JimShooter.com – Page 17 – Writer. Creator. Large mammal.

Plan “B”

Once the contracts were buttoned up and signed we started work on Superman and Spider-Man. I picked Marv Wolfman to write the book for a number of reasons: he was a marquee name and deservedly so, he was in New York, conveniently, he was absolutely reliable, and most of all because he really, really wanted to do it. Our other two superstars were Roy and Archie. Both were pretty solidly booked up, Roy was in California and Archie was way too slow.

So, we had Marv, a top tier guy writing, John Buscema, our number one penciler doing breakdowns, and Joe Sinnott, our premiere inker finishing. A dream team.

The Secret Origin and Gooey Death of the Marvel/DC Crossovers – Part One

By Jim Shooter

On July 18, 2011

In 05 Secret Origins

One morning in mid-1980, Jenette Kahn called and asked me to lunch to discuss an idea she had.

In those days, I usually came to work wearing a sport coat with an open-collar shirt. When I knew I was going to have civilian visitors (“civilian” means non-comics people, in case any of you civilians out there don’t know) or there was a business meeting on the docket I wore a tie. Sometimes a suit.

This particular warm, sunny day however, I had come to work with no tie, no jacket. Nice clothes, presentable enough. Like what we used to call “school clothes” back in the sixties.

More Strange Tales – Why I Dropped Len on His Head

By Jim Shooter

On July 15, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics, Uncategorized

It was Stan’s fault.

Once upon a time, while I was associate editor at Marvel, a bunch of us were hanging around the office after work. This often happened during that brain-dead hour or so when the words you were trying to edit started swimming around on the pages.

Often, DC guys showed up to hang out with us. Staff and freelancers weren’t allowed to hang out at DC’s offices after work.

Mostly, it was just guys hanging out. Occasionally, a woman or two joined the slug-fest (in the sense of a festival of slugs). There weren’t that many women in the biz then. Fewer than now. Weezie was among us sometimes…maybe Mary Jo, once in a while…Glynis…not many.

For some reason, besides talking comics, arm wrestling had become a popular goofing off/horsing around activity. I remember that few men could beat Glynis. Petite (relative to me, anyway), sweet, gentle Glynis! Who’d have thought? She’d win or draw, usually.

More Strange Tales

By Jim Shooter

On July 14, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics, 09 Reminiscences and Tributes, Uncategorized

HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

Len Wein Teaches Me a Lesson (and, oh, by the way, Roger Stern, too)

Roger Stern started working at Marvel in December of 1975, two weeks before I did on the first working day of January 1976.

Rog came from Indiana. He had previously published or co-published a slick fanzine called CPL (Contemporary Pictoral Literature, I think.) that had been devoted to Charlton Comics. He had been hired as an assistant editor. Among his first duties, I think, was editing letter columns.

(NOTE: Letter columns were commonly put together by the writers of the individual books, who would sort through the fan mail, select letters to be printed and write the answers or comments. A few lettercols were written by someone other than the book’s writer. If that person couldn’t or didn’t want to do his or her own letter column, a staffer or other freelancer would do it. For instance, lettercols for the Kirby books were done by someone other than Jack. Writing a lettercol in those days paid $25, I think.)

I had been hired as associate editor. Rog and I both sat in the big editorial room outside the Editor in Chief’s office, which took up a corner of that room. We were the two new guys. We became friends, and remain friends…at least until he reads this.

Superman, the Playboy Club, Decorating Higgins, the Secret Theater and More Strange Tales

By Jim Shooter

On July 13, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics, 09 Reminiscences and Tributes

Superman

My first year as Marvel Editor in Chief was a tough one in many ways for everybody on staff. We all worked our butts off to get caught up, make things better and keep Marvel alive.

I suppose I could look up the date, but I’m pretty sure it was late in the year, during cold weather, anyway, that the long-awaited Superman movie came out.

I figured the editorial and production people deserved a perk. An early Christmas present, if you will. No, I’m not going to say “holiday present.” I’m old. I get the senior citizen discount. Give me a PC break.

Anyway…the movie opened strong. It was a hit. With a large group, the only sure way to get in without standing in line for hours, at least for the first few weeks after the premiere, was to go to the first show in the morning. No, I’m not going to say “standing ON line.” I’m from Pittsburgh where one stands IN line. I get the Allegheny Plateau discount. Give me a west-of-the-Hudson break.

EPIC Interference

By Jim Shooter

On July 12, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics

A Little Back Story

Sergio Aragonés came to visit me one day to pitch an idea for a humorous comic book starring a funny, cheese-dip-loving barbarian character. Just one thing—he said he knew that Marvel had to “own everything,” but he wanted to retain some small interest in the character. He knew Marvel had to own and control it, but he would like—he held his thumb and forefinger an inch apart—a little piece.

I told Sergio we could do better than that. No reason he couldn’t own it lock, stock and cheese dip. Marvel would be perfectly willing to publish his comic book series under a normal, real world publishing agreement, that is, specified rights, all negotiable, for a specified term.

He didn’t believe me. I introduced him to Publisher Mike Hobson. Mike assured him that I was empowered to make such a deal. We were willing to draw up a deal memo on the spot that Sergio could take to his legal advisors. Sergio said he had no time right then because he had an appointment somewhere else, after which he was going back to the Coast, but he’d be back in New York in two weeks.

Righting the Ship – Part Three

By Jim Shooter

On July 11, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics

First, this….I’m very grateful for your comments. I appreciate your knowledge, wisdom and insight. I love it when you fill in details that I leave out, when you deepen the discourse and especially when you catch me if I slip up. You’re the best editors anyone could hope for. I look forward to reading what you write. It’s a highlight of my day, every day. Thanks.An EPIC Deception

Late 1979. We needed an Editor for a new magazine we had in the works, working title Odyssey. It was intended to appeal to the adult readers we already had, attract others and open the door to creators worldwide who wanted to work on properties they owned rather than do work for hire on Marvel’s established properties.

I spoke with Stan about it. Getting the right editor was critical. I suggested that we offer the position to Archie Goodwin.

I didn’t think Archie would take the job if it meant reporting to me. First of all, working for someone who used to be your assistant is usually awkward. Given the drama that arose from my replacing him as Editor in Chief, I figured it was a non-starter.

Unless….

Righting the Ship – Part Two

By Jim Shooter

On July 8, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics

Reinforcements arrive. And NO GREEN BACKGROUNDS!

When I was promoted to Editor in Chief, I was supposed to move from the small office I was in to the larger, nicer Editor in Chief office down the hall. I couldn’t take the time to move, though. I was too busy being overwhelmed. After that office sat empty for a few days, Sol Brodsky, by no one’s leave, pounced on it and moved in. I didn’t care. The little room I had was in a corner of the big editorial room and closer to the bullpen. In the middle of the action, you might say. Except, since we were short-handed, only a couple of assistant editors and me, there wasn’t a lot of “action” in the editorial area besides my frantic scrambling around.

Besides, that small room had been good enough for Roy, Len, Marv and Gerry. Only Archie had occupied the bigger office. Why? He had been editor of the black-and-white magazines, and that room had formerly been the B&W editorial office, where Archie and one or two or other editorial people sat. Like me, after he’d been promoted, he hadn’t the time to move, and so he stayed put, and thus, the big room became the EIC office. I had been installed in the little room along with the B&W editor who replaced Archie. Roger Slifer, as I recall.

Righting the Ship

By Jim Shooter

On July 7, 2011

In 03 Marvel Comics

Early 1978. Dark days for Marvel Comics. Bad sales, late books, bad books, waste, corruption, contentions over the new copyright law, general unrest, chaos in the ranks….

Stormy seas. The ship was sinking. I was the captain. It was my job to right the ship.

One big problem was that some of the sailors didn’t know I was the captain.

A little back story. If you’ve been following along, you know most of this:

Stan was the publisher, but only ceremonially. He had no business responsibilities, no day-to-day management role. His job was being Stan. He was the resident creative guru, the face of Marvel, number one pitch man and ambassador.

I’m not saying Stan was powerless. If he chose to weigh in on something, people listened. I was hired on his recommendation. But, it was the President of the company, Jim Galton, who hired me, and he was the one to whom I reported. Stan’s authority came from being Stan, not by virtue of his title.

It’s So Hard to Get Good Help These Days

By Jim Shooter

On July 7, 2011

In 16 Stuff and Nonsense

JayJay here. Oops… I left a whole bunch at the end of the Dazzler story off when I first posted it. So if you read the Debut of the Dazzler before… please read the end. Here it is and it’s also been added to the original post. Sorry!

– Continued from below the People magazine cover…

Alice was CUT OUT of this picture! She was walking beside Bo!

Bo Derek was fresh from the success of 10, with Dudley Moore. She was the hottest star in Hollywood, top of the “A” list of “bankable” stars. Bankable means that the mere attachment of such a star guarantees studio financing.

Suddenly there was a BIDDING WAR among the studios for the project!

Now, the bad news, part 1: Marvel commissioned a screenplay by Leslie Stevens.

Why not me? I was the horse who got us there. But, suddenly, because it was Hollywood, for real and big time, I was “just a comic book writer.” They decided they needed a screenwriter.