| John Byrne | |
|---|---|
 Byrne at theNew York Comic Con, 2017 | |
| Born | John Lindley Byrne (1950-07-06)July 6, 1950 (age 75) Walsall, Staffordshire, England |
| Area | Writer,Penciller,Inker,Letterer |
Notable works | |
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| www | |
John Lindley Byrne (/bɜːrn/; born July 6, 1950) is a British-born American[1] comic book writer and artist ofsuperhero comics. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on many major superheroes; with noted work onMarvel Comics'sX-Men andFantastic Four. Byrne also facilitated the 1986 relaunch ofDC Comics'sSuperman franchise with thelimited seriesThe Man of Steel, the first issue of which featured the comics' firstvariant cover.
Coming into the comics profession as apenciller,inker,letterer, and writer on his earliest work, Byrne began co-plotting theX-Men comics during his tenure on them, forstory arcs including "Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past", and co-creating characters such asKitty Pryde,Emma Frost,Sabretooth,Shadow King, andRachel Summers. Byrne launched his writing career in earnest withFantastic Four, also serving as penciler and inker, and addedShe-Hulk onto the team while writing a solo series forThe Thing. While working onX-Men, he created the Canadian superhero teamAlpha Flight, and later wrote and drew their own series.
Moving to DC, Byrne established the modern origin for Superman inThe Man of Steel before writing and drawing two monthly titles and various miniseries for the character. Byrne then returned to Marvel, introducing theGreat Lakes Avengers, and wrote and drew the humorous fourth wall-breaking seriesThe Sensational She-Hulk. RevisitingX-Men as a writer, Byrne co-createdBishop andOmega Red. Byrne was the writer and artist of theWonder Woman series for three years, during which he created the secondWonder Girl,Cassie Sandsmark.
During the 1990s he produced a number ofcreator-owned works, includingNext Men andDanger Unlimited, and was one of the founders of theLegend imprint atDark Horse Comics. He scripted the first issues ofMike Mignola'sHellboy series and produced severalStar Trek comics forIDW Publishing. In 2010, Byrne revivedNext Men to conclude the series. Hailed as one of the most prolific and influential comic book artists ever, Byrne and his X-Men collaboratorChris Claremont were entered into theWill Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2015.
Byrne was born on July 6, 1950[2] inWalsall,Staffordshire, and raised inWest Bromwich, also in Staffordshire,[3] where he lived with his parents, Frank and Nelsie, and his maternal grandmother.[4] He was an only child. His father was a town planner and his mother was a homemaker.[5] While living in England, prior to his family emigrating to Canada when Byrne was 8, he was first exposed to comics, saying in 2005,
[M]y 'journey into comics' began with [star]George Reeves'[Adventures of] Superman series being shown on theBBC in England when I was about 6 years old. Not long after I started watching that series I saw one of the hardcover, black and white 'Annuals' that were being published over there at the time, and soon after found a copy of an Australian reprint calledSuper Comics that featured a story each ofSuperboy,Johnny Quick andBatman. The Batman story hooked me for life. A couple of years later my family emigrated to Canada (for the second time, no less!) and I discovered the vast array of American comics available at the time.[6]
His first encounter withMarvel Comics was in 1962 withStan Lee andJack Kirby'sFantastic Four #5.[7] He later commented that "the book had an 'edge' like nothing DC was putting out at the time".[8] Jack Kirby's work, in particular, had a strong influence on Byrne and he has worked with many of the characters Kirby created or co-created. Besides Kirby, Byrne was influenced by thenaturalistic style ofNeal Adams.[9] Byrne has named comic books,The Lord of the Rings, andStar Trek: The Original Series as his greatest influences.[10]
Despite drawing comics as a youth, Byrne intended to have a career as acommercial artist.[11] In 1970, Byrne enrolled at theAlberta College of Art and Design inCalgary. He created the superhero parodyGay Guy for the college newspaper, which poked fun at the campus stereotype of homosexuality among art students.[12]Gay Guy is notable for featuring the first gay superhero.[13] While there, he published his first comic book,ACA Comix #1, featuring "The Death's Head Knight".[14]
Byrne left the college in 1973 without graduating. Before finding success with comic books, Byrne spent three years designing billboards for an advertisement company.[15] He broke into comics with a "Fan Art Gallery" piece in Marvel's promotional publicationFOOM in early 1974[16] and by illustrating a two-page story by writerAl Hewetson inSkywald Publications' black-and-whitehorror magazineNightmare #20 (Aug. 1974).[17] He then began freelancing forCharlton Comics, making his color-comics debut with theE-Man backup feature "Rog-2000", starring a robot character he'd created in the mid-1970s that colleaguesRoger Stern andBob Layton named and began using for spot illustrations in theirfanzineCPL (Contemporary Pictorial Literature). A Rog-2000 story written by Stern, with art by Byrne and Layton, had gotten the attention of Charlton Comics editorNicola Cuti, who extended Byrne an invitation. Written by Cuti, "Rog-2000" became one of several alternating backup features in the Charlton Comicssuperhero seriesE-Man, starting with the eight-page "That Was No Lady" in issue #6 (Jan. 1975). While that was Byrne's first published color-comics work, "My first professional comic book sale was to Marvel, a short story called Dark Asylum' ... which languished in a flat file somewhere until it was used as filler inGiant-Size Dracula #5 [(June 1975)], long after the first Rog story."[18] The story was plotted byTony Isabella and written byDavid Anthony Kraft.[19]
After the Rog-2000 story, Byrne went on to work on the Charlton booksWheelie and the Chopper Bunch,Space: 1999, andEmergency!, and co-created with writerJoe Gill thepost-apocalyptic science-fiction seriesDoomsday + 1.[20] Byrne additionally drew a cover for the supernatural anthologyThe Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #54 (Dec. 1975).[17]
Byrne said he broke into Marvel comics after writerChris Claremont
...saw [his Charlton] work and began agitating for [him] to draw something he had written. When [artist]Pat Broderick missed a deadline on the 'Iron Fist' series inMarvel Premiere, [production manager]John Verpoorten fired him and offered the book to [Byrne]. ... [Byrne] turned around the first script in time to meet the deadline, and so started getting more work from Marvel, until [he] was able to leave Charlton and focus entirely on the Marvel stuff."[21]
Byrne soon went on to draw series includingTheChampions (#12–15, 17 1977–78)[22] andMarvel Team-Up (#53–55, 59–70, 75, 79, 100).[23] Byrne first drew theX-Men inMarvel Team-Up #53.[24] For many issues, he was paired with Claremont, with whom he teamed for issue #11 of the black-and-white Marvel magazineMarvel Preview featuringStar-Lord. The Star-Lord story was inked byTerry Austin and lettered byTom Orzechowski, both of whom soon afterward teamed with Claremont and Byrne onUncannyX-Men.[25]
Byrne joined Claremont beginning withX-Men #108 (Dec. 1977), which was later renamedThe Uncanny X-Men with issue #114.[26] Their work together, along with inker Terry Austin, on such classicstory arcs as "Proteus", "Dark Phoenix Saga", and "Days of Future Past" would make them both fan favorites.[27] Byrne insisted that the title keep its Canadian character,Wolverine, and contributed a series of story elements to justify Wolverine's presence which eventually made the character among the most popular in Marvel's publishing history. With issue #114, Byrne began co-plotting the series as well as penciling. Claremont recounted that "at that point in time John and I were, in a very real sense, true collaborators on the book. It was with very few exceptions, difficult, for me, anyway, to tell in the actual gestation of the book where one of us left off and the other began – because it involved one of us coming up with an idea and bouncing it off the other ..."[28] The "Dark Phoenix Saga" in 1980 is one of the most notable stories in the title's history.[29][30] Comics writers and historiansRoy Thomas andPeter Sanderson observed that "'The Dark Phoenix Saga' is to Claremont and Byrne what the 'Galactus Trilogy' is to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It is a landmark in Marvel history, showcasing its creators' work at the height of their abilities."[31] Byrne has repeatedly compared his working relationship with Claremont toGilbert and Sullivan, and has said that they were "almost constantly at war over who the characters were."[32] Byrne created the charactersAlpha Flight,[33]Proteus,[34] andKitty Pryde/Shadowcat[35][36] during his run onThe X-Men. A new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led byMystique, was introduced in the "Days of Future Past" storyline (#141–142, Jan.-Feb. 1981) in which a time-travelling Kitty Pryde tried to avert a dystopian future caused by the Brotherhood assassinating Presidential candidate SenatorRobert Kelly.[37] Byrne plotted the story because he wanted to depict the Sentinels as a genuine threat to the existence of the mutant race.[38] Byrne leftThe X-Men with #143 (March 1981). During his tenure on the series,The X-Men was promoted from a bimonthly to a monthly publication schedule as sales steadily increased—a trend that continued long after Byrne left.[39]
In the late 1970s, while serving as the regular penciller ofX-Men, Byrne began penciling another superhero team title,The Avengers. Working for the most part with writerDavid Michelinie, he drew issues #164–166 and 181–191.[40] Byrne and Michelinie co-createdScott Lang inAvengers #181 (March 1979).[41][42] Byrne's nine-issue run ofCaptain America, issues #247–255 (July 1980 – March 1981), with writerRoger Stern, included issue #250, in which the character mulled running for the office ofPresident of the United States.[43]
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Byrne's post-X-Men body of work at Marvel includes his five-year run onFantastic Four (#232–295, July 1981 – October 1986), which is generally considered a "second golden age" for the title.[44] Byrne said his goal was to "turn the clock back ... get back and see fresh what it was that made the book great at its inception".[45][46] He made a number of changes during his tenure: TheThing was temporarily replaced as a member of the quartet by theShe-Hulk, while the Thing had adventures in his own comic (#1–22 also written by Byrne), and the Thing's longtime girlfriendAlicia Masters left him for his teammate theHuman Torch; the Invisible Girl was developed into the most powerful member with the heightened control of her refined powers and the self-confident assertiveness to use it epitomized by her name change to theInvisible Woman;[47] and headquarters theBaxter Building was destroyed and replaced withFour Freedoms Plaza. Byrne has cited multiple reasons for leaving the series, including "internal office politics"[8] and that "it simply started to get old".[48]
In 1983, while still at the helm ofFantastic Four, Byrne began to write and drawAlpha Flight, starring a Canadian superhero team that had been introduced "merely to survive a fight with the X-Men."[8] The series proved initially very popular, with its first issue selling over half a million copies,[49] and the following issues selling between 400,000 and 500,000 issues each month.[50] However, Byrne has said the title "was never much fun" and that he considered the characters two-dimensional.[8] One of Alpha Flight's characters,Northstar, eventually became Marvel's first openly gay superhero. Though Byrne from the beginning intended the character to be gay, Northstar's homosexuality was only hinted at during Byrne's tenure on the series.[51]
In 1983 Byrne co-wrote and penciled issues 1 and 2 ofThe Further Adventures of Indiana Jones, a two-part story arc titled "The Ikons of Ikammanen". The story involves archaeologist Edith Dunne, a former student-turned-enemy of Jones. Byrne wrote the first issue andDennis O'Neil wrote the second, while Byrne penciled both issues with Terry Austin as the inker.[52]
In 1985, after issue #28 ofAlpha Flight, Byrne swapped the series withBill Mantlo, writer ofThe Incredible Hulk. According to Byrne, he discussed his ideas with editor-in-chiefJim Shooter ahead of time, but once Byrne was on the title, Shooter objected to them.[8] Byrne wrote and drew issues #314–319. The final issue of Byrne's run featured the wedding of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross.[53]
In early 1980, Byrne did his first work for DC Comics, penciling the first issue ofThe Untold Legend of the Batmanminiseries.[54] Byrne had always wanted to drawBatman, and had a three-month window of time during which he was not under contract to Marvel. Hearing about theUntold Legend series, Byrne contacted editorPaul Levitz to express interest. DC took him up on his offer, but it was not until the second month of his three-month window that Byrne received the plot for the first issue. Byrne told Levitz that he would not be able to finish the project due to time constraints despite DC then allegedly offering Byrne double his Marvel pay rate, after initially saying they could not match his Marvel rate. Byrne penciled the first issue, which was inked byJim Aparo after being intended for Terry Austin. This experience soured Byrne on DC for quite some time.[55]
Near the end of his time at Marvel, Byrne was hired by DC Comics to revamp its flagship characterSuperman.[56] This was part of a company-wide restructuring of the history of theDC Universe and all of its characters following the limited seriesCrisis on Infinite Earths. Byrne's reworking of Superman in particular gained widespread media coverage outside the comic book industry, including articles inTime andThe New York Times.[57][58] At the time, Byrne said, "I'm taking Superman back to the basics ... It's basicallySiegel andShuster's Superman meets theFleischer Superman in 1986."[59]
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Byrne significantly reduced Superman's powers (though he was still one of the most powerful beings on Earth), eliminated theFortress of Solitude and super-dogKrypto, and keptJonathan and Martha Kent alive into Clark's adulthood to enjoy their adopted son's triumphs, as well as to provide him with support, grounding, and advice whenever he needed it. Byrne also usedMarv Wolfman's idea of makingLex Luthor a wealthy business owner in addition to a scientific genius with a deadly vendetta against the superhero.[60] Byrne did away with the childhood/teenage career asSuperboy; in his revamped history, Clark Kent does not put on a costume and become a super-hero until adulthood. This approach to Kent's path to becoming Superman was later used in the TV seriesLois & Clark andSmallville, and in the 2005 novelIt's Superman! byTom De Haven.[61]
In the Superman mythos, Byrne wrote Clark Kent as having a more aggressive and extroverted personality than previously depicted, comparing him toJimmy Breslin,[62] and even making him a top high-school football player. Byrne came up with explanations for how Superman's disguise works, such as the public simply does not realize that he has a secret identity since he is unmasked, that Superman would vibrate his face via his super speed in order to blur his image to photographers, and having Kent keep a weight training set around to explain how the human and presumably weaker Kent could have a frame as massive as Superman's.[59] Byrne described Superman as becoming a "SuperRepublican", seeking to incorporate renewed interest in American patriotism during the presidency ofRonald Reagan.[62] Byrne's Superman felt that his deepest roots were on Earth and that his home planet of "Krypton is anathema to him".[59]
The origin and early career of Byrne's version of Superman debuted in the six-issue miniseriesThe Man of Steel (July–Sept. 1986), the first issue of which was marketed with two different covers illustrated by Byrne, the first use ofvariant covers by the American comics industry.[63] DC Executive EditorDick Giordano had been looking for a writer to restart the Superman continuity from scratch, and began talking with Byrne in May 1985 to discuss what Byrne would do with Superman if offered the job.[64] With DC agreeing with 99% of the revision, Byrne was given the go-ahead for what becameThe Man of Steel.[56]
Comics historian Timothy Callahan argued that Superman in modern media has more in common with Byrne's portrayal of the character than those ofCary Bates,Elliot S. Maggin,Dennis O'Neil,Jerry Siegel, andEdmond Hamilton.[65] Brian Cronin ofComic Book Resources suggested that, although Byrne made several changes, Byrne's Superman was still more similar to previous depictions of the character than he was not.[66]
Byrne penciled the six-issue DC Universe crossover miniseriesLegends (Nov. 1986 – May 1987) during this time.[67] He wrote and drew two monthly Superman titles with the hero's present-day adventures: a newSuperman title beginning with issue #1 (January 1987)[68] andAction Comics, in which, beginning with issue #584, Superman teamed up with other DC characters. The originalSuperman book was renamedThe Adventures of Superman starting with issue #424 and was initially written byMarv Wolfman and drawn byJerry Ordway, but the writing chores were taken over by Byrne after a year from issues #436–442 and 444. As 1988 marked the 50th anniversary year of Superman's creation, Byrne did more Superman-related projects while working on the core Superman monthly titles at the same time: he wrote theprestige formatgraphic novel,Superman: The Earth Stealers and three separate four-issue miniseries:The World of Krypton,The World of Metropolis, andThe World of Smallville. He supplied the cover art for the March 14, 1988, issue ofTime magazine[69] and an interior spread featuring Superman, where his pencils were inked by Ordway.[70]
After his initial run on the Superman titles from 1986 to 1988, Byrne would make a return as a guest inker onAdventures of Superman Annual #2 (cover) andSuperman #50 in 1990. He would return doing a SupermanElseworlds story as a writer and artist inAction Comics Annual #6 in 1994. In 2004Superman: True Brit, anElseworlds story, was a collaboration with former Monty Python member John Cleese and Kim Johnson, with art by Byrne and inker Mark Farmer. Byrne returned to draw Superman inAction Comics #827–835, working with writerGail Simone, from 2005 to 2006.[17]
Byrne spent about two years on the Superman titles before leaving. His dissatisfaction stemmed from his perception that there was a lack of "conscious support" for him at DC. Furthering the rift between the company and the artist was the fact that the version of Superman which DC licensed for merchandising was contrary to Byrne's representation in the comic books.[8]
In 1986, Marvel began publication of a new line of superhero titles created by then-Editor-in-ChiefJim Shooter, which took place in a continuum removed from the Marvel Universe proper, called theNew Universe. In 1987, the New Universe line saw a revamp under new Editor-in-ChiefTom DeFalco, and Byrne took over writing and art breakdowns on the line's flagship title,Star Brand (renamedThe Star Brand during Byrne's term on the book). Byrne's run started with issue #11 and continued until the series' cancellation eight issues later upon Marvel's discontinuation of the New Universe line.[71][72]
In 1989, after leavingSuperman, Byrne returned to work on a number of titles for Marvel Comics. His work onWest Coast Avengers[73] (issues #42–57, soon renamedAvengers West Coast) was contingent on his being allowed to do what he called "my Vision story".[8] TheVision was a long-standing Marvel superhero and member ofThe Avengers, anandroid originally created by the villainUltron and constructed with the body of the originalHuman Torch. The Vision went on to join the team, marry his teammate theScarlet Witch, and father two children by her. Byrne radically changed this, revealing that Immortus – who previously had revealed to the Avengers the synthezoid's origin – lied about the Vision's creation. The android Human Torch was found and joined the WCA. The Vision was disassembled and stripped of his emotions. The couple's twins were revealed to be pieces of the soul of the demon Mephisto. In addition to these changes, Byrne's run is remembered for the introduction of theGreat Lakes Avengers, an eclectic group of new superheroes.[74]
DuringShe-Hulk's tenure with the Fantastic Four, she appeared inMarvel Graphic Novel #18 (Nov. 1985) in a story titledThe Sensational She-Hulk, which Byrne wrote and illustrated.[75]
On the request of editorMark Gruenwald, Byrne wrote and drew a new series in 1989,The Sensational She-Hulk (maintaining the 1985graphic novel's title). Gruenwald directed that it be significantly different from the character's previous series,The Savage She-Hulk.[76] Byrne's take was comedic and the She-Hulk, who was aware she was in a comic book, regularly broke thefourth wall, developing a love-hate relationship with her artist/writer by criticizing his storylines, drawing style, character development, etc.[77] Byrne left the book after writing and drawing the first eight issues. Byrne was asked for input on writerDwayne McDuffie'sShe-Hulk: Ceremony limited series, and according to Byrne, most of his objections to the story and notations of errors were ignored, and his editor,Bobbie Chase, "was rewriting my stuff to bring it into line with" the story inCeremony. Upon complaining to DeFalco, Byrne says he was fired from his series.[76] He later returned to write and draw issues #31–50 under new editorRenée Witterstaetter.[17]
Byrne started a new series,Namor, the Sub-Mariner in April 1990.[78] Byrne's take on the undersea antiheroNamor cast him as the head of a surface company, Oracle, Inc., in order to help keep the ocean unpolluted, and had Namor involved in corporate intrigue. After writing and drawing the book for 25 issues, Byrne told editorTerry Kavanagh that he was starting to feel constrained on the book and thought having a different artist might inspire him to a fresh approach.[79] Kavanagh suggested newcomerJae Lee, and Byrne continued strictly as the writer of the book up through issue #32. Byrne later said he has great fondness for the title character and was unhappy that circumstances forced him to leave the series.[79]
Byrne took over writingIron Man for issues #258–277 (July 1990-Feb. 1992), drawn byJohn Romita Jr. and later byPaul Ryan. Byrne launched a second "Armor Wars" story arc, restored theMandarin as a major Iron Man nemesis, and featured the 1950s "pre-superhero Marvel" monsterFin Fang Foom. During the course of his run, Byrne became the first writer toretcon Iron Man's origin, removing explicit ties to theVietnam War (while maintaining a Southeast Asia setting), and linkingWong-Chu, the man who captured Tony Stark, to the Mandarin.[80][81]
In the early 1990s, Byrne began creating a series of original, creator-owned works for publisherDark Horse Comics. This was during a general trend in the industry for established creators working for Marvel and DC to bring their original works to other publishers or create their own companies to publish the works themselves (one prominent example isImage Comics). A number of these creators, including Byrne,Frank Miller,Mike Mignola, andArt Adams, banded together to form theLegend imprint at Dark Horse.[82]
Byrne's first title for Dark Horse wasNext Men, a work he considered darker and more realistic than his previous work. The Next Men were five young people who were the product of a secret government experiment. Byrne said, "I thought I would see what I could do with superheroes in the 'real world' " and "[e]xplore the impact their existence would have."[8] Byrne's other Dark Horse titles wereBabe, andDanger Unlimited, an all-age readers book about a team of heroes in the future fighting an alien occupation of Earth.[83]
TheNext Men lasted until issue 30 in 1994, when Byrne ended the series, intending to return "in no more than six months." Byrne says he "did not count on...the virtual collapse of the whole comic book industry, which seemed to occur at just the time I putNext Men on the shelf...In the present, very depressed marketplace, I don't feelNext Men would have much chance, so I leave the book hibernating until such time as the market improves."[8]
IDW Publishing revivedJohn Byrne's Next Men in 2010 following a series of trade paperbacks that collected the first series. The original storyline that had a cliffhanger ending in 1995 was continued.[84][85]
In later years, Byrne has worked on titles for Marvel, DC, and other publishers, including the 1992prestige format graphic novelGreen Lantern: Ganthet's Tale with science fiction authorLarry Niven at DC. In 1989, Byrne wroteBatman #433–435 (May–July 1989)[86] and in the following year produced a3-D graphic novel with 3-D effects byRay Zone.[87] He returned to theX-Men franchise at Marvel from 1991 to 1992, succeeding longtime writer Chris Claremont, who left after 17 years working on the variousX-Men related titles. Byrne's return as the new writer was brief, as he only scriptedUncanny X-Men issues #281–285 and 288 with artistWhilce Portacio, andX-Men issues #4–5 with artistJim Lee.[17] In 1995, Byrne wrote and drew the Marvel/DCintercompany crossoverDarkseid vs.Galactus: The Hunger, which also featured theJack Kirby creations theSilver Surfer and theNew Gods.[88] In 1996, another Marvel/DCintercompany crossover -Batman/Captain America, one shot homage to Golden Age versions of both heroes.[17]
He wrote and drew another of DC's signature series, the long-runningWonder Woman, from 1995 to 1998. During that time, he elevated the super-heroine to the status of a goddess[89] who then ascended to Mount Olympus as the Goddess of Truth, and createdCassie Sandsmark, the newWonder Girl.[90] Byrne then spotlighted supporting characters such asQueen Hippolyta in their own adventures but restored the series'status quo in his last issue.[91] He additionally took overNew Gods vol. 4 at the end of 1996, as writer-artist of issues #12–15, continuing with it as the series was rebooted with a new #1 asJack Kirby's Fourth World. That ran 20 issues from 1997 to 1998. During his tenure on theNew Gods, Byrne was writer of the four-issue miniseries crossoverGenesis, a storyline published weekly by DC Comics in August 1997. The series was drawn byRon Wagner andJoe Rubinstein.[17] Byrne wrote a Wonder Woman prose novel,Wonder Woman: Gods and Goddesses (1997).[92]
In the seriesSpider-Man: Chapter One, Byrne retold some ofSpider-Man's earliest adventures, changing some key aspects.[93] In late 1998, Byrne became writer of the flagship seriesThe Amazing Spider-Man at the end of the series with issue #440, by which time Marvel had decided to relaunch the book. The "last" issue ofThe Amazing Spider-Man was #441 (November 1998), with Marvel re-initiating the series with a new volume 2, issue #1 (Jan. 1999) withHoward Mackie as writer and Byrne on pencils.[94] Byrne penciled issues #1–18 (from 1999 to 2000) and wrote #13–14. In 1999, Byrne, working with artistRon Garney, wrote the first seven issues of a newHulk series,[95] as well as thesummer annual.[96]
From 1999 to 2001, Byrne returned to the X-Men to write and drawX-Men: The Hidden Years[97] which ran for 22 issues. Byrne explained the title's cancellation by saying, "I was officially informed yesterday that, despite the fact that they are still profitable, several 'redundant' X-Titles are being axed." This disagreement factored in his decision to no longer work for Marvel Comics.[98]
LikeX-Men: The Hidden Years, some other works of this period involved characters and events in time periods other than the present and, in some cases, considered "skipped over" (Marvel: The Lost Generation), or alternate timelines (DC'sSuperman & Batman: Generations);[99] a feature some of these have in common is to have characters who actually age during the course of the series, which is uncommon for characters in ongoing comics.[100]
In early 2003, Byrne spent ten weeks as a guest penciler on the syndicatednewspaper stripFunky Winkerbean. Byrne did this as a favor forWinkerbean's creator,Tom Batiuk, who was recovering from foot surgery.[101] He would later become the final person to drawFunky Winkerbean, taking over illustration duties from artist Chuck Ayers for the strip's concluding week, ending on December 31, 2022.[102]
Most of his work in the first decade of the new millennium was forDC Comics:JLA (issues #94–99 in 2004, co-writing and illustrating the "Tenth Circle" story arc, reuniting with hisUncanny X-Men writerChris Claremont and withJerry Ordway as inker),Doom Patrol,Blood of the Demon, a five-issue arc ofJLA Classified. He penciled an issue ofHawkman (vol. 4) #26 in May 2004.Superman: True Brit was a collaboration with formerMonty Python memberJohn Cleese and Kim Johnson, with art by Byrne and inkerMark Farmer.[103] Byrne returned to draw Superman inAction Comics #827–835, working with writerGail Simone, from 2005 to 2006. Afterward, Simone and Byrne reteamed to launchThe All-New Atom series in 2006, with Byrne pencilling the first three issues.[17]
For publisher IDW, Byrne worked on the superhero seriesFX #1–6, written by Wayne Osborne, starting with the March 2008 issue.[104] His other projects for the publisher include stories for theStar Trek andAngel franchises. Byrne'sStar Trek work included the final issue of the miniseriesStar Trek: Alien Spotlight (February 2008);Star Trek: Assignment: Earth #1–5;Star Trek: Romulans #1–2,Star Trek: Crew (aChristopher Pike-era comic book focusing on the character of "Number One") started in March 2009; the final chapter of his Romulans story, a four-issue miniseries,Star Trek:Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor, set beforeStar Trek: The Motion Picture, and the secondAssignment: Earth series. His work onAngel includedAngel: Blood and Trenches (set during World War I); anAngel vs Frankenstein one-shot; and anAndy Hallett tribute,Angel: Music of the Spheres andAngel vs Frankenstein II in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively.[17]
In 2011, he worked onJurassic Park: The Devils in the Desert, andCold War (The Michael Swann Dossier). He revived hisNext Men series in 2010–2011, with the sequel seriesAftermath. Other work for IDW includes the 2012 miniseriesTrio and the 2013 miniseriesThe High Ways andDoomsday.1.[105]
In 2018, Byrne beganX-Men Elsewhen, a fan-fiction comic book exploring how he would've continued the story of theX-Men after "The Dark Phoenix Saga".[106] The series, written and pencilled by Byrne and published on his website, has 32 issues as of December 2022.[107] DuringSan Diego Comic-Con 2025, it was announced thatAbrams ComicArts' Marvel line would publishX-Men Elsewhen as a series of hardcovers beginning in April 2026.[108]
Over the years, Byrne has gained a reputation as a controversial figure within the community of comic book pros and fans. He has himself noted that "as the people who have figured me out have said, I just don't suffer fools gladly."[109]Gail Simone, who worked with Byrne onThe All New Atom in 2006, described Byrne as "very opinionated; a lot of artists are opinionated, and I'm okay with that. Actually, I think John Byrne is brilliant and his forceful personality is part of that."[110]
In 1981,Jack Kirby began speaking publicly about his belief that he had been deprived of fair credit and money while creating the majority of Marvel's top characters. Byrne wrote an editorial declaring himself "proud" to be a "company man", and arguing that all creators should "live within the rules while they're around."Steve Gerber and Kirby lampooned Byrne's position inDestroyer Duck, drawing him as a character called Booster Cogburn, possessing no genitals, a removable spine, and existing only to serve as a cog in the mammoth corporation that owned him.[111] Byrne later made a story inAction Comics #592–593 whereBig Barda (who is based on Kirby's wife Roz) is brainwashed and almost forced to make a pornographic video with Superman.[112]Erik Larsen created a villain in the 1990s for hisSavage Dragon and theFreak Force series, Johnny Redbeard / the Creator, who is a parody of Byrne; a massive cranium with atrophied appendages, he can bestow superpowers indiscriminately.[113]
Regarding the ownership rights forSuperman, Byrne has stated: "And I've always been terribly pragmatic about that kind of stuff. This is where my low BS threshold touched on in the sense that I looked at the story ofSiegel andShuster, for example, and I said, well, that's kind of sad that they created this huge, iconic character and didn't make a hundredbajillion dollars for it. But that's also what the situation was; that was the deal. And everybody understood that was the deal. They weren't cheated. They knew what it was going in."[114] In a 2006 interview, Byrne further elaborated on hiscreator's rights views:
I feel myself to be a company man. When the company is worth supporting, I'll support the company. If the company's honest with me up front, I support the company. I see no reason not to. And I was always campaigning for creator's rights. I was always out there saying, yeah, it would be a good idea if things changed. But too many of my contemporaries—I'm not going to name names here—but too many of my contemporaries sort of had the attitude of, "Well, I know that this is the way the industry has always been run, but surely that doesn't apply tome." And I would say, "Well, yes, it does. It applies to everybody. So we're going to have to change the rules foreverybody, not just say 'Well, this shouldn't apply to me because I'm so special.'"[115]
In 1982, during a panel discussion at theDallas Fantasy Fair, Byrne made disparaging comments about longtime comics writer and one-time Marvel Comics editor-in-chiefRoy Thomas that were published inThe Comics Journal #75 (Sept. 1982). Thomas threatened aslander suit if Byrne did not apologize. In a letter printed inThe Comics Journal #82 (July 1983), Byrne retracted his statements, saying he was only repeating information from others, writing, "I acted only in the office of a parrot."[116]
In 2005, while criticizing portrayals of Superman emphasizing his connection to his home planet, Byrne described immigrants with excessive attachment to their nations of origin as "ungrateful little shits."[117] Similar views were earlier expressed in Byrne'sThe Man of Steel (1986), in which Superman was not considered born until after his Kryptonian artificial matrix opened after landing inKansas, thus making him an American citizen by birth. The miniseries ends with Superman declaring, "Krypton bred me, but it was Earth that gave me all I am. All that matters."[118]
In 2015, Byrne received criticism for stating thattransgender people are mentally ill and comparing them topedophiles while discussingCaitlyn Jenner. Byrne stated: "How will we feel about all those people who, instead of actually helping them, we encouraged in a program of self-mutilation?"[119]
Byrne has himself called his style a "collection of influences". He citesNeal Adams,Jack Kirby,John Buscema, andSteve Ditko as primary influences on his style, but continues to pick up on ideas that he sees and likes while constantly changing his tools and methods.[9]
Byrne iscolor blind for a narrow range of green and brown tones. During the first year that Byrne illustratedIron Fist, he believed that the protagonist's costume was brown.[120] While he experimented with his own hand-drawnlettering in the early 1980s, he developedcomputer fonts for his work in the 1990s, one in particular based on the handwriting of the lettererJack Morelli.[121]
Byrne became anaturalized American citizen in 1988. He was previously a citizen of the UK and Canada, but no longer holds citizenship for those countries.[1][122]
He was married to photographer and actress Andrea Braun Byrne[123] until divorcing. They met at a convention inChicago.[124] Braun's son from a previous marriage is fellow professional comic book artistKieron Dwyer,[125] and Byrne became Dwyer's stepfather when the boy was 13 until Byrne divorced his mother. They only lived together for a short time as the young Dwyer soon moved to Los Angeles to live with his father. Byrne encouraged Dwyer's aspirations to be a cartoonist and assisted in landing Dwyer's first professional job drawingBatman #413 (Nov. 1987).[124][125]
Byrne described his political views as centre-right, "There's a political party—or used to be—up in Canada called theProgressive Conservatives. And I always liked the sound of that name. I liked what that imparted, that sort of 'let us go forward carefully' notion. So that's sort of how I've always thought of myself, as a progressive conservative."[126]
Byrne has never done drugs and only drinks alcohol very sparingly.[126]
Since 2015, Byrne no longer attends any conventions regularly and makes rare public appearances.[127] He made an appearance at the 2018Fan Expo Boston, where he spoke at two events, both titled "Spotlight on John Byrne" on August 11 and 12,[128] and an autograph signing withWilliam Shatner.[129]
Byrne received the Favourite Comic Book ArtistEagle Awards in 1978 and 1979,[130] and a 1980Inkpot Award.[131] In 2008, Byrne was inducted into theCanadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame.[132] In 2015, Byrne was inducted into theWill Eisner Hall of Fame, alongside judges' choicesMarge (Marjorie Henderson Buell) andBill Woggon and elected inductees Chris Claremont,Denis Kitchen, andFrank Miller.[133]
I've been a citizen of three different countries. I was born in England, so I got that one the easy way. When I was 14, my parents became Canadian citizens, and I floated in with them. Then, in 1988, after having lived in this country the prerequisite number of years, I became an American citizen. In full. I do not hold dual citizenship. I do not hyphenate myself.
I lived in Walsall for the first 2.5 days of my life. I am a West Bromwich lad!!!
FF5 blew me away on a lot of levels. It was – again, something I would learn later – the first collaboration between Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott, for instance. The artwork is truly superb. Plus, with the combination of art and writing, the book had an "edge" like nothing DC was putting out at the time.
A double-page spread fromMarvel Team-Up #53, January 1977, [gave] John Byrne his first opportunity to draw the Uncanny X-Men in a Marvel comic.
When 'new'X-Men co-creator Dave Cockrum left the series, John Byrne took over as penciler and co-plotter. In his first issue, Byrne and writer Chris Claremont wound up the Shi'ar story arc."
The controversial story created a sensation andThe X-Men became the comic book to watch.
[W]ould readers have enjoyed the Claremont/Byrne years onUncanny X-Men had they known that Claremont and Byrne were spinning around in a kind of Gilbert & Sullivan relationship, almost constantly at war over who the characters were?
It simply started to get old, and, around the same time, things in the office got dicey, and I used that as an excuse to leave.
Written by Len Wein, with art by John Byrne and Jim Aparo,The Untold Legend of the Batman...delved into the origin of the fabled Dark Knight.
Writer John Byrne teamed with artist Jim Aparo for this three-issue arc.
John Byrne briefly updated Spider-Man's origin for a new generation of readers in December [1998].
I was officially informed yesterday that, despite the fact that they are still profitable, several 'redundant' X-Titles are being axed."
When some recent foot surgery among other things caused us to get a little behind in our schedule, I asked John Byrne, one of the top comic book artists in the business today and an artist whose work I've long admired, to step in and do a guest shot sharing the art duties with my Funky characters for a few weeks.
My color-blindness affects only a narrow range of green and brown tones, which I tend to reverse. As Roger Stern delights in pointing out, I drew my first half dozen issues ofIron Fist thinking his costume was brown.
| Preceded by | Marvel Team-Up artist 1977–1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Uncanny X-Men artist 1977–1981 | Succeeded by Dave Cockrum |
| Preceded by | The Avengers artist 1979–1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Sal Buscema | Fantastic Four artist 1979–1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Captain America writer 1980 (with Roger Stern) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Fantastic Four writer and artist 1981–1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by n/a | Alpha Flight writer and artist 1983–1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | The Incredible Hulk writer and artist 1985–1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Action Comics writer and artist 1987–1988 | Succeeded by multiple |
| Preceded by n/a | Superman vol. 2 writer and artist 1987–1988 | Succeeded by Roger Stern (writer), Mike Mignola (artist) |
| Preceded by | The Adventures of Superman co-writer (with Jerry Ordway) 1988 | Succeeded by Jerry Ordway |
| Preceded by | West Coast Avengers/ Avengers West Coast writer and artist 1989–1990 | Succeeded by Fabian Nicieza (writer) Tom Morgan (artist) |
| Preceded by Ralph Macchio | The Avengers writer 1989–1990 | Succeeded by Fabian Nicieza |
| Preceded by n/a | Namor the Sub-Mariner writer and artist 1990–1992 as writer; 1990–1991 as artist | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Iron Man writer 1990–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Uncanny X-Men writer 1991–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Louise Simonson (writer), Tom Morgan (penciller) | The Sensational She-Hulk writer and artist 1991–1993 | Succeeded by Scott Benson (writer), Tom Morgan (penciller) |
| Preceded by Chris Claremont | X-Men (vol. 2) writer 1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Wonder Woman writer 1995–1998 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by n/a | The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 artist 1999–2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | The Incredible Hulk writer 1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Spider-Woman writer 1999–2000 | Succeeded by |