Jim Shooter

This post is about the passing of a comic book creator from my youth.  Writer-editor Jim Shooter died at the 73 from esophageal cancer.

 

Normally when I post about someone dying, I rail against the dying of their light by complaining the wrong people keep dying.  And I will apply that sentiment to Jim Shooter as well. 

But there are others in the comic book industry who may not share in that view.

 

Even Mark Evanier who normally has something to say about comic book talents who pass way elected to “sit this one out…at least for a while, probably forever.”

In other words, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

 

Jim Shooter had a bad habit of pissing people off.  

His time as Editor In Chief at Marvel Comics was one of great success but also of great controversy.  Creators chafed under Shooter’s watchful eye as he insisted on certain ways stories should be presented.  Shooter was a consummate writer who possessed a talent for epic plots and insightful characterizations.  But Shooter insisted the writers and artists at Marvel follow his lead on everything.

 

The free wheeling “making up shit as we do along” days under Stan Lee and his immediate successors were a thing of the past under Jim Shooter.  Big name Marvel creators like Marv Wolfman, Doug Moench, Roy Thomas, George Perez and John Byrne would pack up and head to DC Comics during Shooter’s time as Editor In Chief. 

On the other hand...

Under Jim Shooter's leadership, Marvel shipped books on time and reduced unscheduled reprints (the "dreaded deadline doom").  Shooter made sure artists were paid on time.

And it was under Shooter that Marvel released iconic runs of X-Men by Claremont, Byrne & Austin and Iron Man by Michelinie, Romita Jr & Layton.   

And Shooter wrote the first major comic book crossover book, Secret Wars. 

So Marvel enjoyed unparalled success with Jim Shooter at the helm even as he ticked off a lot of creators.  

A proverbial "best of times/worst of times" situation.     

Jim Shooter first came to prominence in the 1960’s when he was still a teenager selling stories to DC’s Superman editor Mort Weisinger.  Mort had no idea that his young protégé was only 13 years old when he tasked Shooter with writing the Legion of Super Heroes.  

 

Shooter would provide thumbnail layouts with his scripts that Legion artists like Curt Swan would follow.  

 

Shooter did a lot of world building on the Legion with new worlds, new alien races and detailed backstories for the Legion’s myriad membership.

 

A lot of what Paul Levitz built during his acclaimed stints as writer of the Legion of Super Heroes was built on the foundation Jim Shooter built. 

 

After Marvel fired Jim Shooter as Editor In Chief, he went on to form other comic book companies that met with varying degrees of failure.  Knowing how to write for comic book companies does not necessarily translate to know how to run comic book companies.  

While Jim Shooter had his detractors for his mercurial micro-management style, he had his advocates who spoke of his generosity. Larry Hama shared the tale of how Shooter put a writer-artist on Marvel's insurance plan after the creator died in order to help out the man's widow.  

And his checks for writing Legion of Super Heroes in the 1960's went to supporting his impoverished family in Pennsylvannia.  

Legend or pariah? I suppose it's a matter of perspective.

I think it suffice to say that Jim Shooter tried his best and like the rest of us, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

God bless and rest in peace, Jim Shooter.