Story perspectives

John Byrne, 76, Defends Fan Fiction, Regrets Superman Role

6/19/2026

Summary

Byrne Defends Fanfiction

John Byrne, who turns 76 in July 2026, told The Hollywood Reporter that fan fiction is a legitimate form of storytelling.
He said his biggest regret was taking on Superman in the 1980s.
He returned to X-Men, dislikes most Marvel movies, and values the thank-you checks they generate.
He calls this period the epilogue of his life while wondering whether he will spend remaining time at a drawing board.

Summary

Byrne Revives Grey

Writer Byrne’s revised X-Men narrative resurrects Jean Grey, overturning Marvel editor Jim Shooter’s 1980s decision to kill her.
After publisher Ryall persuaded Byrne to attend a Star Trek convention after their IDW Trek work, Ryall introduced him to Marvel editor-in-chief C. B. Cebulski.
Cebulski expressed interest in publishing Byrne’s alternate-universe story with a surviving Dark Phoenix, hinting at a potential Marvel-IDW collaboration that could bridge comic and sci-fi audiences.

Summary

Elsewhen Sells Out

Elsewhen sold out its 25,000-copy pre-sale run, becoming a bestseller before stores opened.
Marvel added a second printing of 20,000 copies and set the second volume for summer 2027, with a third volume the following summer.
Byrne’s art now shows Neal Adams’ influence, blending classic layouts with modern details like smartphones, while the story moves from Earth to high-tech secret bases and alien worlds, widening the genre.

History

Historical Context

In 1991 Marvel released X-Men #1 with five variant covers, driving sales to over 8.1 million copies and earning a Guinness World Record. The flood of variants fueled a speculator boom that collapsed by 1997, leaving Marvel overstocked. Today publishers revive that model, using limited pre-sales and multiple covers to tap the same collector mindset.

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Byrne Defends Fanfiction

John Byrne, who turns 76 in July 2026, told The Hollywood Reporter that fan fiction is a legitimate form of storytelling.
He said his biggest regret was taking on Superman in the 1980s.
He returned to X-Men, dislikes most Marvel movies, and values the thank-you checks they generate.
He calls this period the epilogue of his life while wondering whether he will spend remaining time at a drawing board.

1 / 4