Jim Shooter

James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor and publisher for various comic books. He started professionally in the medium at the age of 14, and he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth editor-in-chief, and his work as editor in chief of Valiant Comics.

Early life

Jim Shooter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to parents Ken and Eleanor "Ellie" Shooter,Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins", Marvel comics cover-dated August 1982. who are of Polish descent. Shooter read comics as a child, though he stopped when he was about eight years old. His interest in the medium was rekindled in 1963, at the age of twelve, through the comics in the children's ward of the hospital where he convalesced after undergoing minor surgery. He found the DC Comics stories to be similar to the DC stories he had previously read, but was impressed with the style of the Marvel Comics, which had only begun publication two years earlier. Thinking that if he learned to write the types of stories that Marvel published, he would be an asset to DC Comics – whose books, Shooter felt, "needed the help" – Shooter spent about a year reading and studying comics from both companies.

Career

DC Comics

At age 13, in mid-1965, Shooter wrote and drew stories featuring the Legion of Superheroes, and sent them in to DC Comics. On February 10, 1966, he received a phone call from Mort Weisinger, who wanted to purchase the stories Shooter had sent, and commissioned Shooter to write Supergirl and Superman stories. Weisinger eventually offered Shooter a regular position on ''Legion'', and wanted Shooter to come to New York to spend a couple of days in his office. Shooter, who was 14 and lived in Pittsburgh, had to wait until school was in recess, after which he went to New York with his mother, spurred in part by the need to support his financially struggling parents.

According to Shooter, his father earned very little as a steelworker, and Shooter saw comic-book writing as a means of helping economically. Shooter reflected in a 2010 interview:

At 14, Shooter began selling stories to DC Comics, writing for both ''Action Comics'' and '' Adventure Comics'', beginning with ''Adventure Comics'' No. 346 (July 1966), and providing pencil breakdowns as well. With considerable study of the writing style of DC Comics and of the recently rising Marvel Comics Shooter created several characters for the ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' that benefited by Shooter being one of the few writers at DC to understand the competitor's successful character-based narrative approach.Irving, Christopher (July 20, 2012)
"Jim Shooter's Secret Origin, in his Own Words – Part One"
. Graphic NYC. This included Karate Kid, a teenage superhero who predated the martial arts fad of the 1970s; Ferro Lad, a teenage superhero who can transform to living iron; and Princess Projectra, who could cast realistic illusions; as well as the Sun-Eater and the group of ultra-powerful villains known as The Fatal Five. He also created the Superman villain the Parasite in ''Action Comics'' No. 340 (Aug. 1966). Shooter and artist Curt Swan devised the first race between the Flash and Superman, two characters known for their super-speed powers, in "Superman's Race with the Flash!" in '' Superman'' No. 199 (Aug. 1967). Shooter wrote the first issue of '' Captain Action'' (Oct.-Nov. 1968), which was DC's first toy tie-in.

In 1969 Shooter was accepted into New York University, but after graduating from high school he successfully applied for a job at Marvel Comics. Unable to pursue both his studies and work for Marvel, he decided against going to New York University and quit working for DC as well. While at Marvel he worked as an editor and occasional co-plotter, taking his residence at the YMCA, but after only three weeks his financial situation compelled him to give up the post and return home to Pittsburgh.

After leaving Marvel, Shooter took up work in advertising concepts, writing, and illustration for several years, supporting himself through an assortment of menial jobs during periods when advertising work was unavailable. An interview for a ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' fanzine led to his again applying to both Marvel and DC. Though both companies offered him work, Shooter opted to return to DC because they had offered him more prestigious assignments: ''Superman'' and a chance to again write Legion of Super-Heroes, now in their own book, ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes''. However, his relationships with both Superman editor Julius Schwartz and Legion editor Murray Boltinoff were unpleasant, and Shooter claims that for varying reasons the two editors forced him to do a number of unnecessary rewrites. In December 1975, Marvel editor-in-chief Marv Wolfman called to offer him an editorial position.

Marvel Comics

In the mid-1970s, Marvel Comics was undergoing a series of changes in the position of Editor-in-Chief. After Roy Thomas stepped down from the post to focus on writing, a succession of other editors, including Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Gerry Conway, and Archie Goodwin, took the job during a relatively short span of time, only to find the task too daunting as Marvel continued to grow and add new titles and a larger staff to turn out material.Priest, Christopher J. (May 2002)
"Chapter Two: Oswald: Why I Never Discuss Spider-Man"
, Adventures in the Funnybook Game. On January 2, 1976, Shooter joined the Marvel staff as an assistant editor and writer.

With the quick turnover at the top, Shooter rapidly found himself rising in the ranks, and on the first working day of January 1978, he succeeded Archie Goodwin to become Marvel's ninth editor-in-chief. During this period, publisher Stan Lee relocated to Los Angeles to better oversee Marvel's animation, television and film projects, leaving Shooter largely in charge of the creative decision-making at Marvel's New York City headquarters. Although there were complaints among some that Shooter imposed a dictatorial style on the "Bullpen", he cured many of the procedural ills at Marvel, successfully managed to keep the line of books on schedule (ending the widespread practice of missed deadlines), add new titles, and develop new talent.Rozanski, Chuck
"Tales From the Database: Meeting with Jim Shooter in May of 1979," ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (Feb 2004).
Accessed April 11, 2009. Shooter in his nine-year tenure as editor-in-chief oversaw Chris Claremont and John Byrne's run on the ''Uncanny X-Men'', Byrne's work on ''Fantastic Four'', Frank Miller's series of ''Daredevil'' stories, Walt Simonson's crafting of Norse mythology with the Marvel Universe in ''Thor'', and Roger Stern's runs on both ''Avengers'' and ''The Amazing Spider-Man''.

In 1981, Shooter brought Marvel into the lucrative comic book specialty shop market with '' Dazzler'' #1. Featuring a disco-themed heroine with ties to the X-Men (based upon an unproduced motion picture set to star Bo Derek), the first issue of this series was sold only through specialty stores, bypassing the then-standard newsstand/ spinner rack distribution route altogether, as recognition by Marvel of the growing comics shop sector. Subsequent issues of ''Dazzler'', however, were sold through newsstand /nowiki>returnable/nowiki> accounts as well. ''Dazzler'' was the first direct sales-only ongoing series from a major publisher; other Marvel titles, such as '' Marvel Fanfare'' and '' Ka-Zar'', soon followed. Later that same year, Shooter wrote '' Marvel Treasury Edition'' No. 28 which featured the second Superman and Spider-Man intercompany crossover. Additionally in 1981, Shooter was recognized as one of six "New Yorkers of the Year" by the New York chapter of the JayCees, for his "contributions toward revitalizing the comics industry and helping Marvel Comics achieve a new pinnacle of success." Shooter also institutionalized creator royalties, starting the Epic imprint for creator-owned material in 1982; introduced company-wide crossover events, with '' Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions'' and '' Secret Wars''; and launched a new, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, line named '' New Universe'', to commemorate Marvel's 25th anniversary, in 1986.

Despite his success in revitalizing Marvel, Shooter angered and alienated a number of long-time Marvel creators by insisting on strong editorial control and strict adherence to deadlines. Although he instituted an art-return program, and implemented a policy giving creators royalties when their books passed certain sales benchmarks or when characters they worked on were licensed as toys, Shooter occasionally found himself in well-publicized conflicts with some writers and artists. Creators such as Steve Gerber, Marv Wolfman,Wolfman, Marv
"What Th--?: Comments about Marvel from a former EIC," SuperHeroHype.com (July 30, 2003).
Accessed April 11, 2009.Barkley, Chris

Accessed April 11, 2009. Gene Colan

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