A landmark work…
Big fan of John Byrne, are ya? Big fan of the X-Men too? Well, dig this: IDW this fall will be releasing John Byrne’s X-Men Artist’s Edition, a reprint of 2018’s John Byrne’s X-Men Artifact Edition.
Dig the official description, from Penguin Random House, which handles the book market for the publication:
An Artist’s Edition featuring the groundbreaking and bestselling X-Men series from the late 1970s, by the stellar team of Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Terry Austin. This is an art book, not a traditional collection of comic books, featuring rare and beautiful imagery, a collection for connoisseurs of the form.
With stories like “The Dark Phoenix Saga” and “Days of Future Past!” John Byrne’s work on X-Men became one of the most influential and popular comics of the 1970s. Included in this stellar Artist’s Edition are pages from John Byrne’s classic run and an amazing number of covers!
An Artist’s Edition publishes scans of original art at a high resolution and prints it at the same size it was drawn. While appearing to be in black and white, these images were scanned in color, allowing the viewer the best possible look at the artist’s intentions. You are able to see blue pencil notations, corrections, margin notes, and all the little nuances that make original art so unique and special. The only better way to view comic art is if you were standing over the artist’s shoulder as they were laboring at their drawing table.
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A few thoughts:
— An explainer: IDW originally distinguished between Artist’s Editions and Artifact Editions. Generally speaking, the former included complete arcs or short runs while the latter were collections from various projects, though no less engrossing. Ultimately, the publisher recently decided to combine the two labels and have settled on the original Artist’s Edition term. (Artisan Editions are essentially smaller, paperback reprints.)
— The new edition is due Nov. 7, 2023 and runs 160 pages. The oversize hardcover lists for $150.
— If you want an INSIDE LOOK at 13 PAGES from the book — and you do — click here.
— Obligatory Price Comparison: There’s a reason this is news. An original 2018 John Byrne’s X-Men Artifact Edition commands big bucks on the secondary market. A sealed copy recently sold on eBay for $395. That $150 doesn’t sound quite as expensive now, does it?
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MORE
— EXCLUSIVE: Inside JOHN BYRNE’S X-MEN ARTIFACT EDITION. Click here.
— FRANK MILLER’s DAREDEVIL to Get Artist’s Edition Re-Release. Click here.
April 28, 2023
Thanks for the heads up. How can we preorder the book?
April 28, 2023
Amazon has it listed. $150 is too steep for me.
April 28, 2023
There are plenty of ways. I always recommend going through your local comics shop.