Robert Greenberger

by Robert Greenberger

Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus

Few artists arrived in the 1970s to make an impact similar to the one John Byrne made at Marvel Comics. After cutting his teeth with work at Charlton Comics, Byrne was offered a smattering of small assignments at the House of Ideas before becoming a regular in the latter half of the decade. Due to his speed as a penciler, he was quickly given multiple assignments so many that they can’t all possibly fit into the forthcoming Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus, but what we get is some very choice, and important, stuff.

Oddly the book skips his first series work with runs on Iron Fist and Marvel Team-Up and picks up with his five issue run from The Champions (also reprinted in Marvel Masterworks The Champions which you can read about here). He arrived to begin coplotting with Bill Mantlo at the beginning of 1977. He got to draw Hercules; Black Widow; Angel; Iceman; Ghost Rider; Black Goliath; and even Hawkeye. These stories were a bit if a hodge podge but you can watch his storytelling and style develop. Mike Esposito’s serviceable inks are also evident.

He impressed enough people to get promoted to the premiere superhero team, The Avengers, joining Jim Shooter for the Korvac Saga, the writer’s high-water mark on that title and recently reprinted in Avengers: The Vibranium Collection (read more about that collection here). He lasted a mere three issues but would return later. First, though, he went into space.

Over the summer of 1977, Marvel Preview, one of their myriad black and white magazines, dedicated their eleventh issue to the return of their cosmic hero Star-Lord. Reteaming with his Iron Fist partner, Chris Claremont on the eve of their X-Men collaboration, they produced, with inker Terry Austin, a 51-page saga. It reintroduced readers to the hero but also was a harbinger of a legendary creative team.

Claremont and Byrne were having fun together so it was no surprise to see them work, with inker Dan Green, on an arc of Power Man in late 1977 (such was his speed you could find him drawing issues of this, Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, and Marvel Team,-Up in one month). The storyline is about friendship and heroism, not just between Iron Fist and Luke Cage but between Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. There’s also Cage’s foe Bushmaster, now as powerful as he is, thanks to forcing a recreation of the Seagate Prison experiment.

Avengers #187

We skip ahead to 1979 where Byrne, now the company’s premiere artist, returned to The Avengers for eleven straight issues that proved important to the overall Marvel Universe. Working mostly with writer David Michelinie, he arrives in time for Henry Peter Gyrich to demand the team’s ranks be thinned. No sooner does that happen, than we shift focus to the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, who are in Europe in search of their roots. It is this arc that revealed Magneto was their father (until recent events) as the Darkhold, the High Evolutionary, and other players arrived on the scene and Wanda goes mad for the first, and certainly not the last, time. The team is far from idle during that thread as they confront the Absorbing Man and the Elements of Doom (Carbon; Chlorine; Cobalt; Phosphorus; Radium; Vanadium). It is also this run that reveals Crystal’s pregnancy and to imagine, Luna remains a toddler. The story was from not only David Michelinie, but across the run there were contributions from Mark Gruenwald, Roger Stern, and Steven Grant while Gene Day, Klaus, Janson, Dan Green, and Frank Springer all helped ink.

Somehow, during this prolific period, Byrne partnered with Michelinie and inker Bob Layton for a two-part story in Marvel Premiere #47-48 featuring the Astonishing Ant-Man. The Scott Lang-centric story is not only fun but where we see Darren Cross who died here until his cinematic resurrection this summer.

Captain America #250

Done with the Earth’s Mightiest Team, Byrne teamed up with Roger Stern for nine memorable issues of Captain America. Nicely inked by Joe Rubinstein, issues #247-255 brought a fresh look at the hero that explores his earliest days as Cap and as a member of the Invaders. There’s Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout, but also Baron Strucker and a nicely poignant story on the villainous Machinesmith. We even get the return of Batroc the Leaper, who winds up partnering with the Star-Spangled Avenger to stop Mr. Hyde from destroying Manhattan. Stern also gave us the lawyer and neighbor Bernie Rosenthal who was a fresh romantic interest. They would have stuck around longer had Jim Shooter not retroactively insisted on one-part stories, forcing Stern to quit over his artistic integrity. Byrne followed in support.

Silver Surfer #1

A year later, Byrne plotted a Siler Surfer one-shot that lured Stan Lee out of semiretirement to dialogue. It is here that the Fantastic Four helped the Surfer shatter the Galactus-imposed barrier around the Earth, freeing him to once more ply the spaceways. He returns to Earth, though, to try and rescue his beloved Shall-Bal from the clutches of Mephisto.

Incredible Hulk #314

We skip Byrne’s FF run and pick up in 1985, as he takes over The Incredible Hulk for six issues, #314-319. The Hulk is back on Earth after his interdimensional jaunt and Doc Samson manages to separate the jade-jawed giant from Bruce Banner and the arc follows their divergent paths. The conscience-free Hulk is on a deadly rampage that not even the Avengers can stop. Banner finally proposes to Betty Ross and the final issue features their wedding, interrupted by General Thunderbolt Ross. He actually shoots Rick Jones but fails to stop the nuptials. That final issue is nicely done with two tiers per page, tracing the Hulk fighting the new Hulkbusters, a group of specialists (Craig Saunders; Samuel John LaRoquette; Dr. Armand Martel; Prof. Hideko Takata).

Byrne left the series to join DC and revamp Superman but left behind one more story that ran in Marvel Fanfare #29.

Wolverine #17

After quitting DC, Byrne returned to Marvel in 1988 and although he took over Star Brand it is not here since that was a separate universe. Instead, we pick up with his brief run on Wolverine (#17-23, 1989-1990) with writer Archie Goodwin and inker Klaus Janson, a potent combination. There’s espionage, international intrigue, and even a fight with Tiger Shark.

Theirs is some exceptional reading here, even if the runs sometimes feel abrupt or disjointed, taken out of the fabric of the developing Marvel continuity but taken as a whole, it is a strong celebration of John Byrne’s contributions.

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Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus