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Topic: Co-Plotters - Q for JB Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Eric Jansen
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Posted: 24 August 2026 at 5:51am | IP Logged | 1 post reply
On the Roger McKenzie thread, JB mentions Frank Miller telling him about problems working with McKenzie.  That makes sense--Miller was a new artist and McKenzie was already established on the title--I've wondered since I was a kid if the writer was at all "pushed out" by the up-and-coming artist who wanted to write (or by the editor who saw Miller's potential).

This (and JB's Claremont stories) makes me wonder about all the other "co-plotters' teams (mostly from 1980's Marvel) I enjoyed!

I always assumed these co-plotter teams were friendly endeavors, perhaps even pushed by the writer & artist.  David Michelinie and Bob Layton always certainly seemed like friends going back to DC days, two (or three) stints on IRON MAN and some other stories.  Are they the exception or the rule?

Any other insight you can share in this, JB?  And then, after JB, anybody else?
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John Byrne
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Posted: 24 August 2026 at 2:34pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply
It was a different scenario in every case. For example, I found working with Roger Stern to be a very different experience (more truly a collaboration) than working with Chris Claremont.
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Eric White
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Posted: 24 August 2026 at 4:26pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply
I always wondered about Roger McKenzie because it seemed like there was some talk about him being a tad difficult at times.

I was surprised to find out he came up with the idea of Cap running for President and being elected. I thought you and Roger Stern's story was much better than Roger's plan of devoting 4 years to telling stories about President Steve Rogers.
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Eric Jansen
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Posted: 24 August 2026 at 11:29pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply
I seem to like the co-plotters better than the individual doing solo work.

Writer David Michelinie and inker Bob Layton co-plotted IRON MAN, and while I liked their individual work--Layton's writing was fun, while Michelinie's seemed more serious--their work together had just the right mix.

I really liked NEW TEEN TITANS when it was co-plotted by writer Marv Wolfman and penciler George Perez, better than they both wrote solo.

John Byrne is great on his own and Chris Claremont is a good writer, but, looking back, I find that I did like Claremont better when he and Byrne were listed as co-plotters.

Any other favorite co-plotter teams out there?


Edited by Eric Jansen on 24 August 2026 at 11:31pm
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