Rich Buckler

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For the U.S. Representative from Minnesota, see Rich T. Buckler.
Rich Buckler
RichBuckler11.14.08ByLuigiNovi.jpg
Buckler at the Big Apple Con, November 14, 2008.
Born (1949-02-06) February 6, 1949 (age 64)
Detroit, Michigan
Nationality American
Area(s) Writer, Penciller
Pseudonym(s) Ron Validar
Notable works All-Star Squadron
Astonishing Tales (Deathlok)
Fantastic Four
Superman vs. Shazam!
World's Finest Comics

Official website

Rich Buckler (born February 6, 1949)[1] is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25. Buckler has drawn virtually every major character at Marvel and DC, often as a cover artist.

Contents

Career [edit]

Buckler drawing at the Big Apple Convention, May 21, 2011.

Buckler broke into comics as a teenager with the four-page historical story "Freedom Fighters: Washington Attacks Trenton" in the King Features comic book Flash Gordon #10 (Nov. 1967).

When given the chance in 1974 to draw The Fantastic Four, Buckler fulfilled a decade-long dream;[2] he stayed on the title for two years. During this period, Buckler was known as well for his original creation, Deathlok. Other notable work from this period includes his collaboration with writer Don McGregor on the acclaimed Black Panther series in Jungle Action. Also during this period, Buckler hired the young George Pérez as his studio assistant.[3]

Buckler collaborated with writer Gerry Conway on a "Superman vs. Shazam!" story published in All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58 (April 1978).[4][5] A Justice League story by Conway and Buckler originally intended for All-New Collectors' Edition saw print in Justice League of America #210-212 (January 1983-March 1983).[6][7][8] He and Roy Thomas launched All-Star Squadron with a special insert in Justice League of America #193 (August 1981)[9] which led to the new team's own title the following month.[10] Buckler worked for Archie Comics in 1983-1984, when that publisher briefly revived its Red Circle Comics superhero line and personally recruited Cary Burkett to write the Mighty Crusaders title.[11] In 1985 he returned to Marvel and had a short but memorable run on the title The Spectacular Spider-Man with writer Peter David, where they produced the "The Death of Jean DeWolff" storyline. He also served as editor for a short-lived line of comics by Solson Publications, where in 1987 he created Reagan's Raiders.[12]

He is the author of two books: How to Become a Comic Book Artist[13] and How to Draw Superheroes .[14]

Controversy [edit]

Buckler has a reputation as a "swipe" artist,[15] with his early work in particular filled with "homages" to artists such as Jack Kirby,[16] John Buscema, and Neal Adams.[17] After being publicly accused of the practice by The Comics Journal in 1983,[18] Buckler denied the charges[19] and sued the magazine for libel.[20] He later dropped the suit.[21]

Bibliography [edit]

Comics work (interior pencil art) includes:

DC [edit]

Marvel [edit]

Other publishers [edit]

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.  Text "John Jackson Miller" ignored (help)
  2. ^ Thomas, Roy. "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover-dated January 1974.
  3. ^ O'Neill, Patrick Daniel. "Career Moves" (interview with George Pérez), Wizard Magazine #35 (July 1994).
  4. ^ Hamerlinck, P.C. (December 2012). "When Worlds Collide The Colossal-Sized Confrontation Between Superman and Captain Marvel". Back Issue (TwoMorrows Publishing) (61): 65–68. 
  5. ^ All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58 at the Grand Comics Database
  6. ^ Justice League of America #210 at the Grand Comics Database
  7. ^ Wells, John (October 24, 1997), "'Lost' DC: The DC Implosion", Comics Buyer's Guide (1249): 132 
  8. ^ Wells, John (December 2012). "The Perils of the DC/Marvel Tabloid Era". Back Issue (TwoMorrows Publishing) (61): 6. 
  9. ^ Catron, Michael (June 1981). "Thomas Revives WWII Superheroes". Amazing Heroes (Fantagraphics Books) (1): 28–30. "All-Star Squadron, DC's new World War II-era superhero series debuts in May in a 16-page preview insert in Justice League of America #193." 
  10. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. "The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on All-Star Squadron offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history." 
  11. ^ Cobb, Bradley S. (2001). "Cary Burkett Interview". The Mighty Crusaders Network. Archived from the original on June 23, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2012. 
  12. ^ Reagan's Raiders at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
  13. ^ Buckler, Rich (1986). How to Become a Comic Book Artist. Solson. ISBN 0-9615671-1-2. 
  14. ^ Buckler, Rich (1987). How to Draw Super-Heroes. Solson. ISBN 0-9615671-5-5. 
  15. ^ Cooke, Jon B. "Dan Adkins' Strange Tales: The Artist on his Visits to the World of Wood and the House of Ideas", Comic Book Artist Collection TwoMorrows Publishing, 2005, p. 42.
  16. ^ O'Neill, Patrick Daniel. "Career Moves" (interview with George Pérez), Wizard Magazine #35 (July 1994):
    Question: What did you do as Buckler's assistant?
    Pérez: Basically, I helped him with layout. Or I'd go through his swipe file — batches of comics — looking for suitable swipes for the story he was doing. Since at the time he was doing Thor and Fantastic Four, that meant lots of Jack Kirby books.
  17. ^ Gillis, Peter B. Letter about Rich Buckler swipes, The Comics Journal #45 (March 1979), pp. 22.
  18. ^ "Plagiarism: Rich Buckler Signs his Name to Jack Kirby's Work," The Comics Journal #83 (Aug. 1983), pp. 33-35.
  19. ^ "Rich Buckler Answers His Critics," The Comics Journal #86 (November 1983), pp. 28-31.
  20. ^ "Rich Buckler Sues Comics Journal and two of its Writers for Libel," The Comics Journal #88 (Jan. 1984), p. 13.
  21. ^ "Buckler Drops Comics Journal Libel Suit," The Comics Journal #93 (Sept. 1984), pp. 11-12.

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rich Buckler
Preceded by
John Buscema		 Fantastic Four artist
1974–1976		 Succeeded by
George Pérez
Preceded by
Keith Pollard		 Fantastic Four artist
1989		 Succeeded by
Walter Simonson
Authority control
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