John Byrne is overrated

[Mego Magyar]

I started reading X-men and Avengers when Byrne was the artist and will always love his work ( especially when inked by someone else like Austin ). Cockrum was fine too but Byrne's X-men is what I picture when I think on them.

I always thought Jim Lee was the over rated one myself, the art was just way to busy with unnecessary lines for my taste.

[Mr.Marion]

[hedrap]

Byrne's 80's work is great stuff, imo. The guy saved Hulk so he always gets the benefit from me. Met him once, small show, mid-90's. We talked movies.

[palitoy]

I was a big fan of many of Byrne's comic runs and still remain so today, particularly Superman, Legends and Alpha Flight. Can't say I'm a big fan of his personality though.

As for Cockrum, I am unaware of any "My dad can beat up your dad" silliness that goes on with X-Men readers but he's very talented and I enjoy his work.

[Figuremod73]

Theres been periods where John Byrne's work was the only comics I read. I'll say he's rated just about right. Frank Miller on the other hand....

[Bruce Banner]

I've always liked Byrne's work, both as artist and writer. Big fan of his runs on FF and Superman. One of my favourite things he did was Alpha Flight.

[daz71]

Someone needs to start a Suspiria thread because it's so great.

But, back to Byrne.

i'll start one saying i don't like it then everyone can give me grief

[Hedji]

everyone is allowed an opinion.i don't like the colouring in modern comics and i don't even like the film suspiria ,now i'll be hung drawn and quartered for that.

Someone needs to start a Suspiria thread because it's so great.

But, back to Byrne.

[Mr.Marion]

Many people disliked Byrne because they claim he had a tendency to make characters a little "doughy," but I never saw it too much myself. He certainly influenced a good number of people to pursue a career in comics art who likely had never thought of it before. I met him a couple of times at Cons up in Chicago and most of the time, he did have a tendency to let his ego get the better of him, especially during his true heyday. I remember seeing him, I think, about 5 years ago, at another Con and he was much more down to earth and approachable.

After hearing stories about Byrne I feel even less guilty for not liking his work.
From Wikipedia

Over the years, Byrne has gained a reputation as a controversial figure, and has himself noted that “as the people who have figured me out have said, I just don’t suffer fools gladly.”

In 1981, Jack Kirby began speaking publicly about his belief that he'd been deprived of fair credit and money while creating the majority of Marvel's top characters. Byrne wrote an editorial declaring himself "proud" to be a "company man," and arguing that all creators should "live within the rules while they're around." Steve Gerber and Kirby lampooned Byrne's position in Destroyer Duck, drawing him as a character called Booster Cogburn, possessing a removable spine and existing only to serve as a cog in the mammoth corporation that owned him.Erik Larsen created a villain in the 1990s for his Savage Dragon and Freak Force series, Johnny Redbeard/the Creator, who parodies Byrne; a massive cranium with atrophied appendages, he can bestow superpowers indiscriminately."

[emeraldknight47]

Many people disliked Byrne because they claim he had a tendency to make characters a little "doughy," but I never saw it too much myself. He certainly influenced a good number of people to pursue a career in comics art who likely had never thought of it before. I met him a couple of times at Cons up in Chicago and most of the time, he did have a tendency to let his ego get the better of him, especially during his true heyday. I remember seeing him, I think, about 5 years ago, at another Con and he was much more down to earth and approachable.

[daz71]

Naw, we'll just put the whammy on your dog and make it turn on you.

haha i used to have a dog that i'm sure someone put the whammy on he was completely nuts.

[Hedji]

I remember when he did the first two issues of the Further Adventures of Indiana Jones for Marvel. I thought it was like the second coming. And yes, Terry Austin certainly helped.

[Blue Meanie]

Guys, it all comes down to who is inking him. The stuff that he has inked himself is awful in my opinion. I put it up there with Romita Jr. as far as how bad it looks when artists think they can ink their own stuff. Put an inker like Terry Austin or Ordway on Byrne's pencils and then you are talking PRIMO art. I think he's an overrated writer. Not many artists can TRULY Write and Pencil a book and get it right in both areas. Byrne also falls into that problem too.

[enyawd72]

^And the best short Captain America run EVER. That Baron Blood two-parter...my GOD what a great book.

[thunderbolt]

the guy that gave us the second best Fantastic Four run in the 50 plus year history of the book is not over-rated.