Legendary Marvel Editor In Chief Jim Shooter Passes Away At 73

Former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief and one of the men who changed the comic industry the most, Jim Shooter, has passed away at the age of 73.

Jim Shooter stands as one of the most influential figures in comic book history, with a career that began remarkably early and spans decades of industry leadership. Starting his professional writing career at DC Comics at just 13 years old, Shooter sold stories that appeared in Action Comics and Adventure Comics, beginning in July 1966. He wrote extensively for the Legion of Super-Heroes during what many critics consider the team's most iconic era. His work at DC spanned titles such as Superman, Superboy, World's Finest, and Captain Action, continuing until 1970, establishing him as a prodigious talent who could craft compelling superhero narratives from an extraordinarily young age.

Shooter is best known for his tenure as Marvel Comics' Editor-in-Chief, where he transformed the company into the dominant force it remains today. He created the groundbreaking Secret Wars crossover event in the early 1980s, which became a best-seller and sold more copies than any other comic in the previous 25 years, essentially inventing the modern mega-crossover format that would become a staple of the industry. Beyond Marvel, Shooter co-founded and served as Editor-in-Chief of Valiant Comics from 1991-1992, creating the Valiant Universe and many of its original characters, and later launched additional publishing ventures including Defiant and Broadway Comics.

Shooter had been in poor health in recent months as he announced on his Facebook page that he would be canceling events due to health concerns back in June. It was posted on his behalf, “On behalf of Jim Shooter, Due to health concerns, Jim is pausing upcoming public appearances at this time. We want to thank you for your continued support and understanding. - Illustrated Media”

DC Comics writer Mark Waid broke the news today on his Facebook wall about the legend’s passing:

RIP Jim Shooter, 1951-2025.

I've just received word that Jim Shooter passed away of esophogeal cancer, which he's been battling for some time. I realize that for many he's been a controversial figure in the past (game knows game), mostly with regards to his managereal style, but my experiences with him lay outside that realm and began with my lifelong love for his writing beginning with the first time I ever picked up a copy of Adventure Comics in 1967.

For those who don't know, Jim broke into comics at the age of 14. Let me say that again: 14. I don't know about you, but when I was 14, I could barely put sentences together on paper. During a hospital stay, he'd been given some Marvel and DC comics and could clearly see how much more exciting the Marvel books were and couldn't understand why DC's books couldn't have that same vitality. Having no idea how comics scripts were done, he literally wrote and drew a Legion of Super-Heroes story on notebook paper and sent it in to editor Mort Weisinger, who put him to work immediately--having no idea how young he was until later.

Jim left comics in the late 1960s, returning in the mid-1970s to a DC that didn't quite know what to do with him before moving to Marvel and eventually serving as their EIC for many years. Subsequently, he launched a succession of long- and short-lived comics companies. Over the past few years, he'd been making frequent comic convention appearances.

My meals and conversations with Jim were always genial, and I never failed to remind him just how inspirational his work was to me; there are storytelling choices and stylistic influences I got from him in nearly all my work. I regret that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, but I'm glad he's finally at peace after years of suffering.

Godspeed, Jim.

This marks a tragic loss for the comic book industry, as they could use someone with the bravery, innovation, and determination that Shooter demonstrated at multiple points throughout his career.

What do you think of Jim Shooter passing? Leave a comment and let us know.

NEXT: Former Marvel Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter Blasts The Modern Comic Industry: "Nobody Wants To Read Propaganda"