I agree. Byrne's MAN OF STEEL and SUPERMAN were a sharp decline from his FF work just previous to it.

I never heard of Miller having clashes with Shooter. I credit much of the playful humor in Miller's DAREDEVIL run and overall quality of the stories to editor Dennis O'Neil contributing to the plotting. But Miller had originally intended to do his RONIN series for Marvel, until DC gave him (my best Marlon Brando voice) an offer he couldn't refuse. At a convention, he disclosed he was making 300 dollars a page for pencils alone! Plus writing, plus inks, plus royalties...

Maybe you know something I don't, but i never got the impression that Miller left Marvel for DC for any reason other than a great offer. And he did come back when Shooter was still in charge (1985-1986) to do DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN (DD 226-233), and ELECKTRA ASSASSIN 1-8, plus a few other graphic novels and other stories.

I recall Miller getting all bent out of shape with DC (circa 1987) when DC wanted to put warning labels on their "mature" material, along with Wolfman, Chaykin, and Moore. I never saw that as censorship, just letting readers know what they were buying, and thought the four of them were being ridiculous about it.