[Arthur McGowan]

Find me a reputable professional historian who will go on record saying that the first eight or so Popes were not martyred. Jack Chick does not count as a reputable professional historian.

[CynicalBear]

First of all you would have to identify the "first eight or so Popes". Do a little history on the title of pope given and you will not find a single "pope" at the head of the "Catholic Church" until the 6th century. From the 3rd to the 6th century is was used refer to all bishops. ["Pope", Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3].

It's nothing but Catholic fiction to state that there is a line of single popes leading back to Peter.