Shooter was Marvel Comics' Editor-in-Chief from 1978 to 1987. Under his editorship, he imposed more professional discipline to the business with consistent adherence to publishing schedules and expanding into new retail areas to consolidate Marvel's dominance in the North American comic book medium. However, Shooter was resented for the heavy-handed methods he felt were necessary for these business achievements. That in turn inadvertently lead to the business revitalization of Marvel's major rival, DC Comics, since its Publisher,
Jenette Kahn, took advantage of the situation to lure away many Marvel talents to her company to its benefit.