JimShooter.com – Page 22 – Writer. Creator. Large mammal.

Legion of Super Heroes Overview, Part 1

On May 25, 2011

JayJay here. In 2007 Jim returned to DC Comics to write the Legion of Super Heroes again after 31 years. Unfortunately everything didn’t go as planned for the series. But this week, we will serialize Jim’s overview for the story arc that he had planned. Fans of the series may enjoy reading what his original intentions were for the series and those unfamiliar with the series may enjoy reading the plot overview for a 16 issue story arc. What follows has never been seen outside of those working on the series.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES

“One Evil”
(Working Title)

A multi-issue (sixteen?) story arc
By Jim ShooterOverview
01/30/07

ISSUE ONE—ROUGH PLOT:

“Evil Adventus”

In steaming, crackling rubble of what, moments ago, had been a mining station on a misshapen ball of rock and ice in the scattered disk region, beyond the Kuiper Belt, Karate Kid is in desperate combat against a monstrous alien thing (to be fully described in the script). A life-form with some bionics? A machine with some organics? Unknown, and to KK, moot. Several other, similar alien life-forms, henceforth referred to as Alien Destroyers (AD), are in view, lying amid the rubble, disabled? Dead?

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman

By Jim Shooter

On May 24, 2011

In 02 Early Life, 09 Reminiscences and Tributes

When I was fourteen, I went on my first business trip. It was in June, 1966, soon after school ended for the year, and almost a year after I’d written the first Legion story DC bought. Fresh out of ninth grade, I was off from home in Pittsburgh to New York City to spend a week in DC’s offices learning more about comics production—things like coloring and inking that are hard to explain over the phone. At DC’s insistence, my mother had to accompany me.Even with the income I was making from DC added to the mix, my family wasn’t exactly prosperous. When you start deep in the hole, it takes a long time to dig out. My mother was worried that she didn’t have anything appropriate to wear. And there was no money to go clothes shopping. A friend of hers from church who was a seamstress offered to make her a few dresses, as a gift.

But, as for the trip itself, DC paid all expenses—the airfare, meals, the hotel. They put us up in the Summit Hotel, a top shelf place in those days. It also happened to be located at Lexington and 51st, right across the street from 575 Lexington Avenue, where DC had its offices. For about a week, I reported to the office every day, met people and learned things.

An Airplane Ride or Three with Herb Trimpe

By Jim Shooter

On May 23, 2011

In 09 Reminiscences and Tributes, Uncategorized

Herb Trimpe used to own a 1939 Stearman, which is an open cockpit biplane. When we worked together at Marvel, he’d often invite me to come upstate where he lived to go for a ride. Even after the Marvel days, sometimes, when we’d run into each other. I never got around to it. Always too busy.Now, let me tell you something about my father. He loved airplanes. All kinds. He used to build model airplanes, including those radio controlled ones. So, during the VALIANT days, when he came to New York from the family home in suburban Pittsburgh, one of only two times he ever made it to the Big Apple, I had this brilliant idea. Why not ask Herb to take him for a ride instead of me? I happened to have business up Herb’s way anyway. I figured that my father could come with me and therefore, we’d be in the neighborhood.

Bill Sienkiewicz IS Spider-Man

By Jim Shooter

On May 20, 2011

In 09 Reminiscences and Tributes

Here’s a tale from ancient days starring Bill Sienkiewicz.First, the origin.

I’m sitting at my desk at Marvel one day, doing Editor-in-Chief stuff, whatever, and the phone rings. The receptionist asks me if I will take a call from someone named “Neal Adams.” Who? Yes, I will take a call from Neal Adams.

Neal tells me that a young artist turned up at his studio showing samples. He thought I might be interested, but he wasn’t sure because, Neal said, “He draws like me.”

Well, not interested then.

Color Theory

By Jim Shooter

On May 19, 2011

In 04 Storytelling Lecture, Uncategorized

Storytelling Lecture Series, Part 21So, the inker has done his or her job, and now we have black and white images—usually with some halftone rendering, like feathering, hatching, stippling, drybrush, maybe even spatter technique. And even possibly with some Zip-a-Tone or other halftone applique, creating gray or grayish areas.

At this point, the colorist controls everything but the black and grayed areas. They’re there. The colorist can choose to leave a white area white or choose to fill it with any color. In ancient days, there were only 56-58 usable colors. There were three color plates—yellow, magenta and cyan. You could have no color in an area, 25% or 50% halftone of each color, or solid colors. That works out to 64 theoretically possible colors, trust me. But some weren’t really usable because the ink saturation would have been too heavy for the cheap newsprint paper. Show-through is bad enough, soak-through is disastrous.

The Inking Rant

By Jim Shooter

On May 18, 2011

In 04 Storytelling Lecture

Storytelling Lecture Series, Part 20And now, some points about inking. Inking is a complex discipline. It requires the following:

1) Control of the tools, that is, being able to make the pen or brush make exactly the mark on the paper that you want it to every time—nothing accidental.

Vince Colletta could make a perfect circle freehand, with a brush, exactly even line weight all the way around. Best hands in the business, or at least tied for same. I’ll tell you about Russ Heath sometime.

2) Mastering technique. You need to know what to do with the tools to make hair look like hair, glass look like glass, sand look like sand, etc. If you tried to develop your own techniques for every occasion, it would take you decades. Better to learn from your favorite inkers. Check, for instance, how John Romita, Sr. does highlights on hair. Take a look at how Dick Giordano renders metal. See how Klaus Janson does glass and reflective surfaces. Take a look at how Wally Wood did everything. Learn from the best. It’s not cheating—it’s building upon the visual language comics artists have been developing for more than a century.

Storytelling Lecture, Strange Tales Part 8

By Jim Shooter

On May 17, 2011

In 04 Storytelling Lecture

Storytelling Lecture Series, Part 19 (Edited from the transcript of a 1994 seminar)Page twelve.

Okay, this is an extended pull-back-to-reveal sequence.

We see Cap using a remote control device. What is he up to? No clue yet. A skyhook-thingie pulls him up. Again, a little vertigo in this shot. You know these buildings are planted on the ground, by now you’re pretty sure that way is up, so no confusion here.

Storytelling Lecture, Strange Tales Part 7

By Jim Shooter

On May 16, 2011

In 04 Storytelling Lecture

Storytelling Lecture Series, Part 18 (Edited from the transcript of a 1994 seminar)Page nine.

Panel one.

Now they’re talking. Interacting. As you’d expect, Kirby shows them up close.

Paul Levitz’s Finest Scam

By Jim Shooter

On May 15, 2011

In 09 Reminiscences and Tributes

While Jack was in the hospital in Queens, Paul called me to ask if Jack had insurance through Marvel. Yes, but it was the standard major medical coverage, which only paid 80%. Paul said Jack had been enrolled in Blue Cross/Blue Shield through DC (Jack worked at both places), but he had let his coverage lapse. He hadn’t made a payment for six months. What are we going to do?

Neither Paul nor I made a fortune in those days, but Paul said that if I’d split the past due payment with him, he could fudge the paperwork and get Jack seamlessly back on BC/BS. Cool.

So we executed his brilliant, benignly wicked scam and Jack was covered. Between Marvel’s coverage and DC’s, he didn’t have to come up with a nickel. Insurance paid for everything.

Howard Chaykin’s Finest Hour

By Jim Shooter

On May 14, 2011

In 09 Reminiscences and Tributes, Uncategorized

I didn’t know Jack Abel very well during my first few years at Marvel, which were also my first few years in New York, my first time in close proximity to the majority of comics professionals. I saw Jack once in a while when I was visiting Continuity — Neal Adams’ studio. Neal rented office space to a number of artists. I guess I also ran into Jack occasionally when he was delivering a job to Marvel. Jack had inked several of my Legion stories back when. So, I knew of him, and knew him a little.

In 1980 or ’81 — I forget — Jack had a stroke that paralyzed his right arm and his drawing/inking hand.

A few of us at Marvel went to visit Jack in the hospital in Queens. Roger Stern was with me, maybe one or two others, I forget. We tiptoed into Jack’s room, all unsure of what to say. Jack was almost unaware of us. He kept staring at his inert right hand, trying to move his arm and his hand without result. We muttered the usual platitudes and stood there stupidly. And ignored.

Then, Howard Chaykin came breezing in. Howard had been one of Jack’s roommates at Continuity.

Howard’s opening line was words to the effect, “You were a lousy inker anyway, so no great loss.” Then he proceeded to insult Jack’s talents, his ancestry, his looks, his wife, his kids…..

Jack looked up. At Howard. And fired back. And they had a raucous insult-fest.

It brought Jack back to life.

Thank you, Howard. You knew what to do and you did it, while we dimwits stood around helplessly.