The Comic World Mourns Jim Shooter
Mark Waid announced on Facebook that Jim Shooter passed away at the age of 73 after battling esophageal cancer for some time.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1951, Shooter's love for comics began during a hospital stay, leading him to seek work at DC Comics at just 12 years old. By 13, he was hired to write for Superman and Supergirl, and by 14, he contributed to Action Comics and Adventure Comics, playing a key role in creating characters for the Legion of Super-Heroes. In 1967, he made history with artist Curt Swan by introducing the first race between Superman and The Flash.
In 1969, Shooter chose to work at Marvel over attending New York University, quickly rising to Editor-in-Chief by 1978. With Stan Lee focusing on animation, Shooter managed Marvel's comic line, leading a controversial yet effective tenure that included celebrated runs by creators like Chris Claremont and John Byrne on X-Men and Frank Miller on Daredevil.
Shooter also transformed comic book marketing by launching Dazzler #1, sold directly to stores, and introduced Secret Wars in 1984, which established the modern comic crossover format. He initiated the creator-owned Epic line and the New Universe line during his time at Marvel. His achievements include an Eagle Award in 1979, an Inkpot Award in 1980, and serving as an ambassador for the Inkwell Awards since 2012.
Our condolences go out to his family.