It's interesting how time will change your perspective on something. When this run of UNCANNY X-MEN was coming out, nobody reading it thought that they were following a stint that would become an acknowledged classic. As a reader, I knew that I liked the series, but if you'd asked me then, I don't think it … Continue reading BHOC: UNCANNY X-MEN #117
In the early 1980s, FantaCo published a number of issues of CHRONICLES, a magazine whose each issue was dedicated to a deep dive discussion about a prominent Marvel series. Some of these were authorized by Marvel, though not all of them, and this gave FantaCo access to a lot of material they might not otherwise … Continue reading FANTACO CHRONICLES #2: John Byrne Column
The more time went on, the more that the Human Torch series appearing in STRANGE TALES had become something of an afterthought. There was a distinct feeling that neither editor/scripter Stan Lee nor any of the artists who drew it were really putting a lot of energy or imagination into it. It was a bit … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #122
The release of this issue of X-MEN represented something of an existential crisis for me. You see, I had somehow missed the previous issue, #115, which was unthinkable to me. What's more, I had dutifully gone to the 7-11 every single week on Thursday in-between when #114 came out and when #116 dropped. I wasn't … Continue reading BHOC: UNCANNY X-MEN #116
As I spoke about last week, the early Marvel Comics was relatively consistent with the manner in which it dealt with death. As a general rule, when a character was genuinely killed (as opposed to suffering a "super villain death" at the climax of a story where they fell into the river or some such) … Continue reading The First Marvel Resurrection
My appreciation for this classic run of UNCANNY X-MEN kind of snuck up on me. Certainly, I liked it as a title from the start, and followed it regularly. But I didn't separate it from the pack--it wasn't any more or less of note to me than AVENGERS or IRON MAN or HULK or whatever. … Continue reading BHOC: UNCANNY X-MEN #114
After the success of the two-volume X-MEN COMPANION project proved it to be a profitable venture that helped to underwrite some of Fantagraphics other more high-minded publications, the company looked around for similar things that could be done that might likewise bring in some operating capital. By this point, the earlier amicable relationship with Marvel … Continue reading FOCUS ON JOHN BYRNE
Perhaps the most popular artist of the 1980s, John Byrne's star truly began to rise when he began drawing (and co-plotting) X-MEN with Chris Claremont. Eventually, irreconcilable differences in the direction to take the characters caused Byrne to leave the book for greener pastures--his long run as writer/artist of FANTASTIC FOUR. But the mark he … Continue reading THE X-MEN COMPANION #2: John Byrne Interview
More material from THE X-MEN COMPANION Volume Two, the second of two softcover books devoted to the development and the early days of what had become the most popular feature in the comics world. These two volumes were published in 1982, and so the memories of all involved about the details of their collaboration are … Continue reading THE X-MEN COMPANION #2: Terry Austin Interview
There was a bit of a delay in the publication of the second volume of THE X-MEN COMPANION. Part of the hold-up, apparently, was that Neal Adams was meant to do the cover, but he wound up not turning anything in. I can't speculate on whether this was due to some other issue between himself … Continue reading THE X-MEN COMPANION #2: Chris Claremont Interview
The Tom Brevoort Experience 