I think Byrne probably needs a certain kind of editor to serve his best function as company cog. I know I've worked with demanding editors (15 rewrites for my master's thesis) and those who don't give a shit. I think some people need one or the other. I haven't figured out what I need. Well, other than vicodin.

Whether Byrne needs an editor or not is one thing but I wonder if he has anyone he can bounce ideas off as I've found with my work just explaining what I am trying to do often makes my thinking clearer and in turn my work better.

My question to JB: do you have anyone you trust who you can bounce ideas off?

I think he has a cat for spitballing ideas off of.

Paul Kupperberg is still chums with JB. He seems a little bitter on the industry as well. Especially with DC.

Not correcting you my liege, of course, but don't you mean hairballing?

What in the hell is going on between you two?

Well, he is the King of Topside and I am by nature a monarchist. So do the math.

No. Everyone calls him a quitter because he's quit a lot jobs in a huff.

Byrne has indeed put in lengthy respectable runs ...a very relative phrase in this biz... on a few books. He probably could've escaped the "quitter" label altogether except...

1. Most of the time he's walked off books, it's been over personal clashes, perceived slights, and just plain childishness.

2. Many of his departures have been abrupt leaving his editors to hastily scramble together a replacement creative team. This is particularly hurtful considering the guy was usually writer and artist... and often on mULTIPLE books at a time. Yeah. Leave it to Byrne to make a weapon out of quitting...

3. Byrne loves to quit books after he's taken his wrecking ball to them and often right in the middle of a storyline. "I've split the Hulk in two, erased Superman's entire history, and I've disassembled the Vision and turned him into a yellow Dr. Manhattan. Now I'll... Nah! I quit! YOU figure it out!"



There's an unwritten rule of professionalism that demands that we all act as if we were new to the business. Most rookies would hang onto a job as if their lives depended on it. They'd never quit just because their editor was leaving and they didn't know who would be replacing him. They might just try a strategy that would be radical for Byrne... TRY AND GET ALONG WITH THE NEW EDITOR!

Oh absolutely!

In spite of his many years in this biz, Byrne has had a very unique and insulated run of it. He hasn't really had to deal with the experiences most of us have to cope with that keep us humble and pragmatic.

Byrne broke in at Charleton. Now I know Charleton has its fans but it's comics publishing division was a fairly small time operation... (in spite of owning its own presses and even its own paper mills!!!) and it was a notoriously CHEAP outfit! They were thrilled to be able to get an artist of Byrne's ability. All he had to do was shmooze with Dick Giordano and Giordano would keep him happy.

When Byrne made his move over to Marvel, Marvel was it's post-Roy Thomas years where it was growing but it was still a fairly tight knit boy's club. The editors, writers and artists were like a band of interchangeable friends. You palled around with Jim, Tom, Denny, Ralph, Gruenie, and of course Rog. If one job dried up, you just went down the hall and got another. You had a problem with Denny, you went and talked to Ralph. It was like the Mayberry of the industry.

Then Byrne moved very quickly into full-blown celebrity mode where he became untouchable. He could quit jobs, be a jerk, shoot off his mouth without ever worrying that he would have to do without a job. At this point, EVERYONE wanted to hire him... in spite of his personality. He never had to say to himself "Let me deal with this uncomfortable situation because I don't want to be out of a job" Eventually, he became so rich, the threat of unemployment was totally defanged. Again he didn't have to face the notion of getting along with people and putting up with calls he disagreed with because he at least still had a job. He was spoiled and could afford to take jobs for granted. He was John Byrne damn it! If Marvel screwed him, he could be at DC with a fan call.

Now he's like a spoiled kid who requires a very specific type of parenting. His editors have to fall under one of the following categories:

1. Personal friends (Roger Stern)

2. Fans who worship him (Chris Rydall)

3. Personal friends who are fans who worship him (Paul Kupperberg)

An editor with an independent vision who is actually going to edit him (Bobbi Chase)... Good luck! Line up your emergency creative team now.