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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135180
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| Posted: 03 April 2022 at 11:41am | IP Logged | 1
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A “review” of sorts of STAR LORD. Unlike so many projects he and I worked on together, where the bulk of the credit is heaped on Chris, this one swings too far in the other direction. I was basically art robot on that book. Except for costume designs and architecture, I can’t recall anything I really brought to it. Certainly nothing to the story.
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Jim Petersman
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 26 June 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 681
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| Posted: 03 April 2022 at 5:05pm | IP Logged | 2
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For those that think JB takes too much credit for other stories/characters, I'd like to point out that this thread *could* impact JB on a financial level. He's publicly disavowing just about any interest in a character that makes a ton of money for Marvel/Disney. And he knew that before he posted this, I'm sure.
It serves to re-enforce that his intent is to make sure that credit is given appropriately. Much like when he would place the penciller's name before his in the credit box of the comic books.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135180
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| Posted: 03 April 2022 at 7:23pm | IP Logged | 3
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Neither Chris nor I had anything to do with the creation of Star Lord.
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Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 13031
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 6:04am | IP Logged | 4
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I can't help but feel a zing of nostalgia up my spine when I see JB of this vintage, especially inked by Mr. Austin.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 6:54am | IP Logged | 5
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Our first pairing, it was STAR LORD that led then E-i-C Archie Goodwin to start thinking about Terry and me as taking over X-MEN. And that led to a cascade of events which I would learn of in full only decades later. The bean-counters had determined that the only hope X-MEN had for any kind of future was if the book could be made a monthly. Which Archie knew Dave couldn’t handle. So Dave had to go—but first Archie needed a replacement team lined up. He began that quest by approaching Terry. If I could be gotten to pencil, Archie asked, would Terry be interested in inking? Terry said yes. Archie then called me up in Calgary and told me—well, not the truth. He told me Dave was leaving voluntarily, so the book could go monthly. Did I want to pencil? Of course I said yes—and was left to wonder in the years that followed why Dave’s formerly friendly attitude toward me had chilled. It wasn’t until about 12 years ago that I was chatting with Terry and something I said made him realize I did not know the real story—which he then told me.
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Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 13031
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 7:23am | IP Logged | 6
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Ah, the "wounds" we might never know...!
Tangent: JB, did you and Terry Austin ever clash while working on X-MEN?
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 7:32am | IP Logged | 7
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Clash? Nah.
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Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 31684
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 8:59am | IP Logged | 8
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That’s the first I’ve ever heard of those circumstances, JB. Don’t remember
if you’ve shared them before or not. It’s interesting to see/hear Chris’s
account. He basically says the same thing but doesn’t ever (that I’ve seen)
mention Dave was ousted. Just says he couldn’t do a monthly book. It’s
hard to believe they he, like you, wasn’t aware of the circumstances.
What’s also interesting is that after being monthly for a couple of years
under your pencil, Dave comes back and can now handle that schedule. Did
he work on his speed in the interim? I’ve always found that odd.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 9:29am | IP Logged | 9
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Dave’s return was not so fluid as you remember. It was wishful thinking—by all of us—that sadly didn’t last long.
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Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 July 2004
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Posts: 31684
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 9:47am | IP Logged | 10
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You’re correct, of course. He did 145-150 (with 150 being double-sized)
then had two issues off. Then 153-158 with two more issues off. Then 161-
164. He also did that issue of MARVEL FANFARE and that backup in the
GSXM 1 reprint. So, roughly 17 issues in a 2-year period.
How was it dealt with the second time? Was he asked to leave the book or
did he leave or his own volition?
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 2:01pm | IP Logged | 11
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I think reality caught up to Dave the second time. The hardest part, tho, must surely have been the endless stream of "bring back Byrne" letters.
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Mark Haslett
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Joined: 19 April 2004
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| Posted: 04 April 2022 at 3:10pm | IP Logged | 12
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A 1998 interview with Dave Cockrum included this quote about leaving X-Men the second time:
"The only reason I left the book the second time was because I had previously put in a proposal for The Futurians. It sat on Jim Shooter's desk for about a year, and he finally said, "Yeah, you can do this if you want." I was in some doubt whether I should quit the X-Men and do that but I really wanted to do it. Chris and Louise Simonson, the editor, talked me into giving up the X-Men because they thought I was more enthused about The Futurians. That was probably the biggest mistake of my life! That was about the time they started paying the royalties and reprint money. It takes nine months after an issue goes on sale before you get a royalty check so I hadn't received one yet by the time I quit the X-Men. When the first one came it was $2000 right out of the air! I thought, "Geez!" And it got better, and from what I heard, people like Jim Lee were making $40,000 a month on royalties. (That's why they could afford to go off and start Image.) If I had known about that kind of money coming in—even the $2000 a month—you couldn't have pried me off that book with a crowbar. The Futurians was never that successful."
Entire interview: Dave Cockrum 1998 interview
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