When I was younger and more naïve, I just assumed the guys working on the comics had walked off. The first change you always notice is the art and then as I took the credits in more the writer, inker, etc.

Apart from JB leaving the FF, the real one that got me was X-Men Vs. Avengers where after 3 of the 4 issues, Roger Stern and Marc Silvestri were replaced by Tom DeFalco and Keith Pollard, and the story hard a hard turn left in terms of direction and plot. 

It was a "What the Hell?" moment, and it was only 13 years later I learned the reasons why.

I REALLY wanted to think the rumors were not true. But I began to see small evidence where it was true.

FF #293 artwork was definitely not up to the normal Byrne standards that I was seeing over the 4 plus years.

FF 294-295, JB was credited with the plot,  while Roger Stern and Jerry Ordway was the creative team.

But somewhere inside of me, I'm thinking that JB was holding back for the big 25th Anniversary issue, FF #296. The return of Ben Grimm. Monster Island, The Mole Man... He was going to give us a masterpiece on par with "Terror In A Tiny Town"

Then, we get the the POS comic that was a BIG letdown, in my opinion, to fans everywhere. Jim Shooter writing that crap and for some reason, I sensed that Shotter was trying exert his editorial muscle on that issue (I can write whatever, the fans will love it)  For me, that was the beginning of the end of "MY" Marvel.

The Marvel that had me buying comics consistently for over 10 years? 

It was gone. 

Yes, I was still buying the AVENGERS (Stern is still my favorite Earth's Mightiest Heroes scriber) and THOR (Uncle Walt) monthly, but I could tell it was over. The fun, the adventures, and the joy that JB had brought to Marvel was gone.

Also, those few months in 1986 (I think it was from April - June) that JB did not have any work published was heartbreaking. At one point, I did not believe that was going to be Byrne SUPERMAN. Then late(?) July of 1986, it arrived. MAN OF STEEL #1. Seeing this issue was a major relief. Seeing Giordano inks over JB pencils was something different. But if was exciting. JB was back....yeah at DC, but he was back doing a monthly book.

And...Marvel.....it was no longer Marvel.  Roger Stern had taken over writer duties (why did it seem like every JB left a book during the late 80s, Stern was there to follow up????) and John Buscema was doing the artwork. It was ok but it was NOT the FF I came to expect.

Also, during that time from 1986 to early 1989, there was a lot of nuking JB stories from other writers/editors that he had set in "stone" at Marvel.

Fast forward a few years, Shooter was fired from Marvel (I still believe that Shooter being pissed at JB for leaving kinda got the ball rolling for his demise as EiC) and a little later, JB returns to Marvel and he lands on a book that I never read (I saw the preview art for STARBRAND), the WEST COAST AVENGERS, & SHE-HULK (WTF!?!?!?!?) As much as I love his take on these titles. It wasn't the FF.

As selfish as it may sound, I always wanted JB to return to the FF. Both times he left Marvel and then returned. The FF has never-ever been the same. For the almost 40 years since he left. 

The FF's appearance in X-MEN:ELSEWHEN is the closest we fans have ever got to an accurate portrayal of Reed, Ben, Sue, & Johnny.

If only there was a FF:ELSEWHEN......

More along the line of with FF 296 was going to be a "triple-sized" book and also working on the INCREDIBLE HULK, you may have needed time to get that FF issue completed.

So I was thinking that you may have only submitted the plot for FF #294-295.