Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jul 4, 2025 | 1 comment

FRANCO’S FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS…

By FRANCO

Today is the Fourth of July and I was thinking about how to tie that to whatever my musing about comics was going to be for this week. I started thinking about the comics that had the biggest boom (or impact) on me or in comics in general. Then I heard the news that Jim Shooter passed away.

I thought about the time I first met him.

It was more than a few years ago. I saw him at a signing. I decided to get up my courage and asked him for a review of my artwork. He was leaving his signing and had a meeting and told me he didn’t have time. He was taller than me when he stood up and that was also intimidating. I don’t encounter people that are taller than me very often.

I told him I understood and thanked him for his time. Then he motioned for me to follow him behind a display and said, “Let me see what you got.” He looked. Flipped through again. Then he pointed and began to rip apart everything I did wrong in all of my pages. He wasn’t mean about it. Just matter of fact. When he finished he handed back my portfolio and said, “There’s some potential in there. Keep working on it.” I thanked him again for his time. I wasn’t upset because I really wanted to know what I should be doing. He didn’t have to do that. He was supposed to be somewhere else and was late to that so he could give me a review.

Jim had a huge impact on comics. I don’t pretend to know the man or his actions with others. What I do know is that he gave me (all of us) some of the best comics stories there ever were. The Legion stories. The Avengers run. All great stuff!

But the one that really knocked me for a loop was Secret Wars. I didn’t have a comics store near me then and would get a subscription through the mail. The timing was off so I would sometimes get two issues of Secret Wars in at the same time and then it was killer because then the next month nothing!!! But I remember waiting for each issue with such anticipation.

I also distinctly remember the summer it came out and for some reason I link it directly in my mind as connected to July Fourth. It’s weird how your mind connects things: I remember reading Secret Wars on July Fourth back in 1984. The story, time and place stuck with me. With Secret Wars he basically ushered in the grand spectacle of the yearly event, and it was a good one! Jim was a heck of a talent. I’m glad I got ripped to shreds in my review — it was helpful. And for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you, Mr Shooter. Rest in peace.

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MORE

— JIM SHOOTER DIES AT 73. Click here.

— Our Favorite Stories Written by JIM SHOOTER. Click here.

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Franco and his forehead have traveled the world and he writes and draws stuff. Franco is the creator, artist and writer of Patrick the Wolf Boy and Aw Yeah Comics! Franco has worked on books/comics, including Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures. Franco was also a high-school teacher and is one of the principal owners of Aw Yeah Comics retail stores. Dan made Franco add that he has won three Eisners.