Jim Shooter Interview

For the 40th anniversary, Talking Joe continues its look back to the secret origins of GI Joe ARAH. Mark and Tim talk to Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics when G.I Joe was launched in 1982. As you will find out, Jim was instrumental to the creation and success of the G.I. Joe comic and the property as a whole.

Jim Shooter is an American comics creator, editor, and publisher. He made his start writing Legion of Super-Heroes when he was only fourteen years old,

He served as the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1978 to 1987 and during this time launched G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero in 1982, gave Larry Hama the writing gig and has editor in chief credits up to issue 64.

After leaving Marvel he founded several comics companies including Valiant Comics, Defiant Comics and Broadway Comics.

YouTube video is here. The audio only version should be broadly the same content - the audio quality is better, and has been edited down more carefuly. The benefit of the video is that we are all on screen and i share a few images on screen, but largely for colour rather than essential for understanding.

https://youtu.be/7Hu7UMIajHM

We talk about

- Licensed Properties at Marvel in the 1980s

- The general conditions for Marvel, teetering on bankruptcy, and owners who had no interest in comics.

- How Marvel was approached for G.I. Joe and the initial steps to putting together the book.

- The parallels and differences with the launch of Transformers at Marvel.

- And so much more besides!