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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135206
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          Uncanny X-Men Annual #11 (1987) opened with Wolverine walking back to the X-mansion, drunk. Chris Claremont and Alan Davis.
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:22am | IP Logged | 1 | post reply |  
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 |  •• Ah, well, I was long gone!
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          You know, I don't think there's been much that connected the blue-furred Beast to the big kid in the X-Men. Some people probably know but the public at large might not be too familiar.
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:23am | IP Logged | 2 | post reply |  
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 I guess I'd compare it to a TV show from a couple of years ago, suddenly someone shows up in a different show with a different face... but the same name. It... might be the same person? | 
       
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135206
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          I still think the blue Beast was a mistake.  Fun to draw, even fun to write, but we lost the real Hank--especially once the decision was made for him to deliberately change his personality!!
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:36am | IP Logged | 3 | post reply |  
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        | Ted Downum Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 21 April 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 2419
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          Amazing page today!
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:40am | IP Logged | 4 | post reply |  
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 The kids are a great addition to the cast. (Alterna-Hank would not agree.)  | 
       
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        | Richard Palmgren Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 31 May 2009
 Location: United States
 Posts: 328
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          I still think the blue Beast was a mistake. ..
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:49am | IP Logged | 5 | post reply |  
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 |  -------------------------------------------------------- 
 Was there ever the thought at any level in Marvel or during your time on the book to turn him back? | 
       
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        | Jim Petersman Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 26 June 2012
 Location: United States
 Posts: 681
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          Ah, the ELSEWHEN experiment finally makes sense. It's all to introduce the spinoff JAHF & THE NEW MUTANTS!
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:53am | IP Logged | 6 | post reply |  
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 I'm in!! | 
       
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135206
 | 
          I still think the blue Beast was a mistake. ..
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:54am | IP Logged | 7 | post reply |  
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 |  -------------------------------------------------------- Was there ever the thought at any level in Marvel or during your time on the book to turn him back? •• He was turned back, briefly, in X-FACTOR.  Unfortunately, he'd been blue and furry longer than he'd been otherwise, so the fans saw the change as unwelcome.
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          JB: I still think the blue Beast was a mistake. Fun to draw, even fun to write, but we lost the real Hank--especially once the decision was made for him to deliberately change his personality!!
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:54am | IP Logged | 8 | post reply |  
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 *** 
 I never knew the non-furry Beast until well after I'd become familiar with the "new edition." Having had a chance to compare the two, I'm in agreement-- it might have been better to create a new character. I suppose they were thinking "Well, we got this guy sitting around from a defunct book, doing nothing--why don't we just slap some fur on him?" 
 Not a great creative decision but if they weren't going to revive the X-Men, maybe it makes some sense. But I also don't get why his personality changed so much either. Seriously- new character! | 
       
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135206
 | 
          Ah, the ELSEWHEN experiment finally makes sense. It's all to introduce the spinoff JAHF & THE NEW MUTANTS!
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:55am | IP Logged | 9 | post reply |  
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 |  •• Dagnabbit, I thought I'd hidden those clues!!
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        | Eric Sofer Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 31 January 2014
 Location: United States
 Posts: 4759
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          ITEM: I recall no association between blue Hank and "shorn" Hank. But then, I dunno if there was a common knowledge that Ben Grimm really was the Thing. And for a long time, Bruce Banner and the Hulk were believed to be separate. I would speculate that two heroes called the Beast with the same powers might be readily identifiable... but not broadcast as common knowledge.
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 9:57am | IP Logged | 10 | post reply |  
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 ITEM: Hank WAS changed back during the run of X-Factor... whereupon they made him even super stronger and turned him into a retard (please pardon the word, but it's just perfectly descriptive to me.) Bad choice upon bad choice... 
 ITEM: The M-Man Beast seems to be cultured and polite - but still beastly. Mr. Byrne, you are the BEST! And in response, Hank will slip on his claws... with Wolverine riiight there... :D :D :D  | 
       
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        | Jonathan Kaye Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 12 September 2008
 Posts: 127
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           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 10:34am | IP Logged | 11 | post reply |  
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| John Byrne wrote: 
 
    
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       | And like Alexander. . . . . |  |  |  
 Perhaps alt-Magneto and crew started this trip desirous like that Alexander* ... but it's turning into the "the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" of his kid-lit namesake.
 
 
 |  | *I had to look up that very apt quote -- "other worlds" indeed!  One thing I've always loved about following JB and his work is that I'm constantly learning new things. | 
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        | Ted Pugliese Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 05 December 2005
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7982
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          John, shame on me if I should know this or if I forgot,
           | Posted: 18 February 2021 at 10:34am | IP Logged | 12 | post reply |  
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 |  but were you approached or considered for X-Factor when
 it was first released?  Were you interested?  What were
 you thoughts, if you can recall or share?
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