Meet Jim Lee, The Businessman

Jim Lee came into comics in the late 80s and quickly became a household name in comics. From his debut in 1987 to producing the best-selling comic of all time with 1991's X-Men #1, Lee became the artist of a generation in much the same way Jack Kirby and John Byrne did years before. But beneath those heavily rendered figures was more than just an artist, but a businessman. Most people assume Lee's current position at DC as Co-Publisher is due to his artistic skill and marketability, but that's only half the story. Walking into comics with a degree in Psychology, Lee showed a keen understanding of the shifts in comics and has been a leading figure in comics for the past twenty years.

He can draw pretty well, but that's not what this is about.

After emigrating from South Korea to the Missouri at the age of four, Jim Lee grew up in what he described as a "typical middle-class" neighborhood. In his high school yearbook his classmates predicted that he would found his own comic book company, which even then teases a comic book future not just as an artist but a businessman. Despite this prediction Lee devoted himself in college to medicine, attending Princeton University for a degree in psychology with the intent of becoming a doctor. After receiving a degree in psychology however, Lee had different plans.

Given a one year ultimatum by his parents to break into comics or go back into medicine, Lee sent out submissions to a variety of companies. Then he had a chance meeting with renowned editor Archie Goodwin at a New York convention, which led to a gig at Marvel on Alpha Flight. From Alpha Flight, he went to Punisher: War Journal , then to Uncanny X-Men in 1989. His rise was meteoric. At the same time, he founded Homage Studios with fellow artists Joe Chiodo, Marc Silvestri, Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams. It's that collection of artists that helped the idea of Image Comics flourish and come into being three years later.

Homage Studios gave way to seperate companies by Lee and Silvestri, all operating under the banner of Image Comics. Lee's Wildstorm line flourished, with the company/imprint adding its own subimprints with Homage, Cliffhanger and America's Best Comics, and Lee even being drafted by Marvel as a businessman/comics creator to be part of the "Heroes Reborn" line. Although the company had continuous issues with maintaining a monthly release schedule for its books, Lee invested heavily in an in-house creative team of colorists and editors to help streamline the production process.

In 1998 Lee sold Wildstorm to DC Comics in an effort to allow more time for him at the drawing board instead of the office desk, and for DC it was a purchase intent on acquriing Lee and his burdgeoning computer colorists. In subsequent years Lee continued to be pulled away from drawing comics by a number of outside projects, producing only a handful of runs on series for DC in the first decade of the 21st Century. But as comics changed, Lee was one of the early ones to recognize the potential of licensed comics again in the industry, with Wildstorm becoming a defacto home for DC's licensed titles. Lee's ascencion to become DC's co-publisher (with Dan Didio) is a recognition more for his business skills and eye for comics than actual drawing, although DC has attempted to get the best of both by putting Lee on the upcoming monthly relaunch of Justice League.

Many comic creators have extended themselves into the offices of comic companies, from the likes of Stan Lee, Paul Levitz, Todd McFarlane and more, but Jim Lee has used a unique path to become one of modern comics' most powerful figures both as a creator and a businessman.

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