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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133854
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 8:32am | IP Logged | 1
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I’ve mentioned before getting into a stern confrontation with a fan at MidOhioCon who insisted I was a millionaire entirely because of my work on X-MEN. He would not be convinced that during my tenure sales were low, there were no royalties, and even if there had been the cover price was 35¢. My share would have been 2% after the first 100,000 sales. (Sadly, Dave Cockrum seemed to share this misconception. I saw a print interview in which Dave, a diabetic, said he wished he had my money, and I had his feet. Cruelly misplaced anger, since the money he referred to had started to come in years after I left X-MEN.)
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Steven Queen
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 February 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 955
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:13am | IP Logged | 2
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Poor guy...and yes, a sad case of 'grass is greener'.
Still, if there is any justice in this world, I sincerely hope you are living comfortably, surrounded by friends, and at have least reaped (and saved) some reward from your all efforts and notoriety.
It's especially sad to think of anyone who has brought a measure of joy to the world struggling to get by---Dave included. Many artist (musicians especially) seem prone to this cruel twist of fate.
I must add, it's been a rare privileged to communicate to you, after all this time, how much I love and respect your work. Thanks again.
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Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 31387
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:14am | IP Logged | 3
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So, in that scenario, if UXM was selling 135,000, you would've made an
additional $245 on royalties.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133854
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:17am | IP Logged | 4
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It's especially sad to think of anyone who has brought a measure of joy to the world struggling to get by---Dave included. •• Bring that up the next time a piece of Dave's X-MEN art sells for a mountain of cash, and someone dares suggest his estate should maybe get a piece of it. Or that any artist should receive a share of subsequent sales.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133854
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:18am | IP Logged | 5
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So, in that scenario, if UXM was selling 135,000, you would've made an additional $245 on royalties.•• As Jim Lee said when I told him this, "But those were 1970s dollars!"
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Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 31387
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:18am | IP Logged | 6
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I love seeing Peter steadying himself on Logan.
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Steven Queen
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 February 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 955
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:22am | IP Logged | 7
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Just did the math, assuming they sold 1/4 of a million issues each month...you'd get a whooping $1050. over a year, you'd be making something like $6/hour...or about 2-3 times minimum wage.
Millions? I hope you invested in the stock market at an early age. :)
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133854
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:24am | IP Logged | 8
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…assuming they sold 1/4 of a million issues each month…•• Which they didn't. 135,000 was more typical.
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Eric Sofer
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 31 January 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 4789
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:27am | IP Logged | 9
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ITEM: Y'know, I hear tell that Mr. Byrne worked on OTHER features, and that he was okay. His whole employment hasn't been X-Men. Don't force him into that slot... he's been good on some other comics. One might super and fantastic, ad even a wonder!
ITEM: I keep reading so many people loved that Guardian cameo (and count me in!) But I've seen no comment that Shaman was in that panel as well. That's why I called it Alpha Flight cameo instead of Guardian cameo. (Maybe even Northstar or Aurora, and they just left their speedlines at home...(
ITEM: I feel that every time, I have to compliment Mr. Byrne again. I keep being sandbagged by a new element of wonder in this book. And no, I've come to the conclusion that it does not need color... and that color would likely hurt it. Except maybe that FF pin up... :D :D :D
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133854
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:34am | IP Logged | 10
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For those who really want the math, at the time I quit X-MEN I think I was getting around $50 per page for pencils.* The page count had recently been increased from 17 to 22, so that was about $1100 per issue.Amusingly, when Marvel started reprinting all this stuff, the reprint royalties were actually MORE than my original page rate payment! _______________________ * Shooter had called me to inform me of my latest raise, and that this meant I was getting the highest page rate at Marvel, "except for John Buscema. He has it in his contract that whatever anybody else gets, he will always get more." "I have no problem at all with that," I said. "Just don't tell me I'm getting the highest rate if I'm not."
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James Johnson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 March 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2180
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:42am | IP Logged | 11
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Hmmmmm...... I noticed that the Beast is in the bottom panel.
When did he return?
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Darren Taylor
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 22 April 2004
Location: Scotland
Posts: 6022
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| Posted: 23 April 2020 at 9:42am | IP Logged | 12
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I know that this issue has not yet concluded. It does seem that we have victoriously fought our way through to the conclusion of the whole Sentinel's arc and it has been fabulous.
Again, this is something that is unlikely to have emerged, published, as intended. Even in the writing of this, an Editor would likely have shortened the timeline, "let's do it in five rather than 10." Then things wouldn't have felt so relentless*. No breaks for the X-Men, even here in their moment of triumph things appear to steer their attention onwards.
Such a marvelous example of an Artist doing what they love. Thanks, JB.
* With fewer pages to tell the story it would jump around more, so we would feel like we were missing time, in-between scenes. Right now, we can -see- that time and also see that the X-men are just getting out of the fire in time to land in the frying pan.
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