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Damn it, these issues are hard to find in print! John Byrne worked on four issues of Charlton’s short-lived science-fiction series: Space 1999. You don’t find too many of them in the back issue bins.

Archaia Press recently published new Space 1999 material by Gary Morrow, who also turned in some great black-and-white artwork for the original 1970s Space 1999 Magazine. John Byrne’s issues, however, remain a rarity.

I suspect that once you see the pages, you will understand why. Nicola Cuti’s storytelling got me way more involved in the space drama than I expected. Byrne’s art rocks at the level of his classic X-men and Alpha Flight stories that garnered him far more fame not long after this brief stint. My sole complaint: This outer-space adventure tale did NOT run for 50 or 60 issues! What a great team Cuti and Byrne make here. Enjoy!

Collector’s Guide: From Space 1999 #3-6; Charlton, 1975. John Byrne art, Nicola Cuti story. John Byrne fans might also want to collect Space 1999 Magazine #4 produced by Charlton at the same time. Byrne worked on the fourth issue only.

2022 Update: Shout out to the desert-rock enthusiasts at MonsterRiff.com who found this post nine whole years after I originally made it and reminded me that the cover art for issue #5 was used as the album cover for Gravity X by Truck Fighters, a fuzz-drenched band I absolutely love! Below is the song Desert Cruiser, which earned a spot on MonsterRiff’s Top Ten Stoner Rock Riffs. You can find this album on Amazon.