does anyone know why John Byrne left the Atom title?

[jam]

The thread title says it all.

Was it prearranged that he would help "launch" the title and then leave?

I'm a self-confessed Byrne-victim so I was sorry to see him go. What else is he doing at the moment?

I'm certainly not dropping the title, I'm very much enjoying what Gail Simone is doing, and I hope we are in for a long run.

[the4thpip]

What else is he doing at the moment?

Private commissions. Oh, and he has a chapter in the upcoming DC Christmas special. But other than that, John Byrne is not currently working in the comicbooks industry.

[david r]

Some have speculated that John Byrne is off the new Atom title because he refused to draw the "Superman Returns" comic book adaptation. Which he had originally agreed to drawing, thinking it was for "Superman" from 1978.

Not only did he leave "Atom", but his planned reunion with Roger Stern on JLA: Classified seems to have gone missing. And Byrne said that "Generations 4" was also nixed.

So conspiracy theorists continue to speculate on why Byrne is finished with DC Comics. I think John said that he'd only agreed to illustrate the first few Atom issues.

[jam]

Some have speculated that John Byrne is off the new Atom title because he refused to draw the "Superman Returns" comic book adaptation. Which he had originally agreed to drawing, thinking it was for "Superman" from 1978.

Not only did he leave "Atom", but his planned reunion with Roger Stern on JLA: Classified seems to have gone missing. And Byrne said that "Generations 4" was also nixed.

So conspiracy theorists continue to speculate on why Byrne is finished with DC Comics. I think John said that he'd only agreed to illustrate the first few Atom issues.

I'm rather disappointed about the JLA:Classified and Generations 4 not going to happen. I would've liked to see his work on the Superman Returns adaptation but that was down to Mr. Byrne's choice.

I kind of wondered if he'd just done the first couple of Atom issues to help launch it. Still, a great shame.

So, as far as I understand it, Mr. Byrne is now finished with DC and Marvel. Hmm. Where to next, I wonder?

[Agentum]

He is not hot enough to be able to back out of work like that, they will not miss him.

He can try to do his own comics of course but i think he has had his 15 minutes.
He is not the Alan Moore of artist that people is waiting on to get whatever he choose to do almost.

[david r]

So, as far as I understand it, Mr. Byrne is now finished with DC and Marvel. Hmm. Where to next, I wonder?

John is a workhorse. The fact that he's only drawing commissions right now, tells me that DC Comics have let him go. Otherwise, he'd be hard at work on his new title.

I could see Byrne return to DC though, because I've read that Top DC editor Dan Didio is a big fan of his.

[DDM]

John is a workhorse. The fact that he's only drawing commissions right now, tells me that DC Comics have let him go. Otherwise, he'd be hard at work on his new title.

I could see Byrne return to DC though, because I've read that Top DC editor Dan Didio is a big fan of his.

I think Byrne's only DC book was The Atom. DC may be working with Byrne for some possible new books to pencil &/or write.

I thought I read somewhere Byrne was talking to Marvel again since he was quiet about the rumor itself.

[Ontir]

I seem to recall that he was off Atom, and out of DC. He won't go back to Marvel with Quesada there, which leaves me hoping, that if he hasn't burned bridges @ Darkhorse, he'll re-start his creator-owned properties again. I'd love to see him get Next Men and Danger Unlimited back on track. They're actually the only titles he could do, that I'd consider spending money on, again.

He's been a giant in the field for a long time, and was a great inspiration to me, as a developing artist in the 80's; but I have a hard time looking solely at his current, not-as-good, work, and not his horrendous statements and treatment of people. What comes across, is that he's a man who is too set in a certain time, to be a part of the present, and it's made him incredibly bitter, and unbearable. Seeing a vanguard become passé is quite sad.

[Fatguy]

Hmm, I hadnt heard he wasnt the artist anymore. Somewhat too bad, I was liking his stuff on Atom more than I had any of his work for some time now.

Any word on who the regular artist is gonna be now? I love what Gail's doing, a very off-beat book so far ;)

[david r]

I thought I read somewhere Byrne was talking to Marvel again since he was quiet about the rumor itself.

There were rumors that Byrne was the new artist on Ultimate Spider-Man. Byrne came on his message board and shot that rumor straight down.

Joe Quesada was asked at a convention what creators he would never hire for Marvel. In a humorous way, Quesada tried to not answer, but did say one name--- "John Byrne".

[Gozwald73]

look, no offense to a guy I never met, but I really didn't agree with the way he makes everyone look like little gnomes.

[G. Boney]

Now that he's off of Atom I can check it out...

[Sean Whitmore]

I seem to recall that he was off Atom, and out of DC. He won't go back to Marvel with Quesada there, which leaves me hoping, that if he hasn't burned bridges @ Darkhorse, he'll re-start his creator-owned properties again. I'd love to see him get Next Men and Danger Unlimited back on track. They're actually the only titles he could do, that I'd consider spending money on, again.

Everyone keeps saying that if Byrne returned to Next Men, they would buy it. Even the people who hate him say it.

So is there some reason he HASN'T returned to Next Men in all this time? Legal issues, boredom of the characters, anything?


SEAN

[Ontir]

When he left Next Men he was being sued by Marvel, who felt it was too close to X-Men; but in that last issue, we saw the cover to the next issue, and he told us he was taking a break, and when he came back, it would be re-titled. I'm not sure if anything is blocking him from returning, other than his statement that he wasn't making enough money from Next Men, Babe, and Danger Unlimited to make it worthwhile.

Supposedly he was making in excess of a half million/year working for Marvel & DC (that's what was reported), so I can see that going indie might be a bit less money; but at the same time, after a certain amount of time in a successful career, it seems a person ought to be able to do his own thing, even for a bit less. That's just a guess though.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I've been both disgusted and saddened with what John Byrne has done with his reputation and career over the past several years, but I also think that returning to Next Men and finishing off that epic would be the best project to do right now.

He's burned his bridges at both Marvel & DC and claims he has enough money that he doesn't need to work for either. So, what's stopping him?

[Apathy Boy]

When he left Next Men he was being sued by Marvel, who felt it was too close to X-Men.Are you sure about that? Because I remember reading an interview with Byrne, where he said he got a cease-and-desist letter from Marvel concerning the similarities between the two titles' names. He said the matter ended when he sent a letter back saying that the full title of his book was "JOHN BYRNE'S NEXT MEN," which sounded nothing like "X-MEN."

Of course, something may have happened after that.

[Sean Walsh]

Everyone keeps saying that if Byrne returned to Next Men, they would buy it. Even the people who hate him say it.

So is there some reason he HASN'T returned to Next Men in all this time? Legal issues, boredom of the characters, anything?


He attributed it toward the declining comic industry back in the mid-1990's; that creator-owned titles were doomed to fail in the market at the time.

[dupersuper]

I miss the Byrne art from his Superman days..his current art makes me sad.

[DDM]

I've been both disgusted and saddened with what John Byrne has done with his reputation and career over the past several years, but I also think that returning to Next Men and finishing off that epic would be the best project to do right now.

He's burned his bridges at both Marvel & DC and claims he has enough money that he doesn't need to work for either. So, what's stopping him?

I think John Byrne said he would not need to work for about 7 years. At some point, he will have to go back to writing & drawing books. His money is not a wellspring. Furthermore, Byrne may use up his reserves on some kind of unexpected medical emergency for himself or a loved one; he's not in his 30's anymore. I don't think Byrne has any medical insurance being a freelancer.

[the4thpip]

Well, he is still making money off trade paperbacks.

DC started the chronological trades of his Superman reboot not so long ago. He has "visionary" books at Marvel. Didn't they also recently collect part of his West Coast Avengers run? He should also be seeing some money from Uncanny X-Men Essentials, Archives and Omnibusses.

[Ontir]

Are you sure about that? Because I remember reading an interview with Byrne, where he said he got a cease-and-desist letter from Marvel concerning the similarities between the two titles' names. He said the matter ended when he sent a letter back saying that the full title of his book was "JOHN BYRNE'S NEXT MEN," which sounded nothing like "X-MEN."

Of course, something may have happened after that.

My issues are back east; but I recall there being an on-going hassle between he and Marvel over the name. I think part of it was that one of the characters wore a pair of glasses rather similar to the Mimic, as well as the title.

DDM, I don't recall you being so bleak before. If Byrne's got any sense, he's been buying health insurance for himself, and beyond that, he's got to be approaching "Senior Citizenry," and if all else fails, he can wrap himself in the Maple Leaf again!

[Sean Walsh]

I think John Byrne said he would not need to work for about 7 years. At some point, he will have to go back to writing & drawing books. His money is not a wellspring. Furthermore, Byrne may use up his reserves on some kind of unexpected medical emergency for himself or a loved one; he's not in his 30's anymore. I don't think Byrne has any medical insurance being a freelancer.

I suspect commissions will keep him rather wealthy for a good long while. But yeah....eventually you want medical coverage and those kind of contractual perks.

[phicks]

FYI - John Byrne has posted that he has ceased his recent output of commissions because he has regular comics work now lined up that will keep him busy for at least the rest of 2006. Project titles are still under wraps.

[DonC]

My issues are back east; but I recall there being an on-going hassle between he and Marvel over the name. I think part of it was that one of the characters wore a pair of glasses rather similar to the Mimic, as well as the title.


Everything I remember hearing backs up Apathy Boy. Marvel said "Next Men" was too close to "X-Men;" Byrne added the "John Byrne's" to the title. I doubt Marvel would have continued legal action as Byrne was writing and drawing Sensational She-Hulk for them at the time.

[jam]

FYI - John Byrne has posted that he has ceased his recent output of commissions because he has regular comics work now lined up that will keep him busy for at least the rest of 2006. Project titles are still under wraps.

As a self-confessed Byrne victim (something that isn't popular around these parts, but you have to admit, at least I'm honest), I'm happy to see him busy on regular comics work.

Couple of questions, though :

a) any idea yet what he's working on?

b) "busy for at least the rest of 2006"? This is November, for cryin' out loud! There isn't much left of "the rest of 2006"!!! (OK, you did say "at least", but let's not ruin a good rant with something so trivial as facts).

[Ryan Day]

So is there some reason he HASN'T returned to Next Men in all this time? Legal issues, boredom of the characters, anything?


One explanation I recall him giving was that the market just didn't make a book like that profitable any more. It started in the 90s amidst the Image explosion and speculator boom when just about anything could sell. The market is much more conservative now.

As much as I loved Next Men, I'm not sure I want to see Byrne return to it. He's gone very retro and regressive since he did that book, apparently believing that superheroes were perfected in 1964, and everything has been completely downhill since Jim Shooter left Marvel. Next Men was just the kind of dark and realistic book he seems to rail against now; I wonder if he'd still understand why the book was so good.

[kalorama]

I don't think Byrne has any medical insurance being a freelancer.

He most likely does, he just has to pay for it out of his own pocket.

[Bat-Mite]

One explanation I recall him giving was that the market just didn't make a book like that profitable any more.

Which is complete crap, as any Image creator owned artist or writer can tell you.

[Ontir]

I always thought his explanation of why he was leaving indie to go back to the Big 2 was, in reality, that while he was making money, he wasn't making the reported in excess of a half a million a year, as he had been with them, and decided to go back to big money, as opposed to good money.

[Count Vertigo]

I'm glad he's gone. Normally, artists' work are supposed to get better as they get older but he and Rob Liefeld are the exceptions to the rule. Something about Byrne's work made my teeth itch and my eyes tingle in a bad way.

[The Shadow]

He most likely does, he just has to pay for it out of his own pocket.
He should just move back to Canada.

Sure the winters suck (unless you like skiing and hockey) but we have free medicare!