kelly has also developed original properties, including the creator-owned works "Steampunk" and "M. Rex." He co-created the animated series "Ben 10" as part of the Man of Action Studios collective. His work in animation extends to serving as a supervising producer for Disney/Marvel's "Ultimate Spider-Man" and as a story editor for "TMNT: Fast Forward." Additionally, Kelly has written for other media, including the video game "Darksiders" and the animated series "Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes."