One of things that I really enjoy about the way you have plotted this book is the fact that I am never able to predict when you are about to reveal answers to the mysteries. This page is an example--I was almost certain we were going to break away to another plot/subplot! The plotting really holds the tension especially in this one-a-day format.
Even at almost three years in (!!) there still seem to be some people who don’t “get” the most basic point of ELSEWHEN: this is totally self-indulgent FUN.
I’m fully aware that what I’m doing here is not likely to have any effects at Marvel—tho it is not paranoia to note there are several people up there who wouldn’t hesitate to include scenes/moments/dialog intended deliberately to contradict what I’m doing here. That, in fact, is nothing new.
The notion that I’m using ELSEWHEN to “fix” things is absurd, of course. It’s perhaps even another reason this should never be published by Marvel. There are too many anal retentive fanboys who would start frothing at the mouth over such an “endorsement”.
I'm sorry if it seemed like I was assign those motives to you. You've made it very clear that was never your intent.
I was just venting spleen with MY personal opinion of how the official X-men comic from Marvel went into the absolute gutter after you left. It was painful to experience in real time, and it's why---after walking away from Marvel comics in the late 80's---ELSEWHEN has been such a revelation: that it wasn't me "growing out of comics", but instead most mainstream comics growing-off into a new direction I personally found less mature.
The fact is, the stories and style in which they are presented in ELSEWHERE are just plain good at any age.
(and inconsistent, self-indulgent, brooding, soap-opera "teen-age trash" is boring...again, as I see it)
JB - Today's page reminds me of a sidebar from an interview with you in the TCJ from decades ago (seriously, at least thirty-five years) where you discuss properly drawing breasts. When so much of female anatomical drawing in comics is either exaggerated for cheesecake effect or flat out reflecting a lack of knowledge, your overall command of anatomy is still pretty unique in the field.
Wow, there's a lot that could be said about that review AND the reaction to it here, but my true bewilderment comes from the reviewer omitting from his accolades about the series that it is delivered "page" by "page" on a daily basis, that there is a section where you can view fan-inked versions of past pages, and that the creator interacts with fans AS the work is being created and delivered about his inspirations and motivations.
This is TRUE social media. Anyone else doing anything remotely like that? Consistently? With this level of quality? Methinks not.
It seems to me that much of this recurrent nonsense springs from people who simply cannot comprehend the fact that anyone would NOT want to work for Marvel. It’s the ultimate dream of so many fans. If ELSEWHEN is not being published by Marvel, it can only be because Marvel doesn’t want it. Right?
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I do thank my lucky stars this project didn't end up getting published at Marvel. It would have probably stopped being fun for JB after around 10 issues having to deal with shenanigans and certain adherence to the MCU. I can see how that review is disheartening with its backhanded compliments - can't just enjoy stuff for being what it is anymore.
The virtual uniqueness of ELSEWHEN is one of the factors I suspect contributes in no small part to why so many people don’t “get it”. The pirate sites get a good turnover because some readers feel they are getting “something for nothing”, apparently not realizing that’s exactly what’s happening here. (Sadly, there also seem to be some who think they are shafting me by doing their viewing elsewhere.)
But the idea of this free-for-fun project is so alien to the marketplace as it has existed for several decades now, that many, it seems, CANNOT accept it for what it is. They feel compelled to seek out the pirate sites—especially the ones who announce they are presenting ELSEWHEN “free”.
I keep expecting someone else—tho I can’t imagine who—to start up something like this and be lauded for their brilliant innovation!
I think a lot of people can't comprehend that JB has probably made enough to live life as he wants at this stage (given he left X-Men around 40 years ago ...dang we are all old... I'm guessing Mr. Byrne must be around 'retirement' age) this lands under 'what the hell, I'm going to have fun instead of working for someone else'. Lucky for us he is a nice person who enjoys our feedback so we get this great forum plus free high quality comics.
In the modern 'greed is good' world where there are literally multiple people so rich they can build spaceships, the concept of someone doing something just for fun that he could sell for free blows peoples minds. Hopefully as JB says someone else will do this too and get lauded for it - so sad it can't be George Perez (both due to his great talent and due to the sad reason he can't) - but no shortage of others who I'd love to see do something like this. For a bit Dave Sim did "Cerebus in Hell" for free online but I think that stopped (It was odd, I enjoyed it for a bit but lost interest before he did) and afaik there was no forum with it.
As to todays page it makes perfect sense who the current Phoenix is. I should've seen it coming but didn't which I love (where is the fun if I can predict it). Looking forward to the repercussions next week.
I am old enough, and have been "on-line" (@300 baud) long enough, to remember what national communication-via-computers looked like before it got monetized.
Without a doubt, it was a far, far better place. Hobbyists are by-and-large wonderful people in exactly the way profiteers and predators aren't.
Thank you again Mr. Byrne for being such a decent (and talented!) human being. Buscema got his facts-of-life completely backwards when he called you a schmuck. :)
I've pretty much given up on humanity as a whole since it seems that most people who have the opportunity to choose wrong over right opt for the former over the latter. And that's as true for a self-styled reviewer of comics as it is for a policeman, politician or pundit.
*This does not include kids, who still have the potential for greatness despite the mess the world is in now.
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