Byrne Robotics: A Challenge!!

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Topic: A Challenge!!

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Josh Goldberg
Byrne Robotics Member
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Joined: 25 October 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2130

Posted: 14 February 2026 at 4:31am \| IP Logged \| 1	post reply

JB's bona fides are unimpeachable

Gay representation:

Northstar, Maggie Sawyer, Scissors.

His strong female characters:

Invisible Girl/Woman (both in terms of her powers and personality) and She-Hulk come immediately to mind.

Black characters:

Too many to even mention (at least more than I can get into this late at night)

Many other marginalized groups:

Again, too many for me to get into this late at night.

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Josh Goldberg
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Joined: 25 October 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2130

Posted: 14 February 2026 at 4:47am \| IP Logged \| 2	post reply

Let me also point out the representation of disabled characters:

Puck, Box, Uncle Jake, wheelchair users such as the construction supervisor working on the rebuilding the Baxter Building and the secretary at Dollar Comics in Next Men.

This is without racking my brain or going through my TPBs and long boxes.

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John Byrne
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Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135664

Posted: 16 February 2026 at 3:26pm \| IP Logged \| 3	post reply

For most of my career I have populated the legions of supporting and background characters with a representation of non-white, non-male figures. This is especially true for authority figures, such as cops, judges, doctors, politicians and the like.

I’ve been doing it for so long it’s become second nature. I hardly even have to think about it.

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Rick Senger
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Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 9805

Posted: 17 February 2026 at 6:19am \| IP Logged \| 4	post reply

When I quit the X-Men (in 1980!) there were many fans who took it personally. Overnight, in their minds, I went from doing no wrong to doing no right. And over the years, others climbed on that train.
*****
I was just starting to really get into Marvel in 1980 and attended my first comic convention in Boston that fall where Chris Claremont was one of the guests. That day he broke the news that John was quitting the X-Men with issue 143 and it was like a bomb had been exploded in the crowd. People gasped and couldn't believe it. I think Chris couldn't believe it either. As to why, all Chris offered was that he was as baffled and sad as everyone else because John had done great work but he vowed the book would continue somehow. Chris even brought a xeroxed copy of the art for 143 (which definitely wasn't out yet... I want to say this announcement came while 141 or maybe 142 was brand new). Maybe the only time I ever saw the advance art to an entire comic prior to its release; obviously sweet but also bittersweet. When I eventually learned John was going to the Fantastic Four it softened the blow, however.

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