Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login
The John Byrne Forum
Byrne Robotics > The John Byrne Forum
Topic: Question for JB re cover vs interior art - which came first? Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message
Mike Davis
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 September 2021
Posts: 6
Posted: 30 November 2024 at 4:14pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply
Good morning JB, hope all is well.

A quick question for you if you have a moment...when you were writing and drawing FF and Man of Steel in the mid 80's - doing both the interior AND the cover art - would you typically draw (and possibly ink) the complete interiors and then draw (and possibly ink) the cover to that particular issue afterwards? I have always been curious as to what would come first. I have suspected that the cover art may come afterwards as the completed interior art may influence what would be appropriate for the cover art? Thanks in advance.
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133707
Posted: 30 November 2024 at 4:17pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply
It varied. Usually the interiors came first, but during my later years on FF, for instance, I often turned in the cover as my "plot", promising the editor the scene would be in the book!
Back to Top profile | search
 
Mike Davis
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 September 2021
Posts: 6
Posted: 30 November 2024 at 4:22pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply
Many thanks for the quick reply. Given that Man of Steel was after your FF run, do you have any recollection of doing that for those 6 issues or do you think the interiors came first for that work? Thanks again.
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133707
Posted: 30 November 2024 at 5:02pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply
No recollection!
Back to Top profile | search
 
Eric Jansen
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 October 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 2390
Posted: 30 November 2024 at 11:36pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply
I've always found it fascinating that DC used to do the covers first and then the editor would assign the writer to write a story around the cover!  I remember some stories would have very little to do with the cover image and sometimes it would be squeezed into the story awkwardly.  (I'm thinking about a few examples from THE FLASH.)

People like Cary Bates (who was still a kid) got his start simply by selling cover ideas!

On the other hand, over at Marvel, it seems that Stan Lee would switch out finished covers at the last minute for not being exciting enough.  I wonder if the interior art influenced those decisions.

It's neat that JB got to do it both ways!
Back to Top profile | search
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login