Jim Shooter, the former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, has died, aged 73, from oesophageal cancer.
News of Shooter’s death was confirmed on Monday (30 June) by comic book writer Mark Waid in a Facebook post. Paying tribute, Waid called Shooter “genial” and “inspirational”, adding that he regrets that he “didn't get a chance to say goodbye, but I'm glad he's finally at peace after years of suffering”.
Shooter began working in comics at just 13 years old, writing stories for DC Comics’ Legion of Super-Heroes. He was hired by editor Mort Weisinger and quickly became a major contributor to DC in the 1960s, ushering in a fresh and contemporary teenage voice to the stories, which chimed with the 1960s sensibilities.
Shooter is credited with creating the characters Ferro Lad, Karate Kid and Superman villain Parasite during this period, but despite the success he achieved, he decided to leave the world of comics for several years before returning to DC in the early 1970s.
By 1976, he’d been snatched up by Marvel editor Marv Wolfman, who put him to task as a writer and an editorial assistant. Just two years later, aged 26, Shooter had been made Marvel’s editor-in-chief and helped oversee a boom period for the publication.
He pushed for tighter editorial control and story consistency across Marvel’s many titles and championed creator rights and royalties, helping implement better pay structures for the writers and artists.
One of the biggest breakout successes during Shooter’s reign was Chris Claremont and John Byrne's legendary run on Uncanny X-Men, which pushed the genre in bold and challenging directions, giving more depth and emotion to the characters.
The success of X-Men allowed Marvel to continue to break boundaries and hire more exciting young creators, such as Frank Miller, Walter Simonson and Bill Sienkiewicz, whose work revolutionised titles including Daredevil, Thor and Moon Knight, respectively.
A crowning achievement of Shooter’s time at Marvel was the “Secret Wars” crossover event, which was a 12-issue miniseries published between May 1984 and April 1985. The series was written by Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton.
The concept involved many of Marvel’s heroes and villains being transported to “Battleworld” in a fight of good against evil. This was the first crossover event that Marvel had ever created and became a major success both critically and commercially. The practice of crossover events involving numerous characters is something that both Marvel and DC have continued into the present. A movie adaptation of the miniseries, Avengers: Secret Wars, is due to be released in 2027.
Despite his success, Shooter was often associated with controversy due to his micro-managerial style and authoritarian work-drive, which rubbed some creators up the wrong way. Frank Miller was driven away from Marvel twice due to conflicts with Shooter, opting to join DC – where he created The Dark Knight Returns, frequently cited as one of the greatest comics ever written. Others, such as John Byrne and Steve Gerber, also left Marvel in this period thanks to their differences with Shooter.
In 1987, Shooter left Marvel as his rocky relations with writers and artists reached a tipping point. He continued to work in comics in the 1990s, founding Valiant Comics which became a major independent publisher with titles like X-O Manowar, Harbinger, and Bloodshot, the latter of which was adapted into a movie in 2020 starring Vin Diesel. He also had short-lived tenures with Defiant Comics and Broadway Comics before returning to DC briefly in 2007 for Legion of Super-Heroes. His last run was with Dark Horse, where he would oversee the publication of a new series of books based on Silver Age Comics (1956 to 1970), such as Turok, Doctor Solar, and Magnus: Robot Fighter.
Paying tribute to Shooter, Marvel said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to hear Jim Shooter, former Editor-in-Chief, has passed away. Jim redefined the comic industry, and we will reflect on his undeniable legacy in the coming days. Our hearts are with his loved ones, and the many creators and fans who were touched by his work.”
We are deeply saddened to hear Jim Shooter, former Editor-in-Chief, has passed away. Jim redefined the comic industry, and we will reflect on his undeniable legacy in the coming days. Our hearts are with his loved ones, and the many creators and fans who were touched by his work. pic.twitter.com/tFz6eTX0jU
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 1, 2025
DC’s president, publisher, and chief creative officer, Jim Lee added: “RIP Jim Shooter. A towering figure in comics-literally and creatively-who helped shape the modern Marvel Universe. After I broke into comics in 1987 – l'll never forget the first time I was brought into the Marvel offices. Jim gave me a 15-minute crash course in storytelling (which he apparently did for all new pros getting hired at the House of Ideas); it was as informative as it was succinct-absolutely masterful. Thank you, Jim, for that bit of kindling and of a lifetime of memories."
Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld also said: “Jim Shooter has passed away at 73. Jim is the greatest EIC that Marvel had post Stan Lee. Unlocked the greatness of Marvel's Bronze Era. Activated Frank Miller, Walt Simonson, John Byrne, Bill Sienkiewicz, and so many others. Took a toy tie-in and made it a blockbuster with Secret Wars! So many achievements. Gratitude for everything…”
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