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Doctor Solar, guy of the Atom
by Wayne Markley
Over the last forty plus years, one of the very best writers of comics books (and one of the most questionable figures in comics) is Jim Shooter. From a teen progeny to the Editor-in-Chief at marvel to taking Valiant Comics to one of the most successful publishers of the 1990’s, Jim has done it all. as well as he has accomplished a great deal outside of comics to boot. I decided to compose about Jim this time around out since I have been reading his present revivals of the Gold key characters he had restored to life almost 20 years back when again, this time around for Dark Horse, as well as he has when once again discovered a new method to look at Magnus, Robot Fighter, physician Solar as well as Turok, son of Stone.
Showcase Presents: legion of Super-Heroes VOL. 04 SC
Jim started as a writer in the mid-1960s as a writer for DC experience Comics featuring the legion of Super-Heroes. While Jim was just a teenager at the time, he composed a few of the most cherished stories by legion fans ever done. These were fun stories that were extremely innovative in addition to extremely original. He composed stories that were a reflection of the time, while producing a whole world around the legion that made you feel like you understood all about this future. Plus, he was always mixing things up as well as adding new characters as well as even killing some characters, which at the time was almost unheard of. as well as true to form, the dead character, Lightning Lad, came back to life. Yet these were excellent stories that still hold up today. as well as luckily for fans all of his legion work is offered in DC Showcase: The legion of Super-Heroes.
Secret Wars SC
As time went on, Jim landed at marvel Comics as a writer as well as an editor. just like most editors at the time at Marvel, the chief editor would come as well as go on a routine basis. So it was no surprise that Jim landed in the task of Editor-in-Chief at Marvel. He stayed there for almost 10 years as the top dog, as well as comic historians have a number of stories, both great as well as bad, about Jim’s run while in that setting (let’s state it was not without controversy). He was able to get marvel books to find out on time as well as seemingly gotten rid of the “dreaded deadline doom” which required reprints in the monthly books. He was likewise the mastermind behind a few of Marvel’s biggest successes stories of the time, such as trick Wars, which introduced Spider-Man’s Black costume (which would later ended up being the super villain, Venom). He likewise assisted to establish the direct Comics Market with the introduction of Dazzler as a direct only title. At the time this was a extremely gutsy move.
Once once again over time, Jim left marvel as well as landed up at a startup business called Valiant Comics. Valiant started out as a business doing licensee comics as well as magazines for the world Wrestling Federation as well as Nintendo. Unfortunately, neither of these properties caught on so Jim as well as his business partners were required to look for a new method to make money. They came upon the concept of licencing the old Western/Gold key characters of Magnus Robot Fighter, physician Solar as well as Turok. as well as around these characters they developed a complex as well as whole universe. during the speculator boom of the 1990s, Valiant had a few of the most prominent titles being published. But, buried under all the hype, there really were some excellent titles, mainly written by Shooter, together with Bob Layton as well as Bob Hall. Jim was able to take what were basically B-level characters as well as make them into interesting reads with grade A storytelling. however as the speculator boom busted, as well as the dynamics of administration at Valiant changed, Jim was required out on his own. Unfortunately, extremely few of the Valiant stories have ever been collected, however there are a number of single problems offered at Westfield Comics.
Next, Jim went on to type a new group of investors as well as developed Defiant Comics. as well as then he went on to the short-lived Broadway Comics, (with the people behind Saturday night Live) as well as then (stick with me here) back to Acclaim Comics, who had bought out what was Valiant. however none of these business discovered any type of success and, to be honest, Jim’s storytelling was not at the level it when was. perhaps the only thing that is truly unforgettable from this whole period was the discovery of David Lapham at Defiant.
Legion of Super-Heroes #38
Over the next few years in the early 2000, Mr. Shooter worked on a number of different projects, both inside of comics as well as outside of comics. however his name when once again ended up being the talk of the market in 2007 when it was revealed he was returning to compose the legion of Super-Heroes, which he very first composed when he was 14. This is over 40 years later, as well as even somebody as jaded as I was looking ahead to his return as the legion had been adrift for many years with characters that had been changed, tweaked, mutated, as well as ruined to the point where they bore bit resemblance to those in the traditional stories from the 60’s as well as 70’s. however when the books were published, the excellent return of Jim Shooter was a bust. Not only was his return to the legion not extremely good, barely much better than the rubbish that came before it, it ended up being so poor the Jim did not even compose his last problem (or at least his name was not on the book). To his credit history though, it was well understand within the market that Jim was having battles with DC about what he wished to do with the legion versus what DC wished to do with the book. Granted, one would believe that Jim as well as DC would had have a joint vision before he took over the book, however alas whatever that vision was it quickly fell apart.
Magnus, Robot competitor #1
After his disastrous return to the Legion, I had bit hope when it was revealed that Jim would be composing Magnus, Turok as well as Dr. Solar for Dark equine comics. however when once again I was proven to be wrong as these books have [turned out to be] excellent. granted there have only been three (or in the situation of Turok, one) problem so far, what I have checked out so far is the very best of what made Jim Shooter a legend. He has taken old characters as well as breathed new life into them for a second time, (after having resurrected these exact same three characters at Valiant) with new origins as well as new directions as well as compelling stories. As much as I poo-pooed the revival of these books, I was wrong. They are well worth your time as well as effort to inspect out as well as are a truly great read.
I would likewise like to suggest (how is this for ironic?), both experience Comics as well as legion of Super-Heroes. Both titles are currently being written by Paul Levitz as well as both titles have, for the very first time in years, a sense of fun as well as experience that has been missing for ages. The stories in experience have featured the legion in their early days when they very first satisfied Superboy, while the monthly title, the legion of Super-Heroes, focuses on the contemporary tales of the Legion. I have long suspected that Paul was behind the crud that was passed off as the legion over the last few decades, however now he has made his return to one of his preferred titles, I am delighted to when once again be a fan of the Legion. now if only Paul would take over the JSA as well as make it a readable book when again.
As always, anything in this column is my personal viewpoint as well as does not show the thoughts or opinions of Westfield Comics or their employees. I welcome your comments, evaluation copies or thoughts at MFBWAY@AOL.COM.