X-Men: Elsewhen (Volume 1 of 3): A Graphic Novel

Marvel Art

by John Byrne (Writer / Artist), Paul Wills (Inker), Lovern Kindzierski (Color Artist)

Legendary comic book creator John Byrne returns to the title he first drew 50 years ago, Uncanny X-Men, with this one-of-a-kind new graphic novel series, Elsewhen. This three-volume graphic novel series picks up the story from Byrne’s original run, taking the characters in new and unexpected directions

In Volume 1 of Elsewhen, the Dark Phoenix Saga is over and Phoenix is . . . alive?!

Diverging from the epic finale of the original storyline from 1984, Elsewhen presents a universe where Jean Grey’s powers and intellect have been greatly reduced, and from there, everything you thought you know about the X-Men is forever changed.

John Byrne’s monumental return to the X-Men heads in entirely new and surprising directions, as the X-Men head back to the Savage Land, face their climactic adventure with the Sentinels, and contend with special guest–stars such as the Avengers and the Fantastic Four along the way.

Elsewhen is a three-volume graphic novel series in the Marvel Arts line that sees the return of acclaimed X-Men artist Byrne decades after his last work on the series. Byrne has written and penciled every page and inked multiple chapters, all of which pick up the story from where his first go–round ended, taking this beloved lineup of characters—and his fans—in exciting new directions.

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.

Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.

Reviews

[Alex Sarll]

Originally published on the fanfic section of Byrne's own forum, Elsewhen begins at the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga, which it tweaks. From there it unfolds as, essentially, what Byrne would have done next, unshackled (for better or worse) from fruitful if sometimes fractious collaboration with Chris Claremont. Or indeed, from having to tread carefully around the boundaries with any other titles – before long the Avengers, FF and Spidey get pulled into the unfolding story, often with the use of elements (Susan Storm's new applications for her powers, Wonder Man's feelings for Wanda) which in the original comics only came along much later... when Byrne was writing them, yes, how did you guess. More jarring are a couple of anachronisms which seem like sops to a sliding timeline (occasional references to blogs or Harry Potter, though no attempt has been made to update the looks or give anyone mobiles), or at the other extreme come across as old-fashioned even for the early eighties (Magneto is described as "Cold, heartless, driven only by a lust for power"). The biggest timeline problem, though, is external. Byrne at the time he worked on Uncanny X-Men was, or was at least becoming, one of the best in the biz; his elegant faces and innovative layouts would define some of the best of eighties Marvel. Byrne now is too in hock to his beloved Kirby, most obviously in the big blocky Sentinels where it's fair enough, but also in the tendency for human (and mutant) faces to look wonky, and female characters especially to look oddly haggard, even when they're supposed to be youngsters like teenage Kitty Pryde. It's not as dire as it could have been – hell, it looks better than when Stegman is drawing the least bad of the current X-books. But it's definitely uglier than it would have been had it happened back then. In places, I still really enjoyed the way it recaptures that era, not least the plotting that takes a less discrete and arc-based approach, weaves Shi'ar and Project Wideawake and Magneto strands into and around each other – and if that's your favourite X-Men phase, as I know for many it is, you may find it even more rewarding. But equally, that could mean you find the changes, and especially Byrne's solution to the problem of Jean Grey, more of an issue too.

(Netgalley ARC)

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Abrams ComicArts for an advance copy of this new adventure of the uncanniest superhero team ever, set in the prime of their adventures, written and drawn by the same artist who brought them to life oh so many years ago.

I was a fan of comics in the before time, when issues were bought in candy stores and pharmacies. Or living in the suburbs tag sales, flea markets and discount shops. I never really cared what I picked up, I was unused to following continuity, I read what I found, and if the stories followed each other, yay me. However there was one series I tried to find issues of, out of fandom and out of storytelling. The Uncanny X-Men. These were like the soap operas my Mom watched, and missing an issue meant missing a future storyline clue, a romantic entanglement, or even a great big story. Writer Chris Claremont and John Byrne as artist had a gift for telling stories, and the gift for the showing the stories. Some of my favorite characters were made in this era, and plots still factor large in the current Marvel Universe both cinematic and comic-wise. This is what makes this graphic novel, the first of three so great. This captures the feeling, the moments, the characters and the art of that time. And the art is pretty awesome too. X-Men: Elsewhen (Volume 1 of 3): A Graphic Novel is written and illustrated by John Byrne and offers a different take on the put-upon mutant heroes, with different adventures, different threats, all in the style of their classic stories.

The story begins with Jean Grey, aka Marvel Girl, saving her colleagues the X-Men from crashing to Earth and being splattered. While she appears to die, her life is saved by the Phoenix force, which makes her powerful, and at some time in the future a threat to all life. This is accepted history. In this graphic novel things go differently. The Phoenix, proven to be a galaxy destroying force, is not killed, but is stripped away from Jean Grey, leaving her with the intellectual capacity of a child, and the X-Men's history is changed. Soon they are in the Savage Land, fighting both AIM and MODOK. Sentinels appear with a mandate to not only kill mutants, but all humans who are friends to them. The Avengers and the Fantastic Four make appearances. Meanwhile out in the depths of space, things are going wrong, and soon the most powerful and destructive force in the galaxy might be coming back to Earth.

This was a gift. As John Byrne states in the intro this started as something to do for fun, got out of hand, and soon he got bored, and ended it. There were no plans to print this, but honestly this has money printed all over it. Mainly because it is better than I ever thought it would be. This graphic novel is like adventures in the early days of my comic fandom. The art is good, the characters are portrayed like they used to be. Wolverine is not front and center on every page. Kitty Pryde is still learning the ropes. Xavier is haughty, but still a character. And the art, wow is the art good. I have read X-Men stories over and over, and this fits perfectly. Sure there are some odd scenes, some well that's creepy, but all in all this was something I would have picked up in the Bronx candy store where I did most of my comic shopping. Great story, great characters, great art. Really great art.

One of the few graphic novels that live up to the hype. I really can't wait to see how the rest of the series goes. And I feel sad that there won't be more stories like this. I hate nostalgia, it's the worst drug in the world, but I really loved this. And like any Marvel zombie hooked on nostalgia, I need more, which is not something I have said about any comic in a long, long time.

[Mrs. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This X-Men Saga picks up after the 1984 series with the birth of the Phoenix. This edition brings in multiple Marvel groups such as the Avengers and Fantastic 4 to join in the fight against an altered type of Sentinel. There are various story lines throughout the edition, but they all interconnect. This is book 1 of 3.

If you are a fan of the X-Men then this is for you! If you enjoy the Avengers or Fantastic 4, they are in this enough to grab that fandom's money too. John Byrne has a large following, so if you know him...you've probably already seen this in some format. If you are a purist of Comics and the formatting of graphic novels, then you may have some feelings about this - but keep in mind - X-Men are forever and they are for everyone.

I have been reading comic books since I could read, with the X-Men having always been my favorite. This was a little different in format that I am used to (there's a lot of jumping around timeline and characters, so you need to keep up), but I enjoyed it overall. There were a few images of Kitty that threw me for a loop (the wide-eyed panels were a little disturbing), but overall the detail and colors brought me right back into my days sitting on my family's comic store floor devouring all the stories I could after school. As a teacher I encourage students to read anything they enjoy - I don't care if there are pictures with your books - I just want you to READ. I did find some of the captions to be a bit pompous in that they were not the most accessible for younger readers. And of course, I understand that some argue this is not intended for younger audiences, but I disagree; I think comics are where all ages can mingle and discuss. So for my family, I just explained and as I read aloud, I reworded. If you're reading on your own, I encourage you to use a dictionary and learn some new words as you read.

So will I read the next two volumes? Absolutely. To me, my X-Men!
Should you? Of course because Storm, Mistress of the Elements, commands you.


***NetGalley ARC Review***

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nostalgia-fest for aging Marvel zombies (or MMMS or FOOM members, if you prefer) has John Byrne doing an X-Men "What If?" series that picks up at the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga, using the original, aborted ending to that storyline that left Jean Grey alive and free of the Phoenix Force but psychically lobotomized. The X-Men are concerned about her, of course, but are immediately distracted by mutant activity detected by Cerebro and a growing number of attacks by a newer, deadlier iteration of the Sentinel robots.

I was a long-time member of Byrne's Faithful Fifty Thousand, following him from title to title from the 1970s through the early 2000s, but I drifted away from him as I transitioned from buying comics monthly to just checking out the trade paperbacks I could find in local libraries. So it's a real kick to get to see his art again and remember why I enjoyed it so much.

While my inner-teen is fanboying, though, the older me starts to get a little bored by the action-driven story that jumps quickly from scene to scene and character to character to character to character (SO MANY CHARACTERS!!!) as it tries for "epic" but fizzles into fragmented and shallow. Character development is limited to some momentary fretting between explosions.

It doesn't help that I find the Sentinels to be the X-Men's least interesting foes. I mean, they're just robots, so who cares?

Still, it was fun to visit with all these characters without all the baggage that subsequent decades have heaped upon them. (So many deaths and betrayals!) I'm not sure I'll come back for the next two volumes of this series, but I'm grateful for this chance to see what might have been.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teenage me is geeking out right now. John Byrne is back with the X-Men and it is everything you could hope or ask or even dream of…and more.

This picks up with the X-Men at the conclusion of the Dark Phoenix Saga. Jean doesn’t die, though. Instead, the Shi’ar have separated her from the Phoenix Force. But there was a cost. Jean now has the mental capacity of a 5-year-old.

The X-Men are back at the mansion with Professor X and new recruit/student, Kitty Pryde. There is no rest for the weary. Instead, the X-Men are off on quite a few adventures that all end up tying together. This truly felt like I was back in the 80s and just picked up a handful of X-Men comics to read in one sitting. The artwork is that classic look. But not just the beautiful artwork, it is the story.

Byrne has reignited my love for classic comics. I love comics. But most of what is released as graphic novels today is just for adults and, quite honestly, don’t have much of a story. Computer assisted artwork with a dash of nudity and a lot of cusswords, and you are good to go. The sad thing is that eventually, the adults reading this stuff will pass away and who is left? You didn’t aim for kids anymore.

Byrne brings back that nostalgic feel, but not just that, there is substance here. It’s just good old story telling. We still have two more volumes to go. I can’t wait. And Mr. Byrne, welcome back. It’s our pleasure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Byrne is back on the X-Men. For a certain segment of comic fans, this is about as exciting as comic news can get. Originally crafted as fan fiction on his website, Elsewhen has made his original work official and given it the full treatment. The art is crisp, the colors are bright, and the story is classic X-Men goodness of the likes that has not been seen in decades.

The stories in this collection take you from the Savage Land to a large-scale battle with the Sentinels in New York City, with appearances by some of Marvel's biggest superheroes and teams making appearances. There are also classic X-Men elements included, like the trip to town that goes wrong, interpersonal relationships playing a serious role, legendary uniforms, a teenage Kitty Pryde going by Sprite, the Danger Room, and more.

I was impressed by both the art and the storytelling in Elsewhen. I went in just hoping to see art that was both nostalgic and fresh-feeling; what I also gained was a reminder that this was the writer of the classic Superman and Fantastic Four runs.

What Works: The way the Sentinels are turned into scary villains capable of fighting the X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four. They posed an ominous threat in this collection.

What Doesn’t: I wasn't the biggest fan of the way Jean Grey was handled, but I am curious to see what it builds to.

Final Thoughts: It's John Byrne back on the X-Men, 'nuff said!

Rating: 5 out of 5 brown Wolverine uniforms

[Martin Maenza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abrams ComicArts provided an early galley for review.

I was just coming into super-hero and Marvel Comics around the time of Bryne's earliest work for the company. Thus, it is no surprise that he ranks in my top three of all-time comic book creators.

As outlined by Byrne himself, this entire project just started out as a fun lark for him. But it quickly evolved into a whole lot more (hundreds of pages). I had heard about it being posted on his website message board but never really sought it out. Now, years later, it was being retooled into a trio of graphic novels and published for a wider audience.

My excitement reading this was fanned from the opening pages. It felt great to be back with one of the first team titles I collected and a creator who left his mark on it.

I enjoyed how Byrne brings in elements from the greater Marvel universe, whether as adversaries or even brief cameos. It is always good to see his take on certain characters. Each of the issues/chapters move fairly quickly (there are ten in total in this first volume). This is the pacing of the Bronze Age comics with main plots being supplemented with subplots. The volume definitely leaves the reader eager to continue the adventures.

The art is beautiful, as always. Byrne renders the cast very much like he did in the early 80's. Here and there a couple faces felt a touch "off" but that happens. The backgrounds are full and varied, adding to the overall story.

[Nathanael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers and for NetGalley for this advanced readers copy!

For any long-term X-Men fan, John Byrne’s name is forever associated with many of their earlier adventures, including the beloved and often adapted Dark Phoenix Saga. For this new collection of comics, Byrne pitches an alternate timeline, ‘Elsewhen’ wherein certain key elements of that story change in an unexpected way.

This consequently creates the room for a very different story with the same beloved characters in new adventures. The beloved art style and colours of the era are back, bringing vibrancy and nostalgia to the read. Serving as a collection of Byrne’s own self published stories, these can occasionally feel disjointed but the plot threads end up paying off in satisfying ways.

As the story progresses, the scope builds to create an exciting conflict, and ends with a very shocking twist that I am sure will have repercussions in future volumes.

If you aren’t familiar with the source material, this may at times be confusing, as it assumes that you have read the original run. However, if you enjoyed those original stories, there is so much to love and enjoy in these pages.

I very much look forward to seeing what happens next!

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love how this came about. Byrne just decided one day to draw some X-Men fanfic and post it on his website. Because he wasn't trying to sell it, it wasn't an issue. The fans there loved it and he started drawing more, turning it into a new page every day until he eventually had enough content for 3 volumes of alternate X-Men lore.

It starts off with the original idea they had for Jean Grey at the end of The Dark Phoenix Saga and strikes out from there with trips to the Savage Land, the return of the Sentinels and Magneto and even bringing in both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. I loved everything about it. Byrne's art is still top notch. The guy hasn't lost a step and I hope this leads to a return to comics on the regular. He's long been one of my favorite creators and Marvel could certainly use a jolt of his energy to its books.

[Frank Vasquez]

This no-star review is not indicative of this collection not being worthy of being ranked. I simply do not believe I am qualified to specifically rate the quality of a fan-fiction-gone-wild. Elsewhen is all over the place, and I mean that derogatorily. It does a great job of capturing that 80s-era X team and all those other Marvel good guys that tend to crisscrossapplesauce all over the timelines, but this absolutely reads as more of a jolty fan-fiction that got penned and inked and colored elsewhere at elsetimes so really who needs an elsewhen. I can't say it was visually striking and the characters and dialogue are most often clunky and don't read fun, cool, insightful, poignant, nada.

Thanks to Abrams ComicArts for providing an electronic copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. These opinions are my own.

[Polis Stavrou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I missed these stories of the X-Men!!
Truly,John Bryne reminded us how awesome are those stories,so impactful and amazing not only for the X-Men universe but for the whole Marvel Universe as well!
The plot is starts slow but progressively builts up to a story that you dont want to stop reading. Great character development with the team members,their relations and their individual characteristics. I believe it is the true essence of the X-Men.
About artwork, it is great, I love the 70's-80's aesthetic, beautiful illustrations,nice colouring and nice placement of the panels.
For any fan of the X-Men, this graphic novel must not be missed and for any Marvel collector, this graphic novel is a must.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an Unbiased review.

[Chad Alan Honestly · Rating 5 out of 5]

X-Men: Elsewhen Volume 1- This took me back to when I was a child reading comics in the gas station waiting on my turn at the arcade game in the corner. I don’t know what my favorite part is: seeing Storm in her black & gold suit, seeing the interaction with Jean’s parents, or seeing the HUGE line of superheroes outside of the X-MEN family. There was Spiderman, Ironman, the Fantastic 4, Captain America, Wanda & Vision, and so many others. This story was great and really had that classic comic feel to it. Let's talk about that ending, though… shocking to the point that I already checked to see if there is a release date for volume 2. INCREDIBLE story.

[Kristall Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this graphic novel as an eARC!

This was interesting. Not great, but definitely interesting. I'm typically wary of "new and unexpected" directions, and that hunch was right, but I had a reasonably good time anyway, so I can't rate this too low.

A little irritating to see the Fantastic Four and the Avengers get involved in an X-Men story, though. If I wanted those guys, I'd go read their comics instead.

Three stars out of five to X-Men: Elsewhen.

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Byrne puts out a collection that will have you grabbing for a flashlight to read it under the covers.