As ChrisW so kindly pointed out, JB worked on a few things in What The--? (issue 2, issue 6 & issue 10...to be precise, although he contributed some covers to other issues, as well).
I'll have to disagree about the inkers, though. The three inkers involved were Jerry Ordway, Terry Austin & JB hisself. Also, the stories in issues 2 & 6 were written by JB, but issue #10 was written by Scott Lobdell (I've never read issue 10, so I can't comment on that one, but issues 2 & 6 are hilarious).

In any case, I'd also like to see JB work on something for Mad Magazine.

What story was in #6? I only have a vague memory of his other What The pieces (not even the covers you link to) but the one I recall best had thick inklines which didn't help the art or the comedy. The story written by Lobdell really did suck, but I think that can be taken as a given.

By the way, I picked up random issues of "Next Men" and the collection, and whatever else I might think, I loved the art. I've always preferred Byrne inking himself, and he is one of the rare superhero artists who could really push into drawing different things. The Civil War scenes were my favorite. I don't have the slightest interest in spy stories, and I've been tempted to pick up a few issues of his other series just to get some more of them good drawrings, with no capes and tights.

Does anyone else prefer Byrne inking himself? His art actually tends towards the minimal (the 'Byrne doesn't draw backgrounds' meme). He certainly does draw backgrounds, but often/usually by implying what's there instead of putting in every single line a la Gerhard or Terry Austin. It looks great, but can be disappointing to fanboys, and in that sense, it's possible that his long collaboration with Austin 'damaged' his work (not the right word, but I can't think of a better one) to the fanboys. They expect the intricately-detailed stuff and most of that was due to Austin.

Now that you both mention What The--?!, I remember the series, don't think I bought any though. Thanks for the info, it's an interesting bit of comics history and maybe a little on the obscure side too. Googling the series gets practically nothing, instead it picks up the old What If series.

The first four issues, when it was only supposed to be a miniseries, are the only good ones. The quality dropped in #5 and never picked up again, but those first four issues are definitely worth it. My favorite was "Mutant Beach Party", by Kurt Busiek, Kyle Baker and (don't remember who drew part 2), but it was great. Peter David and Todd McFarlane's Batman parody, Spider-Ham in 'Kraven's Last Hunt', even work by Steve Ditko.

I liked his inks on his early ff issues. I became disenchanted with them around the time he inked himself at the end of his run on superman.

Was unimpressed with his inks on his work on nextmen. After that his style changed and I don't think any inker could save his output. At this point in time, I need to adjust my view on what he is putting out. I'm of the opinion that his old stuff is better. His current stuff needs to be deemed old in order for me to consider how I feel about it. As strange as that may seem...

The new issue of NEXT MEN: AFTERMATH #42 is out this week.






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This issue is all set in 1975, plus one page in 1977, in the timeline where now-powerless Nathan and Bethany are running a secret organization that "scoops" up people who would have been involved in the Next Men Project back in the old timeline. We still don't really know WHY they are doing this, other than to give these kids a better life than they would have otherwise had. There are hints of some greater purpose or plan, but no clues yet as to what that might be.

The art and story are meant to evoke 1970's-style comics, though in a fairly unobtrusive way. The panel layouts are simplified, with white gutters rather than the black gutters of the rest of the series. The dialogue sometimes narrates the action, like comics often did in those days. Sound effects like KRRASH and BKOOM are used, also contrary to the rest of the series. Unfortunately the coloring is still the same modern, computer-colored style as the rest of the series, and the lettering is just as full of typos as ever, if not worse.

A red Pontiac Firebird plays a major role in the action, and Byrne seems to enjoy drawing it. There are a bunch of improbable car chases and gunfights that don't really make any sense, but they add to the general cops-and-robbers TV show vibe of the story.

So, a harmless, inoffensive, likeable, forgettable issue. It doesn't really advance the time travel plot much, unless maybe the secret plans pay off way in the future somehow. We'll see. And the next issue's cover shows super-psychic Sandy, looking angry. That's the plotline that Byrne's been building up to over the previous two issues, so good to see that it won't be teased any longer. I had been hoping for more of an examination of the mechanics of time travel and mixed-up timelines, but this seems to be what Byrne is interested in, so let him get to it. If "Never give the fans what they THINK they want" is the motto he is living by, then he may well succeed.

Issue #6 was inked by Terry Austin, by the way, & it parodied the Acts of Vengeance storyline, but with a weird twist of the villains being parody versions of characters from the DC Universe. It was a fun read!

Issue #2 (Superbman vs. The Fantastical Four) was the one inked by Jerry Ordway, who is usually heavy-handed with his inking, although I don't recall this issue's inks overwhelming JB's pencils all that much (not like Mr. Ordway's inks practically submerged JB's pencils when they worked together on JLA...UGH!). I remember enjoying this issue immensely!

JB apparently inked himself on issue #10 in a story that involved Dr. Doom. I can't imagine JB doing anything but his best work with that character (even in parody), but anything's possible.

Other than two issues in JB's Superman run (#17 & #22 were inked by JB), other's handled the inking chores.
Of course, issue #22 was JB's final issue on Superman & it was the infamous "Superman Kills!" issue. That alone has colored certain memories in a negative sense.
In Action Comics, JB inked 6 consecutive issues (591-596) during that run, but they were in the middle of that run.

In any case, as I have mentioned elsewhen, when JB worked on Namor the Sub-Mariner & Sensational She-Hulk & Next Men (after his run on Superman), I believe that he proved he still had the skills to ink his own pencils...and ink them well. IMO much better than when he inked his own pencils early on in FF.