History MediaNotes / MarvelComicsEditorsInChief

* Creator/RoyThomas (1972-1974): A natural choice to follow in Lee's footsteps, as the first PromotedFanboy at the company, and was the writer with the largest pull after Lee. As editor of a rapidly-expanding comics line, he was known for a more laissez-faire editing style that allowed young creators like Creator/SteveGerber and Creator/JimStarlin to [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar push the limits of the Comics Code]].

* Creator/RoyThomas (1972-1974): A natural choice to follow in Lee's footsteps, as the first PromotedFanboy at the company, and was the writer with the largest pull after Lee.

* Marv Wolfman (1975-1976): Editor who is often credited for codifying Marvel's shift away from ComicBookTime towards the "illusion of change" FleetingDemographicRule.

* Archie Goodwin (1976-1978): Would later make his mark handling Marvel's Epic line, but as EiC was credited (by no less a personage than his successor, Jim Shooter) with saving the company from the brink of bankruptcy in 1977 by aggressively pursuing and getting a licence to print the official ''Franchise/StarWars'' comics just in time for the movie to become a massive runaway success.

* Creator/JoeQuesada (2000-2011): Currently Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment (which includes not only comic publishing, but video games, films, etc.), and the second longest-serving EIC of Marvel Comics after Stan Lee himself. Like all editors, he has his detractors and admirers, but he's credited for launching a number of great talents and especially for the successful ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' line. In his time, ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' moved front and center to the Marvel line over both the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. He stated once that his major goal was to put three genies back in the bottle, and before he ended his tenure, he did what he set out to do, though many of course question both the execution and the results:

** End Spider-Man's marriage, (which he did with ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'').

* C.B. Cebulski (2017 - present): Current editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. Cebuslki previously worked as a freelance writer and translator for Marvel, and was then promoted to associate editor under Quesada's tenure, editing titles like the original ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''. As editor-in-chief, he heavily promoted the revamped X-Men line under Creator/JonathanHickman, as well as the return of Conan comics to the company.

* C.B. Cebulski (2017 - present): Current editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. Cebuslki previously worked as a freelance writer and translator for Marvel, and was then promoted to associate editor under Quesada's tenure, editing titles like the original ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''. He also served as a talent liaison for the company and later became president of international brand management in 2011.

* Creator/GerryConway (1976): Conway, one of Marvel's most prolific writers, lasted only a few weeks as editor-in-chief, a job that had become so impossible that no one since Stan Lee had managed to last more than a couple of years.

* Creator/GerryConway (1976)

* Creator/JimShooter (1978-1987): One of the longest lasting and most controversial editors not only in Marvel but superhero comics in general. Helped electrify the company after sagging sales, and spearheaded many beloved runs, but his tenure came to an end amidst micro-managing the talent, and conflicts with the powers that be. His regime oversaw the expansion of ''Franchise/XMen'' as the pre-eminent best-selling title in the Marvel stable, as well as several defining comics runs such as Walt Simonson's famous run on ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'', Creator/FrankMiller on ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'', Creator/RogerStern on ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' and ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'', Creator/JohnByrne on ''ComicBook/FantasticFour''. How much credit or blame for these runs falls on Shooter is of course contested. The likes of Stern have positive views on the man while John Byrne blames him for his shift to DC. In addition to serving as EIC, Shooter also continued writing in his time. Most notably, he was the author of ''ComicBook/SecretWars1984'', the first major event comic, and an extremely profitable endeavor that many readers credit for introducing them to Marvel comics, which continue to have lasting effects on the Marvel Universe.

* Roy Thomas (1972-1974): A natural choice to follow in Lee's footsteps, as the first PromotedFanboy at the company, and was the writer with the largest pull after Lee.

* Archie Goodwin (1976-1978): Would later make his mark handling Marvel's Epic line, but as EiC was credited (by no less a personage than his successor, Jim Shooter) with saving the company from the brink of bankruptcy in 1977 by aggressively pursuing and getting a licence to print the official ''StarWars'' comics just in time for the movie to become a massive runaway success.

* Archie Goodwin (1976-1978): Would later make his mark handling Marvel's Epic line.

* Creator/JimShooter (1978-1987): One of the longest lasting and most controversial editors. Helped electrify the company after sagging sales, and spearheaded many beloved runs, but his tenure came to an end amidst micro-managing the talent, and conflicts with the powers that be. His regime oversaw the expansion of ''Franchise/XMen'' as the pre-eminent best-selling title in the Marvel stable, as well as Walt Simonson's famous run on ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor''.

* Creator/TomDeFalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' the longest running title for any female character put out by Marvel ''ever'') and Ron Perelman receiving more criticism. He's considered a hands-off and laissez-faire editor and was a much needed respite after Shooter. He oversaw ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'', an early attempt at projecting a future series of Marvel's LegacyCharacter.

* ComicBook/TomDeFalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' the longest running title for any female character put out by Marvel ''ever'') and Ron Perelman receiving more criticism. He's considered a hands-off and laissez-faire editor and was a much needed respite after Shooter. He oversaw ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'', an early attempt at projecting a future series of Marvel's LegacyCharacter.

* Tom Defalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' the longest running title for any female character put out by Marvel ''ever'') and Ron Perelman receiving more criticism. He's considered a hands-off and laissez-faire editor and was a much needed respite after Shooter. He oversaw ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'', an early attempt at projecting a future series of Marvel's LegacyCharacter.

* Creator/JoeQuesada (2000-2011): Currently Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment (which includes not only comic publishing, but video games, films, etc.), and the second longest-serving EIC of Marvel Comics after Stan Lee himself. Like all editors, he has his detractors and admirers, but he's credited for launching a number of great talents and especially for the successful ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' line. In his time, ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' moved front and center to the Marvel line over both the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. He stated once that his major goal was to put three genies back in the bottle, and before he ended his tenure, he did what he wanted, though many of course question the execution and the results:
** Reduce the number of mutants so that they feel like a persecuted vulnerable minority and ragtag group of outsiders (which he did with ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'')[[note]]The fact that this aligned with the rights for X-Men belonging to Fox and a driving need to emphasize the properties Marvel still had rights to is probably a coincide, although the directive to push the Inhumans over the X-Men came from Isaac Perlmutter specifically[[/note]].

* Axel Alonso (2011-2017): Alonso's appointment was well-received by Quesada's critics, but it was quickly clarified that Quesada was being ''promoted'' to '''Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Enterprises''', not fired. The Alonso era was praised for an emphasis in character and creator diversity, but also received heavy criticism for a streak of yearly line-wide relaunches, flooding the comic book market with upwards of ''seventy'' titles at a time, and the ''ComicBook/SecretEmpire'' story.

* Creator/JoeQuesada (2000-2011): Currently Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment (which includes not only comic publishing, but video games, films, etc.), and the second longest-serving EIC of Marvel Comics after Stan Lee himself. Like all editors, he has his detractors and admirers, but he's credited for launching a number of great talents and especially for the successful ComicBook/UltimateMarvel line. He stated once that his major goal was to put three genies back in the bottle, and before he ended his tenure, he did what he wanted, though many of course question the execution and the results:

* Creator/StanLee (1941-1942, 1945-1972): Certainly the most famous comic editor ever, the real founder of Marvel Comics as a brand, and as overseer of Marvel Universe and as its face, he rivals Spider-Man as the company mascot. He's also Marvel's greatest publicist ever. Even those who think Creator/JackKirby and Creator/SteveDitko did most of the hard work will acknowledge Lee's importance to the Franchise/MarvelUniverse (and the medium in general). Lee's innovations include full credits for the entire artistic team (Writer, Artist, Inker, Penciller and so on in each issue), the Marvel Bullpen, and generally encouraging and allowing writers and artists to put their spin on their stories, being quite a bit more laissez-faire than his successors would be.

* Creator/JimShooter (1978-1987): One of the longest lasting and most controversial editors. Helped electrify the company after sagging sales, and spearheaded many beloved runs, but his tenure came to an end amidst micro-managing the talent, and conflicts with the powers that be.

* Tom Defalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' the longest running title for any female character put out by Marvel ''ever'') and Ron Perelman receiving more criticism. He's considered a hands-of and laissez-faire editor and was a much needed respite after Shooter.

* Creator/JoeQuesada (2000-2011): Currently Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment (which includes not only comic publishing, but video games, films, etc.), and the second longest-serving EIC of Marvel Comics after Stan Lee himself. Like all editors, he has his detractors and admirers, but he's credited for launching a number of great talents and especially for the successful ComicBook/UltimateMarvel line.

''In 1995, the decision was made to split the editor-in-chief position five ways. This lasted only a year, as Marvel's line shrank drastically.''

* Tom Defalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'') and Ron Perelman receiving more criticism.

* Creator/StanLee (1941-1942, 1945-1972): Certainly the most famous comic editor ever, the real founder of Marvel Comics as a brand, and as overseer of Marvel Universe and as its face, he rivals Spider-Man as the company mascot. He's also Marvel's greatest publicist ever. Even those who think Creator/JackKirby and Creator/SteveDitko did most of the hard work will acknowledge Lee's importance to the Franchise/MarvelUniverse (and the medium in general). Lee's innovations include full credits for the entire artistic team (Writer, Artist, Inker, Penciller and so on in each issue), the Marvel Bullpen, and generally encouraging and allowing writers and artists to put their spin on their stories.

* Creator/StanLee (1941-1942, 1945-1972): Certainly the most famous comic editor ever, and even those who think Creator/JackKirby and Creator/SteveDitko did most of the hard work will acknowledge Lee's importance to the Franchise/MarvelUniverse (and the medium in general).

* Marv Wolfman (1975-1976)

* Creator/JoeQuesada (2000-2011): Currently Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment (which includes not only comic publishing, but video games, films, etc.), and the second longest-serving EIC of Marvel Comics. Started out as controversial, but got some good notice for cleaning house at the company. However, he became controversial gain for creating storylines like ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''.

* Tom Defalco (1987-1994): Succeeded Shooter, and was on board during the comics boom of the late eighties and early nineties. Interestingly, despite presiding over a period that was considered speculation-heavy and crass, he managed to deflect a lot of ire the industry pumps like oil. This is probably largely due to his laid-back persona, his quietly going back to writing (including the fan-favorite ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'') and Ron Perelman nicely positioning himself as the BigBad of the era.

* C.B. Cebulski (2017 - present): Current editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. Cebuslki previously worked as a freelancer writer and translator for Marvel, and was then promoted to associate editor under Quesada's tenure, editing titles like the original ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''. He also served as a talent liaison for the company and later became president of international brand management in 2011.

* Axel Alonso (2011-present): Current editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. Alonso's appointment was well-received by Quesada's critics, but it was quickly clarified that Quesada was being ''promoted'' to '''Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Enterprises''', not fired. Thus far, Alonso seems infamous for his distinct lack of infamy compared to his predecessors, though Marvel's streak of yearly total line relaunches and event overload has become to shadow his run.

* Len Wein (1974-1975): Was editor for the briefest of the times, but he did make his mark by reviving a little book called ''ComicBook/XMen''...

* Archie Goodwin (1976-1978): Would later make his mark handling Marvel's epic line.

* Axel Alonso (2011-present): Current editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. Alonso's appointment was well-received by Quesada's critics, but it was quickly clarified that Quesada was being ''promoted'' to '''Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Enterprises''', not fired. Thus far, Alonso seems infamous for his distinct lack of infamy compared to his predecessors.