History Creator / JimShooter

* Starting the whole CrisisCrossover fad with the two ''ComicBook/SecretWars'' series (in which the Beyonder, an [[TheOmnipotent omnipotent]] being, first [[LetsYouAndHimFight maed everybody fight]], then tried ToBecomeHuman) which he wrote himself. The first was a roaring success. ''Secret Wars II''... wasn't. The first was done in part to compete with DC's announced earlier, but still gestating, ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and is considered the very first "event" CrisisCrossover.

* [[ExecutiveMeddling Ordering]] the death of Jean Grey at the end of ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'' on ''ComicBook/XMen'' since he felt the character's murder of billions of alien beings (even though done while insane) needed to be properly punished (while Creator/ChrisClaremont wrote the story, that was not the ending he had intended for it). Although highly controversial at the time, this was later generally accepted as an appropriate ending and a classic storyline.

Shooter eventually became an associate editor, then rose to the position of Editor-In-Chief at Marvel in 1977, at the age of 26 (which is actually on the older side when one considers that Stan Lee's first turn as EIC in the Timely era was at 19 years of age and Gerry Conway, Shooter's predecessor was in his early 20s too).

Shooter did make positive innovations, such as providing royalties for writers and artists of Marvel for the first time, even if as the face of Marvel, he became a popular target in the period of the creator's rights movements when Jack Kirby wanted the return of his original art (which Shooter negotiated on his behalf).

Shooter began his career at the age of 13 (!) after a script for ''Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' he sent to Creator/DCComics was accepted by the famous DC Editor Mort Weisinger. Weisinger eventually invited the young Shooter to New York and impressed with his talent put him to work at the age of 14. His run helped to modernize the series, bringing it out of its [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] status, most notably by causing the death of Ferro Lad, the first Legionnaire to be KilledOffForReal. He eventually went to work for Creator/MarvelComics, writing among other things ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''. One of his most notable stories there was "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in which a supervillain gains cosmic powers but decides to use them for the good of the universe; however, an attack by The Avengers (who were not aware of his motives) ruined his plans, leading him to commit suicide, a unusual DownerEnding for such stories at the time.

Shooter eventually became an associate editor rose to the position of Editor-In-Chief at Marvel in 1977, at the age of 26 (which is actually on the older side when one considers that Stan Lee's first turn as EIC in the Timely era was at 19 years of age and Gerry Conway, Shooter's predecessor was in his early 20s too).

As EIC, Shooter was committed to getting issues out on time and that meant a heavy handed approach and dictatorial command of his staff and pressure on writers and artists. This needless to say did not make him very popular among his co-workers. Jennette Kahn, the new publisher of DC Comics, took advantage of that to woo many of those disgruntled talents like Creator/SteveEnglehart, Creator/MarvWolfman and Creator/GeorgePerez to her side to jumpstart her company's competitiveness.

Shooter however did make other innovations such as providing royalties for writers and artists of Marvel for the first time, even if as the face of Marvel, he became a popular target in the period of the creator's rights movements where Jack Kirby wanted the return of his original art (which Shooter negotiated on his behalf).

* Starting the whole CrisisCrossover fad with the two ''ComicBook/SecretWars'' series (in which The Beyonder, an [[TheOmnipotent omnipotent]] being, first [[LetsYouAndHimFight makes everybody fight]], then tried ToBecomeHuman) which he wrote himself. The first was a roaring success. ''Secret Wars II''... wasn't. The first was done in part to compete with DC's announced earlier, but still gestating, ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and is considered the very first "event" CrisisCrossover.

* Having Peter Parker and ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson get married in the main continuity of ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' and producing the famous "The Wedding" issue, which he plotted out by himself, to coincide with the ''ComicStrip/SpiderMan'' newspaper strip written by Creator/StanLee. Shooter did it despite the fact that his writing staff had a small window, and that Mary Jane had fairly recently returned to the supporting cast, and while she and Peter had become very close friends, confidants, with considerable romantic tension between them, and had dated in the past, they certainly weren't at the time. The decision polarized the Spider-Man writing team and regular fans, and it led to what many scholars note is one of the most contentious developments in the history of the character. Having said, ''The Wedding'' issue was highly successful and very popular among the public, both comics and non-comics fans and it remains an iconic part of Spider-Man's history.

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later attacked and parodied after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus... wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]]. Creator/JoeQuesada cited Shooter's editorially mandated wedding of Peter and MJ as precedent and justification for editorially mandating ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''. However, the pressure eventually lead to him being fired from Marvel, and after trying to buy Marvel (and missing the bid by less than 2 million), Shooter decided to move on from the Big Two for a while.

Shooter went on to head his own comics company, Creator/ValiantComics, by modernizing several old existing characters and continuing his emphasis on characterisation and continuity, during the 1990s; it was successful for a time, but eventually closed down. Shooter tried a few more times, but without success.

Recently, Shooter was hired to write Legion Of Super-Heroes again- however, he was dismissed soon after, because (according to him) DC Comics did not like the direction he was taking the story.

As EIC, Shooter was committed to getting issues out on time and that meant a heavy handed approach and dictatorial command of his staff and pressure on writers and artists. This needless to say did not make him very popular among his co-workers. Shooter however did make other innovations such as providing royalties for writers and artists of Marvel for the first time, even if as the face of Marvel, he became a popular target in the period of the creator's rights movements where Jack Kirby wanted the return of his original art (which Shooter negotiated on his behalf).

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later attacked and parodied after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus... wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]]. Creator/JoeQuesada cited Shooter's editorially mandated wedding of Peter and MJ as precedent and justification for editorially mandating ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''. On the other hand, he was known for being a generous type, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b4IoW85qCk sending a Marvel team out to Paris after an employee grumbled about being sent to nowhere for publicity purposes]]. However, the pressure eventually lead to him being fired from Marvel, and after trying to buy Marvel (and missing the bid by less than 2 million), Shooter decided to move on from the big 2 for a while.

* Not allowing any explicitly gay characters in Marvel comics, leading to characters like Northstar not coming out until after Shooter's tenure and at best being gay coded. Shooter himself also penned an infamous issue of ''The Incredible Hulk'' where Bruce Banner was almost raped by gay men.

In 2011, he started [[http://www.jimshooter.com/ his own blog]]. For the best part of two years he updated almost daily with entries about his experiences in Creator/DCComics, Creator/MarvelComics and other companies, anecdotes and homages to legendary comic-book writers and artists, comic-book reviews... but updates have become very sparse since. While Shooter continues to be controversial, recent comics scholars and fans have actually revised their opinion about his time as EIC, with many feeling he was rather overly blamed or scapegoated, and trying to balance the bad with the good.

Shooter began his career at the age of 13 (!) after a script for ''Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' he sent to Creator/DCComics was accepted. His run helped to modernize the series, bringing it out of its [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] status, most notably by causing the death of Ferro Lad, the first Legionnaire to be KilledOffForReal.

He eventually went to work for Creator/MarvelComics, writing among other things ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''. One of his most notable stories there was "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in which a supervillain gains cosmic powers but decides to use them for the good of the universe; however, an attack by The Avengers (who were not aware of his motives) ruined his plans, leading him to commit suicide, a unusual DownerEnding for such stories at the time.

Shooter eventually rose to the position of Editor-In-Chief at Marvel. Some of his notable works in that position include:

* Starting ComicBook/TheNewUniverse line of comics, in celebration of Marvel's 20th Anniversary. Shooter wrote the main series, ''Star Brand''. The line was not successful, however.

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later deconstructed after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus... wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]]. Creator/JoeQuesada cited Shooter's editorially mandated wedding of Peter and MJ as precedent and justification for editorially mandating ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''. On the other hand, he was known for being a generous type, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b4IoW85qCk sending a Marvel team out to Paris after an employee grumbled about being sent to nowhere for publicity purposes]]. However, the pressure eventually lead to him being fired from Marvel, and after trying to buy Marvel (and missing the bid by less than 2 million), Shooter decided to move on from the big 2 for a while.

In 2011, he started [[http://www.jimshooter.com/ his own blog]]. For the best part of two years he updated almost daily with entries about his experiences in Creator/DCComics, Creator/MarvelComics and other companies, anecdotes and homages to legendary comic-book writers and artists, comic-book reviews... but updates have become very sparse since.

* Having Peter Parker and ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson get married in the main continuity of ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' and producing the famous "The Wedding" issue to coincide with the ''ComicStrip/SpiderMan'' newspaper strip written by Creator/StanLee doing it. Shooter did it despite the fact that Mary-Jane had been PutOnABus for some time in the regular continuity that one of Spider-Man's editors Joe Owlsley disliked it and threatened to quit should it happen (and he did quit).

-> ''Jim was very good at being the boss. He certainly knew his stuff and he knew how to move projects from "A" to "Z." Moreover, he didn't care whether people liked him so much as he cared whether they liked Marvel. Coming from the Mort Weisinger school of Screw 'Em If They Can't Stand The Heat, Shooter was a kinder, gentler, smarter, more touchy-feely version of his mentor, the legendary DC Editor who kicked ass and took names and built a solid reputation for making the trains run on time. Jim made deals and threw money at people who couldn't stand him. He routinely bought big-ticket Christmas presents for staffers he knew were plotting behind his back. He didn't care about being the heavy: somebody had to be the heavy. But, for Marvel to survive and grow, the kids would have to grow up. And Shooter became the avatar of our painful adolescence.''

'''James "Jim" Shooter''' (born September 27, 1951) is a notorious American comic book personality, known both for his work as a writer and editor, and for the controversies surrounding him.

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later deconstructed after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus... wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]]. On the other hand, he was known for being a generous type, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b4IoW85qCk sending a Marvel team out to Paris after an employee grumbled about being sent to nowhere for publicity purposes]]. However, the pressure eventually lead to him being fired from Marvel, and after trying to buy Marvel (and missing the bid by less than 2 million), Shooter decided to move on from the big 2 for a while.

* [[ExecutiveMeddling Ordering]] the death of Jean Grey at the end of ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga on ComicBook/XMen since he felt the character's murder of billions of alien beings (even though done while insane) needed to be properly punished (while Creator/ChrisClaremont wrote the story, that was not the ending he had intended for it). Although highly controversial at the time, this was later generally accepted as an appropriate ending and a classic storyline.
* Starting the whole CrisisCrossover fad with the two ComicBook/SecretWars series (in which The Beyonder, an [[TheOmnipotent omnipotent]] being, first [[LetsYouAndHimFight makes everybody fight]], then tried ToBecomeHuman) which he wrote himself. The first was a roaring success. Secret Wars II... wasn't. The first was done in part to compete with DC's announced earlier, but still gestating, ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, and is considered the very first "event" CrisisCrossover.

* Signing off on the story for Avengers #200, where ComicBook/MsMarvel is impregnated by Immortus' laser beam, gives birth to a clone of that supervillain who rapidly ages to an adult named Marcus, falls in love with Marcus who admits to using more science to make her fall in love with him, [[PutOnABus and disappears into another dimension with Marcus]], with none of the other Avengers saying "This is pretty fucked up, we should put a stop to this."

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later deconstructed after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus...wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]]. On the other hand, he was known for being a generous type, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b4IoW85qCk sending a Marvel team out to Paris after an employee grumbled about being sent to nowhere for publicity purposes]]. However, the pressure eventually lead to him being fired from Marvel, and after trying to buy Marvel (and missing the bid by less than 2 million), Shooter decided to move on from the big 2 for a while.

In 2011 he started [[http://www.jimshooter.com/ his own blog]]. For the best part of two years he updated almost daily with entries about his experiences in Creator/DCComics, Creator/MarvelComics and other companies, anecdotes and homages to legendary comic-book writers and artists, comic-book reviews... but updates have become very sparse since.

'''Jim Shooter''' (1951-) is a notorious American comic book personality, known both for his work as a writer and editor, and for the controversies surrounding him.

Despite his writing talent, Shooter came to gain the enmity of some writers, artists and editors at Marvel, reportedly because of his authoritarian way of running things. It's notable how several of his stories were later deconstructed after he left the company: The Beyonder was revealed to not really have been an omnipotent being after all; Korvac was now EvilAllAlong; and the New Universe was reinvented in a DarkerAndEdgier form, with the hero of Star Brand being to blame for it, and Shooter's hometown of Pittsburgh being destroyed. And Ms. Marvel's "happy ending" with Marcus...wasn't. All of these seem to be a series of {{Take That}}s aimed at Shooter, done regardless of their effects on the characters (or their fans). An overt one on the DC side (written and drawn by folks who defected from Marvel because of him) involves an {{Expy}} of Shooter (and Star Brand) getting his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Guy Gardner, with the Expy almost-literally shooting himself in the foot, viewable [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/10/guy-gardner-vs-jim-shooter.html here]].

Shooter began his career at the age of 13 (!) after a script for ''Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' he sent to Creator/DCComics was accepted. His run helped to modernize the series, bringing it out of its SilverAge status, most notably by causing the death of Ferro Lad, the first Legionnaire to be KilledOffForReal.

* Pushing for stronger characterization and consistent continuity.

* Starting the whole CrisisCrossover fad with the ComicBook/SecretWars series (in which The Beyonder, an [[TheOmnipotent omnipotent]] being, tried ToBecomeHuman) which he wrote himself. This was done in part to compete with DC's announced earlier but still gestating ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths.

* Pushing for stronger characterisation and consistent continuity.

* [[ExecutiveMeddling Ordering]] the death of Jean Grey at the end of ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga on ComicBook/XMen since he felt the character's murder of billions of alien beings (even though done while insane) needed to be properly punished (while Creator/ChrisClaremont wrote the story, that was not the ending he had intended for it.) Although highly controversial at the time, this was later generally accepted as an appropriate ending and a classic storyline.
* Starting the whole CrisisCrossover fad with the ComicBook/SecretWars series (in which The Beyonder, an [[TheOmnipotent omnipotent]] being, tried ToBecomeHuman) which he wrote himself; (in part to compete with DC's announced earlier but still gestating ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths)

* DarkAge

He eventually went to work for Creator/MarvelComics, writing among other things ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''. One of his most notable stories there was "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in which a supervillain gains cosmic powers but decides to use them for the good of the universe; however, an attack by The Avengers (who were not aware of his motives) ruined his plans, leading him to commit suicide, a unusual DownerEnding for such stories at the time. (And the famous rewrite of ''Avengers #200'', which intended to tie off Ms. Marvel's arc but instead generated decades of stories dealing with the fallout.)

[[caption-width-right:163:[-NOT [[Series/{{Heroes}} Sylar]] or [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]]. (But nearly as scary.)-] ]]

[[caption-width:163:[-NOT [[Series/{{Heroes}} Sylar]] or [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]]. (But nearly as scary.)-] ]]

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shooter.jpg
[[caption-width:163:NOT [[Series/{{Heroes}} Sylar]] or [[Film/{{Psycho}} Norman Bates]]. (But nearly as scary.)]]

Jim Shooter (1951-) is a notorious American comic book personality, known both for his work as a writer and editor, and for the controversies surrounding him.