[3] After graduating from the Pratt Institute, Byck worked for various newspapers, including as an editorial cartoonist at the Brooklyn Times-Union[3] and The Seattle Times.

[4] In 1937, Byck joined King Features Syndicate, where he edited Pictorial Review;[3] during the Second World War, he served as "cable editor" for International News Service.

[9] As well, he "wrote the continuity story lines" for a variety of comic strips, including Secret Agent X-9 and Jungle Jim.

[10] Byck was also responsible for ensuring the continuation of strips after their original creators were no longer available, including Little Iodine (where he arranged for Hy Eisman to succeed Bob Dunn — who was himself a successor to Jimmy Hatlo)[11] and Rip Kirby (where he tried to recruit Leonard Starr to succeed Alex Raymond in the wake of Raymond's sudden death; Starr suggested that Byck instead hire John Prentice).

[18] Stan Drake reported having been chastised by Byck for including too much emotional expression when drawing the faces of characters in The Heart of Juliet Jones.