Jim Shooter

The last post concerning Secret Wars I and II got me to thinking about Jim Shooter - as I tend to do from time to time.

Shooter was Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics back in the 1980s - the one and only time comic books were really a commodity in the entertainment field, a real force unto themselves. While I've heard all sorts of stories about how he was a hard man to work for and could be confrontational and incompassionate (sp?), you have to admit that Marvel had not previously, nor has it since, flourished to the degree that it did under Shooter's reign. Whatever he did - and however he did it - he did it well.

Shooter created the Marvel New Universe (he also penned both Secret Wars mini-series and created The Beyonder - a truly stupid character with limitless powers - which is what got me thinking about him tonight) and shortly thereafter, he departed in a somewhat public dispute. It was a very acrimonious split, with Marvel destroying Pittsburgh in the New Universe titles (Shooter's hometown) and the acrimony was well-known throughout the industry. What isn't well-known is what exactly caused the split.

I've heard various rumors - the most predominate two being that he was just a dick and the failure of the New Universe gave them a reason to sack him, and that he didn't get along with new management once Marvel was sold - but the entire incident has been really hush-hush... or maybe I just haven't seen/heard the right things? The comics field is such a small pool that almost nothing goes on within it that isn't known throughout the entirety within a matter of weeks/months. But this is one of those stories that no one really says much about, even when questioned about it directly.

Anyone out there know what really happened when Jim Shooter left Marvel?