I remember issue 129 was my first X-Men purchase on the newstand.  I was immediately captivated by the artwork and storytelling.  I picked up comics at random 7-11's and other shops and would grab X-Men whenever I saw it.  I even located a few Byrne back issues and devoured those.

As I paged through the Omnibus, I came across the re-printed letters page from issue 143, which contained the announcement that John Byrne was leaving the X-Men.  I flashbacked to that frisson of anger, disappointment, and sadness my younger self felt upon reading that. How could my favorite artist leave my favorite comic series????

I continued to follow X-Men for a while after that....but it was never the same.  The comic became a shadow of its former self.  

I'm sure John Byrne's departure from X-Men was common knowledge for most fans (through comic news journals, which I didn't follow) but that issue really blindsided me. 

Anyone else experience the 143 punch?

As comic book prices seemed to be going up every few

months in the seventies I made a vow to myself that if comics

ever got to .50 cents I would quit collecting

 (also was an excuse to move on to other things). Well I did stop

buying every title except X-Men , then issue 144 came out(No Byrne!!)

and that was the last comic book I bought until recently reacquiring 

back issues some 33 years later.

Thanks,

Marc

Oh no, I didn't mean for my comment to be construed as a "Bad Byrne Story."  I was just reflecting on how much I enjoyed those stories and how devastating it felt when I learned my favorite creator was leaving my favorite series.

I continued to follow JB to Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight and so on...and I have yet to be disappointed in any of the work JB has done.

But I distinctly remember issue 143 as the first time as a young comic reader I experienced the shake up of a creator change.

Sorry if I didn't articulate that well enough.

(BTW, I highly recommend the Omnibus.  I have the issues in other forms, as well, but it's a kick to have so many great issues in one big volume.)

I'm sure John Byrne's departure from X-Men was common knowledge for most fans (through comic news journals, which I didn't follow) but that issue really blindsided me. 

Anyone else experience the 143 punch?
*****
I learned of JB's impending exodus at a convention in Boston where Chris Claremont appeared.  The X-Men were easily the most popular comic in my junior high circle (I know X-Men sales didn't necessarily reflect such popularity yet, but everyone I knew who read X-Men was incredibly passionate about it.)   Claremont was mobbed and gave a little talk which culiminated with the dramatic announcement that JB was leaving.  I was close enough to ask him why they were breaking up the Beatles and Claremont said he was quite honestly mystified but felt perhaps JB was burned out on drawing those characters and wanted a change.  It seemed clear that Claremont was saddened at losing JB, though he felt confident Cockrum would do a great job.  He had xeroxes of some of the finished art for 143 (which was still a month or two away) which everyone oohed and aahed at, but the sense of loss in that convention hall was profound.

Exactly what happened with me. John Byrne's work fueled my own passion

to draw and had me going to back issues noticing different styles between

the artists.