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Stuart Somershoe Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 27 June 2012 Posts: 33
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Posted: 30 April 2014 at 7:33pm | IP Logged | 1
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I just received my X-Men Omnibus Volume 2 and spent the last couple of nights re-reading some of my favorite X-Men issues.
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?
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Doug Centers Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 17 February 2014 Location: United States Posts: 5561
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Posted: 30 April 2014 at 8:04pm | IP Logged | 2
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That was a hallmark time for me.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.
Edited by Doug Centers on 30 April 2014 at 8:07pm
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Marc Baptiste Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 17 June 2004 Location: United States Posts: 3655
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Posted: 30 April 2014 at 8:27pm | IP Logged | 3
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I have been very disappointed in the quality of the reproductions of the artwork in the Marvel Masterworks. Has anyone viewed both the Masterworks and these new Omnibus editions, and if so, is there a noticeable change in quality?
Thanks, Marc
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Stephen Churay Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 25 March 2009 Location: United States Posts: 8369
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Posted: 30 April 2014 at 9:09pm | IP Logged | 4
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I have been very disappointed in the quality of the reproductions of the artwork in the Marvel Masterworks. ===== Marc, I haven't seen the Omnibuses but I agree with your criticism of the Masterworks volumes. There was something about the colors, printing process and paper stock as originally produced. They came together to give the books' reproduced colors a kind of grittiness. Using the same colors on that super clean white gloss stock, they come off too bright to me.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 133139
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Posted: 30 April 2014 at 9:23pm | IP Logged | 5
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There was something about the colors, printing process and paper stock as originally produced. They came together to give the books' reproduced colors a kind of grittiness. Using the same colors on that super clean white gloss stock, they come off too bright to me.••• The old Grade Triple Zee newsprint comics used to use had a distinct yellow hue, and the color depended on it. To make the reds really red, the greens really green, various flesh tones what they were meant to be. Use colors coded for newsprint on slick, white paper, and something is definitely lost.
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Darren Ashmore Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 30 April 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 958
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 7:07am | IP Logged | 6
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Issues 142 & 143 weren't released in the UK (except in Comic Book Stores which I was a few months away from frequenting) so I didn't actually read the stories until years later (in fact I've never read 143 in colour). I also missed getting 144 so I went from Issue 141 to 145 when Dave Cockrum returned. It was extremely confusing to find my favourite artist had disappeared and at that point creator news was few and far between. It was only when a Bullpen Bulletin informed readers that JB was starting on Fantastic Four that I even realised he'd gone off X-Men for good.
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Tim O Neill Byrne Robotics Security
Joined: 16 April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 10935
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 7:44am | IP Logged | 7
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An omnibus is released with two of JB's most iconic, influential X-Men stories, and the thread about this book asks us if we felt "punched"?
Really? Even the work that is universally appreciated, and this has to be twisted into a Bad Byrne Story? On his own website? Ugh. I understand the sentiment is that his work was so appreciated, but does his leaving have to be the main point of discussion?
These stories were a touchstone for me as a kid - I identified with these outsiders, and JB's contribution was a huge part of why I connected with them. I still revisit these stories and am plotting a way to find the money for this book, even though I have this in other trades. I am noting but grateful to JB for his contribution.
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Stuart Somershoe Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 27 June 2012 Posts: 33
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 9:12am | IP Logged | 8
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Tim,
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.)
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Rick Senger Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 16 April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 9685
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 10:04am | IP Logged | 9
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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.
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Rick Senger Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 16 April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 9685
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 10:17am | IP Logged | 10
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Oh no, I didn't mean for my comment to be construed as a "Bad Byrne Story." ***** I didn't take this 143 topic as a Bad Byrne story at all, Stuart. Every artist (and creative person) involved with a series eventually leaves it (or is ushered out). It's a testament to the power of JB's work from this period that it made me aware of the credits in a comic book for the first time and I related to the feeling you expressed in your first post because I experienced it, too. I wasn't mad at JB (he did like 35 X-issues, after all; a lengthy run) as much as I felt a profound sense of loss. I've felt that same feeling many times later when a favorite pro athlete is traded or retires or a tv series is cancelled, etc., but that JB 143 announcement was an early biggie in my childhood.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 133139
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 10:26am | IP Logged | 11
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I took it more as a compliment than a "Bad Byrne Story."
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Doug Centers Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 17 February 2014 Location: United States Posts: 5561
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Posted: 01 May 2014 at 10:45am | IP Logged | 12
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Rick....."made me aware of the credits in a comic book...
...
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.
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