In THE ART OF JOHN BYRNE, Byrne says that he liked Dan Green the best of those who inked him, because it was closer to Byrne's own rougher inking style. But at his absolute peak in the 1977-1981 period, I'd agree that people like Austin, Layton and others added to Byrne's work by giving his pencils a sharper, cleaner look than Byrne himself would.

But in 1981-1982, Byrne proved how well and how cleanly he could ink his own work, on FF 232-242. And after that point forward his work gradually became looser, so that by the early 1990's I no longer cared what Byrne did.

But up till Byrne left Marvel in 1986, he described himself in editorials up to that point as a proud cog in the Marvel machine. And Marvel was glad to have him. But from the point he announced his contract with DC, Byrne said he was editorially harassed at Marvel, that compelled him to leave earlier than he had planned. He wanted to stay on FF through issue 300 regardless of his Superman contract with DC. But left early because of editorial nit-picking he said never existed before he announced his DC contract.

I recall his INCREDIBLE HULK run was also cut short by this pre-emptive departure.

And his unfinished "Last Galactus Story" in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 26-34.

And I always got the impression Byrne felt this editorial nit-picking was orchestrated by Shooter.