Just throwing it out there.
You know, like one of those "What If?" stories.
I think if he became the new editor-in-chief he would just do a scorched-Earth policy on everything. Editors, artists, books, everything, maybe retain 25% of the whole.
I guarantee you the books would dramatically improve in quality.
But it would be *intense*
Would it really? I mean, yes, I grew up during his tenure as Marvel EIC as well, and loved that era, but I also remember "New Universe" and "Warriors of Plasm".
ReplyDeleteI think that Shooter would play to the company's strengths -- good solid storytelling over flashy art. He is all about the storytelling & story structure -- how to grab a new reader, how to properly construct and overlap multi-storyline arcs, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm not looking at him with rose-colored glasses by any means, and I don't agree with everything he has ever said or done. I'm just saying that I think the books would improve.
"I think if he became the new editor-in-chief he would just do a scorched-Earth policy on everything. Editors, artists, books, everything, maybe retain 25% of the whole.
ReplyDeleteI guarantee you the books would dramatically improve in quality."
With the exception of Batman, Dini's Detective, Action Comics, Superman,All Star Superman, Green Lantern, and (presumably) McDuffie's JLA. Granted, these books are largely enjoying top creative talent, but they're no less good, and no less being published under DC's current leadership. I mean, it's not *all* bad, yeah?
And before I could be okay with Shooter coming in and shaking things up, I'd need a detailed account of his feelings on lunar-sensitive cowboys. Just to be sure.
"Batman, Dini's Detective, Action Comics, Superman,All Star Superman, Green Lantern,"
ReplyDeleteBut books like "Countdown," "Amazons Attack," and "Infinity Inc" are not just mediocre but terrible -- the sort of terrible that makes me question if having somebody overseeing these books with some hardcore editorial standards & experience might not be the worst thing in the world for the company right now.
Didio, love him or hate him, is not a comic book editor. He should be a general VP over the DCU, not an editor-in-chief.
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ReplyDeleteShooter brings to the table all that was good about “Old Marvel” (i.e. pre-Ron Perelman)—attention to detail and consistency in both story continuity and in character development.
ReplyDeleteExample: If a magic battle in Thor resulted in global snowfall in July, that month’s issue of West Coast Avengers would feature Hawkeye and the gang shoveling snow for a couple panels while in Amazing Spider-Man, Spidey would bemoan the falling snow as part of the “old Parker luck.”
Sure all the stories that Shooter was a bear to work for/under/with are likely true, at least to some extent—but it doesn’t exactly sound like current DC management is a bowl of honey.
Besides, all of those years in the wilderness may have smoothed out some Shooter’s infamously rough edges.
However as a long-time comics fan/consumer—THIS is the type of emulation of Marvel that I’d like to see.
Oh, I definitely think Didio has no business as an Editor of any sort. I'm pretty sure he realizes it too - he's a business guy, not a story guy. I wasn't so much against the idea of Shooter as E-I-C, just a hypothetical scorched earth approach.
ReplyDeleteI see your Jim Shooter, and I raise you one Grant Morrison.
ReplyDeleteI'm just sayin', as long as we're throwing out our choices for EIC.
Morrison has nothing in his background that suggests he's capable of editing; writing and editing are two different, if overlapping, skillsets and I wouldn't have a ton of confidence in Morrison as an editor. As an EIC? Let's see him edit for a few years first.
ReplyDeleteShooter would make a good EIC (he already did, at least twice), except that I think he's already burned so many bridges with so many creative people that I think they'd have a full-scale revolt. I know at least one or two long-time writers/artists who spent most of the eighties hopping companies based on whether Jim Shooter was currently employed there. :)
Which is unfortunate, because that's what the industry needs right now; a smart, market-savvy guy who pays attention to details, gets the books out on time, and isn't afraid of ticking people off.
But what I really want to know is, "Where did you get that picture of Shooter?" Jeez, that thing makes him look scary. "The book will be on time, or Alderaan will suffer!"
Take that back! Both the Defiant and Broadway books Shooter wrote were good, and the clusterfuck the New Universe became was not his fault. Look to Tom DeFalco and Marvel's owners for blame there, although I personally enjoyed "Star Brand" plenty. Once again, an underappreciate innovation with Ken Connell being a real guy, a.k.a. an enormously selfish, womanizing jerk.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, dream big Val. I'm 100% behind this utterly delusional pipedream!
John,
ReplyDeleteAs recently as 5 years ago, I would have agreed with you that there was too much bad blood with too many influential creators at DC to allow Shooter to return there in any capacity.
Shooter himself admitted—both in this most recent Newsarama interview and in a fascinating multi-part interview he gave to Comic Book Resources in 2000 (there is a link to the interview in Shooter’s Wiki entry.
It’s a fascinating read) that he pitched a Legion story to Paul Levitz in the 90s and Levitz was keen for it until he received too much push back and had to rescind his invite to shooter.
Yet now Shooter is on board writing Legion. Why? Perhaps because the influence of Shooter’s detractors is waining.
As the “new blood” has taken over at DC—the Johns, Ruckas and their contemporaries—they never had dealings with Shooter so they have score to settle no reason (or at least not pressing reason) to revolt.
Perhaps Shooter does deserve at least some of the scorn that’s been heaped upon him by those who have worked for/with him in the past, but Shooter’s also gotten a couple of royal career screwings since he left Marvel—perhaps now finally Karma is back in balance.
But DC needs Shooter (or a proven, big name, proven results “rainmaker” like Shooter) as much as Shooter deserves a chance for a comeback.
A win-win for everybody…well except maybe for the guy he would replace.
As for you OS—“Just throwing it out there”?????....hmmmm is that how buzz for a certain idea gets started? My hat’s off to ya ma’mn. :)
I'm not looking at him with rose-colored glasses by any means, and I don't agree with everything he has ever said or done. I'm just saying that I think the books would improve.
ReplyDeleteYou may be damning with faint praise, here. :)
I still much prefer your earlier suggestion of Dwayne McDuffie for EIC.
Example: If a magic battle in Thor resulted in global snowfall in July, that month’s issue of West Coast Avengers would feature Hawkeye and the gang shoveling snow for a couple panels while in Amazing Spider-Man, Spidey would bemoan the falling snow as part of the “old Parker luck.”
ReplyDeleteYou know, it was stuff like that which originally turned me off Marvel stuff in the late 80s — snow falls in New York, see current issues of Thor (Casket of Ancient Winters, natch). I mean, yeah, it's all one big happy world, but it's unsubtle and inexplicable enough to make people feel that you should be buying the entire friggin' line... which is also the same problem with this Countdown nonsense.
But I digress.
He's got my vote.
ReplyDeleteA little late, but...
ReplyDelete...is it just me or does Shooter look really creepy in that picture. "Buy my Legion... or I'll kill all your friends! Muhahahahaha!"
Seriously though, I loved Marvel under Shooter.
Well, the DC books would ship on schedule, at least ...
ReplyDeleteOnly this time Shooter won't have Vinnie Colletta to bail him out every month by inking all of the late books over the weekend.
ReplyDelete