Overview

• Writer Mark Waid announced on social media that Shooter died June 30 after a long battle with esophageal cancer at age 73.
• Social media tributes celebrated his influence on the comics industry and acknowledged both his visionary initiatives and his contentious management style.
• As Marvel’s editor-in-chief from 1978 to 1987, he introduced continuity bonuses, freelancer life insurance and a royalty system that shifted creator compensation.
• He conceived and scripted the 1984 Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, the first company-wide crossover that laid the foundation for modern event-driven storytelling.
• After his 1987 departure from Marvel, he founded Voyager Communications and other independent imprints, though none sustained operations beyond the early 1990s.