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Benjamin "Ben" Urich is a
fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a tradi ...
al
character Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
. The character usually appears in comic books featuring
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
and
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
. Urich is a chain-smoking, tough-as-nails
investigative journalist Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years rese ...
for the
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, spor ...
''The
Daily Bugle The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB'') is a fictional New York City Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture i ...
.'' Urich deduced the secret identity of Daredevil and has used him as a source of information and vice versa. To a lesser extent, he has a similar relationship with Spider-Man, whose
alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", "doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a different ...
Peter Parker was a photographer for the ''Bugle'' who occasionally accompanied Urich on assignments. Urich has used these connections to expose
supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are of ...
s posing as businessmen including Kingpin and Green Goblin. He has been portrayed by
Joe Pantoliano Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions. After his early roles in the television series '' M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bu ...
in the 2003 film ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
''. Ben Urich was also portrayed by
Vondie Curtis-Hall Vondie Curtis-Hall is an American actor, screenwriter, film director, and television director. As an actor, he is known for his role as Dr. Dennis Hancock on the CBS medical drama ''Chicago Hope'' created by David E. Kelley and as Ben Urich in the ...
in the first season of the
Marvel Television Marvel Television was an American television production company responsible for live-action and animated (through Marvel Animation) television shows and direct-to-DVD series based on characters from Marvel Comics. The division was based at affi ...
streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air a ...
series ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'', set in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
(MCU).


Publication history

Created by Roger McKenzie and Gene Colan, Ben Urich first appeared in ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'' #153 (July 1978).


Fictional character biography

Urich first appeared in ''Daredevil'' stories, where he investigated
Wilson Fisk The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 196 ...
, a businessman who was secretly the Kingpin, the head of the New York criminal underworld. Urich plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in the
Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
limited series ''Circle of Blood'' (drawn by
Mike Zeck Michael J. Zeck (born September 6, 1949), is an American comics artist. He is best known for his work for Marvel Comics on such series as ''Captain America'', ''Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars'', '' Master of Kung-Fu'', and ''The Punisher'' as we ...
). When a younger, less experienced Punisher plays into the Kingpin's ruse, he leaves a message for Urich. The resulting story results in the murders of several mafia men and the deaths of many innocent people, teaching the entire community how vital Kingpin unfortunately is. Ben learns the secret of
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
's identity but refuses to divulge it. He is drawn into the circle of revenge the Kingpin has planned for Daredevil. Ben tries to overcome the intimidation but the threats come closer to home. His fingers are broken and he hears the death of a witness over the phone. His courage crumbles but he rallies back. His wife is nearly killed. The would-be hit-woman turns
state's evidence A criminal turns state's evidence by admitting guilt and testifying as a witness for the state against their associate(s) or accomplice(s), often in exchange for leniency in sentencing or immunity from prosecution.Howard Abadinsky, ''Organized C ...
and Ben and several allies go to interview her. One of his self-proclaimed 'entourage' and a prison guard turn out to be Kingpin assassins. Ben defeats one by a severe pistol whipping. The witness is killed. Kingpin uses a super-powered assassin, Nuke, to try to take out all his enemies, but the attempt fails. Urich uses public support to destroy the Kingpin's empire. Urich later takes on another criminal businessman,
Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July ...
, also known as the villainous Green Goblin. After Osborn's presumed death, Urich writes an exposé book on the man's many crimes, titled ''Legacy of Evil''. During the course of research for the book, Ben helps Spider-Man and the
Molten Man The Molten Man (Mark Raxton) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Once a chemical engineer who longed to get rich, Mark Raxton was caught in an accident that saw his body get covered by an experime ...
save
Liz Allan Elizabeth "Liz" Allan, also known as Elizabeth Allan-Osborn and commonly misspelled as "Liz Allen", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. In t ...
's son from kidnappers who resembled the Green Goblin. His research helps the trio go through the Goblin's history and eventually discover what had really gone on. When Norman returns from the dead (or rather, Europe), he is able to discredit Urich and the book, going to great effort to clear his name. Urich refuses to retract his exposé on Osborn despite being threatened by him and risking his career, and investigates him further to prove that Osborn is a criminal. Ben becomes colleagues with his nephew Phil Urich. Though unsure at first, Phil proves to be a skilled investigator. Though his work life is professional, his personal life is in shambles, causing him and Ben to become endangered. During the period where Daredevil's identity was exposed in print, Ben refuses to confirm it to
J. Jonah Jameson John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he ...
on the principle of protecting his sources, and his status at work suffered for it. Jameson was able to move beyond that argument when he assigns Ben to the new supplement, '' The Pulse''. During this assignment he reveals to Peter Parker that he knows his identity as Spider-Man. It is also around this time that Matt Murdock sets up a meeting with Ben to privately declare he is ending their professional relationship to avoid anyone else discovering this connection and using Ben to get to Murdock. Ben Urich turns out to be right when he originally exposed the Green Goblin, as ''
Daily Bugle The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB'') is a fictional New York City Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture i ...
'' research would show, and conclusively when the Green Goblin is publicly unmasked by
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...
and Spider-Man and sent to jail. Plans for a re-release of ''Legacy of Evil'' are discussed at that point. Ben is approached by the Kingpin to act as journalist covering the Kingpin brokering a deal with the FBI for release and reinstatement of his wealth, in exchange for proof that Daredevil is in fact Matt Murdock. To Ben's horror, he is the one who is forced to lead the FBI to Daredevil's location. Matt Murdock is recovering at the Night Nurse's clinic, of which Ben Urich knows the location (he had written an article on her), and he is forced to give that information to the FBI, due to the manipulation of the Kingpin.


''Civil War''

During the ''
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
'' storyline, Ben is one of the main characters in '' Civil War: Front Line'', covering
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
's side as an
embedded journalist Embedded journalism refers to news reporters being attached to military units involved in armed conflicts. While the term could be applied to many historical interactions between journalists and military personnel, it first came to be used in the ...
on behalf of the ''Bugle''. His neutrality is called into question after a confrontation with the Green Goblin, who was supposed to be in prison at the time but had been secretly released as part of one of Iron Man's plans. After insisting to
J. Jonah Jameson John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he ...
that it was him, Ben is fired. In ''Civil War: Front Line'' #4, Ben reveals to his friend
Sally Floyd Sally Jean Floyd (May 20, 1950 – August 25, 2019) was an American computer scientist known for her work on computer networking. Formerly associated with the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, she retired in 2009 a ...
that seeing the
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
during the alien's first visit to Earth caused him to realize that mankind is not alone in the universe. This drove him into alcoholism for about a year. In the end of ''Civil War: Front Lines'', Ben leaves the ''Daily Bugle'', with Jameson's blessing and understanding, and forms the online newspaper Frontlines.com with Sally Floyd. They later form the print newspaper ''Front Line''.


''World War Hulk''

During the ''
World War Hulk "World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled limited series and various titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk. The series consists of five main issues titled ''World War Hulk'', wi ...
'' storyline, Ben and Sally, in their capacity as the new editorial staff of ''Front Line'', are two of the few reporters who cover the alien invasion in close proximity, at times too close as they end up dodging live fire to get 'soldier on the street' interviews. During the course of those events, Sally Floyd learns that ''
Daily Bugle The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB'') is a fictional New York City Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture i ...
'' editor Jonah Jameson was the mysterious financial backer of the publication, a fact which they agreed to hide from Urich, lest it kill his spirit. Ben Urich tries to uncover the identity of the
Red Hulk Red Hulk is an alias that is used by different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. While the first two were created from members of the United States army, the third one is a form of Hulk's Joe Fixit ...
. He works with She-Hulk and Peter Parker. They investigate a former S.H.I.E.L.D. base and almost perish in a terrorist explosion. Red Hulk appears before Urich and threatens to destroy those he works with if the story ever sees print.


''Secret Invasion''

During the ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
'' storyline, Ben was covering a story in a local hospital, only to be trapped inside during the Skrull attacks. He survives, though a new-found nurse friend and all the others inside are killed by rampaging Skrulls. Ben and many other human refugees make their way to
Stark Tower The Stark Tower Complex is a fictional high-rise building complex appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA, the complex is named after its owner Tony Stark, who is the alter ego ...
, though few are aware a human-hunting Skrull with a large body count hides within. The Skrull perishes via human trickery. Ben and one of the Stark Tower survivors, a young girl, wander the city. The duo witness the climactic battle against the Skrulls in
Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
. He finds out after the invasion ends, that his wife has died; the exact manner is left unclear. He hits both an incredible depression and writer's block. After taking some time off and seeing the city begin to recover, he starts to recover himself. He then gets word of Norman Osborn's rise to power and confronts him at the press conference announcing the control of the Thunderbolts Initiative over S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, only to get brushed off by Osborn, and the crowd around cheers for Osborn. This ultimately breaks Urich's writer's block, prompting him to write his return article: " Dark Reign: Norman Osborn Takes Control".


''Siege''

Following a superpowered disaster in Chicago, Ben teams up with his old friend Bill Stern, a disgraced former news reporter who rescues him from police custody. By coincidence they find
Volstagg Volstagg is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor. He is known for having multiple children. ...
of the Warriors Three, who was involved in the disaster. The trio travels to Oklahoma, intent on covering Osborn's Siege of Asgard. All three end up separating and encountering each other again and again, due to Osborn's attacks on
Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...
. Ben is almost eaten by Venom during a press junket near the battle. Volstagg saves Ben and Bill from the explosive effects of the HAMMER helicarrier crashing down. All three work to save and evacuate Asgardians with Ben leading the effort. Ben sees the heroes defeat the menace of the Sentry's alter-ego the Void. When Norman Osborn tries to escape, Volstagg captures him with a knock-out blow. Ben and Bill return to New York as colleagues while Volstagg works at Soldier Field to rebuild.


''Shadowland''

During the '' Shadowland'' storyline, Ben is forced by gang members to write about Bullseye's funeral. He manages to leave his notebook in Essex County Morgue. Daredevil finds it and leads a rescue mission. The funeral service is interrupted by Daredevil and the Hand, as a massive brawl breaks out, almost killing Ben. Ben becomes involved with the return of the Punisher, who literally fell into the care of Norah, one of his employees.


Goblin Nation

Learning of his nephew's identity as the new
Hobgoblin A hobgoblin is a household spirit, typically appearing in folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his ''A Midsummer Nig ...
, Ben Urich attempts to arrange a meeting to talk Phil down and convince him to accept a cure for the Goblin formula, but when Robbie Robertson is discovered in the area, Phil believes that Ben had been trying to set a trap and delivers a serious injury to Robbie before
The Superior Spider-Man ''The Superior Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics that ran between January 2013 and September 2014. It was written by Dan Slott, with artwork by Ryan Stegman, Humberto Ramos, and Giuseppe Camuncoli. The seri ...
(
Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...
' mind in Peter Parker's body) appears. Phil is able to get away when Ben convinces
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
to take Robbie to hospital, but Ben makes it clear that he had no interest in protecting Phil and was simply trying to help Robbie while he could still be saved, accepting that Phil liked what he had become and was uninterested in redemption or help. With the ''Daily Bugle'' on its deathbed, Ben approaches
Jessica Drew Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #32 (cover-dated February 1977), and 50 issues of an ongoing series title ...
and convinces her to assist him with investigating potential stories and cases, both local and nationwide. The two are later joined by
Porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethiz ...
. The three later become a close-knit team handling super-villain confrontations, with Porcupine handling the main battling work. Drew becomes sidelined with a mysterious pregnancy. Ben later becomes involved in the battle to eliminate Baron Mordo, who was magically rampaging through New York City. Ben's pure soul allows him to wield a magic suit of armor and destroy many of Mordo's monsters.


Other versions


''House of M''

In the alternate timeline of the "
House of M "House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a core eight-issue comic book limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel and a number of crossover tie-in books. Its fir ...
" reality, the ''Daily Bugle'' is a propaganda machine for the ruling mutant class. Urich is seen encouraging fellow reporter Kat Farrell to write what the people in charge want.


MC2

Although Ben's nephew Phil Urich, is active in the MC2 reality, Ben is not shown. Felicity Hardy is seen reading a book entitled ''His Name was Spider-Man'', written by Ben.


Marvel Noir

The story is set in 1933. Urich is a substance abusing reporter who is blackmailing Norman Osborn for money to feed his drug habit. He takes under his wing the social activist Peter Parker, whose youthful idealism contrasts his jaded cynicism. During the course of the story, he "takes back control of his life" by giving Osborn's files to Felicia Hardy. He is shot dead by the Chameleon (impersonating J. Jonah Jameson).


Ultimate Marvel

In
Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...
continuity, Ben Urich is a somewhat younger top reporter at the ''Daily Bugle'' who befriends the newspaper's web page designer Peter Parker. Parker, as Spider-Man, sometimes feeds him information. He wrote a series of articles that took down Kingpin and received a book deal because of the project. He submitted incriminating evidence on the Kingpin to court (given to him by Peter Parker), and Kingpin had to leave the country. He was attacked by a vampire in ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #95; as of Issue #96, Morbius appears to have cured his potential vampirism. Unlike the mainstream counterpart, the Ultimate Ben Urich never had interaction with Daredevil. Ben Urich is later seen as part of a round-table ''Bugle'' employee discussion on the secret identity of the new Spider-Man.


Armor Wars

During the ''
Secret Wars ''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'' for short, is a twelve-issue American comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter, with ...
'' storyline, the
Battleworld Battleworld is a fictional patchwork planet appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The first Battleworld debuted in the ''Secret Wars'' crossover where it was created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck. The ...
domain of Technopolis shows a variation of Ben Urich who was the uncle of Peter Urich who operates as Spider-Man. He and his nephew uncovered the truth about Technopolis' past that involved the airborne virus that makes everyone wear high-tech armors and were killed by Tony Stark.


1872

During the ''
Secret Wars ''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'' for short, is a twelve-issue American comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter, with ...
'' storyline, the Battleworld domain of the Valley of Doom features a
Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
version of Ben Urich. Upon a boy informing Ben Urich that
Turk Barrett Turk Barrett is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted in stories featuring Daredevil, in which his inept schemes are played as comic relief. Barrett was a recurring c ...
and the rest of Mayor Wilson Fisk's men are attacking
Red Wolf The red wolf (''Canis rufus'') is a canine native to the southeastern United States. Its size is intermediate between the coyote (''Canis latrans'') and gray wolf (''Canis lupus''). The red wolf's taxonomic classification as being a separate s ...
at Roxxon Dam, Ben Urich tips off Sheriff Steve Rogers about what is happening causing Sheriff Rogers to intervene.


In other media


Television

Ben Urich is a series regular in the first season of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...
(MCU)
streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air a ...
series ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'', portrayed by
Vondie Curtis-Hall Vondie Curtis-Hall is an American actor, screenwriter, film director, and television director. As an actor, he is known for his role as Dr. Dennis Hancock on the CBS medical drama ''Chicago Hope'' created by David E. Kelley and as Ben Urich in the ...
. This is the first version of the character to be depicted as an
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
. Ben is a struggling journalist at the ''New York Bulletin'', who is trying to take care of his Alzheimers-afflicted wife Doris, as he is unable to afford her medical payments or move her to a retirement home. He also clashes regularly with his editor-in-chief
Mitchell Ellison Earth Lord Earth Sentry Earth Sentry (John Foster) was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and first appeared in ''A-Next'' #2 (1999) in the MC2 universe. When John and his father Bill were investigating a UFO crash site, they discovered ...
, with Ellison more interested in keeping ''Bulletin'' circulation numbers up to compete with social media while Ben is more interested in writing stories about important public matters. After writing a piece exposing corruption at Union Allied Construction, Ben attracts the interest of former Union Allied secretary
Karen Page Karen Page is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as the original love interest for Daredevil, under Matt Murdock's employ as his legal secretary. In 1999, Page was killed by Bullseye, a ...
, and begins working with Karen and her new employers,
Matt Murdock Daredevil is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Daredevil was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby. The character first a ...
and
Foggy Nelson Franklin Percy "Foggy" Nelson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as part of the supporting cast of Daredevil (Matt Murdock); Foggy is Matt's best friend and, for m ...
, to expose
Wilson Fisk The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 196 ...
. Eventually, his investigation leads him to begin working with Matt's alter-ego, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. As the season progresses, Ben is urged to no longer associate himself with Karen. However, after Karen manipulates Ben into visiting and interviewing Fisk's mother Marlene Vistain, he sees the need to take down the man once more. Ben's dedication to the story eventually costs him his job after he suspects and accuses Ellison of being paid by Fisk to censor him. Later, when he tries to write his story and publish it on a blog, Fisk ambushes him at his apartment and strangles him to death with his bare hands as retaliation for speaking to Marlene, and he lies about being alone so that Fisk will not seek out Karen. Father Lantom later oversees Ben's funeral. During the service, Doris tells Karen that she embodies the traits Ben would have liked to have in a daughter and that he set up a life insurance plan for her. When Carl Hoffman, a corrupt detective that Fisk had threatened into killing his own partner, turns state's evidence on Fisk with the help of Nelson & Murdock, it is revealed that although Ben was wrong about Ellison, his suspicions that Fisk had a mole at the ''Bulletin'' are proven correct as Ellison's secretary Caldwell is arrested by the FBI for her involvement with Fisk's criminal activities. Ellison can only bow his head in guilt for not believing Ben until it was too late. In the second season, Ellison takes over the role Ben had played as Karen's mentor, assisting her in her investigation into Frank Castle's past, which eventually culminates in Ellison hiring Karen as a full-time reporter for the ''Bulletin'' after Nelson & Murdock closes due to friction between Matt and Foggy, and taking Ben's former office. Out of guilt for her part in Ben's death, Karen keeps all of his old articles up on the walls, and heading into the third season, Karen also takes over Ben's role as Matt's newspaper confidant. He is also referenced in the second season of '' Marvel's Cloak & Dagger''.


Film

Ben Urich appeared in the 2003 ''Daredevil'' feature film, played by
Joe Pantoliano Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions. After his early roles in the television series '' M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bu ...
. In the film, he works for the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
'', as the rights to the ''Bugle'' were tied to the ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
'' films, which are owned by
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acq ...
. He discovers Daredevil's secret identity during his investigations into the Kingpin. But when faced with the possibility of printing the story, he decides not to publish it, realizing that Daredevil does a great deal of good in the city. Unlike his comic counterpart, this depiction of Urich is bald.


Video games

* Ben Urich appears as a supporting character in '' Spider-Man: Battle for New York'', voiced by
Robin Atkin Downes Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor known for his work in animation and video games. Early life Downes was born in London. He earned an MFA from Temple University in Philadelphia. Career Downes has voiced characters in animated films ...
. * Ben Urich appears in '' Marvel Heroes'', voiced by Tim Blaney.


Audio

Ben Urich appears in the scripted podcast ''
Marvels ''Marvels'' is a four-issue miniseries comic book written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin. It was published by Marvel Comics in 1994. Set in the 1939 to 1974 time period, the series examines the Marvel Univ ...
'', where he is voiced by Clifford "Method Man" Smith.


Novels

In his debut novel, '' The Intuitionist'',
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
–winning author
Colson Whitehead Arch Colson Chipp Whitehead (born November 6, 1969) is an American novelist. He is the author of eight novels, including his 1999 debut work '' The Intuitionist''; '' The Underground Railroad'' (2016), for which he won the 2016 National Book Awar ...
features a journalist character named Ben Urich, an apparent tribute by the writer who grew up "devouring horror comics and novels, and being inspired to become a writer because of horror novels, movies, and comic books".


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Ben Urich
at Marvel.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Urich, Ben Characters created by Gene Colan Characters created by Roger McKenzie Daredevil (Marvel Comics) characters Fictional characters from New York City Comics characters introduced in 1978 Fictional reporters Marvel Comics film characters Marvel Comics male characters Marvel Comics television characters