GetWiki

{{Short description|American comic book artist and penciller}}

factoids

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.2017192|6}}| death_place = | nationality = American| cartoonist = | write = y| pencil = y| ink = | letter = | color =| edit = | alias = Ron Validar| signature = All-Star Squadron’Astonishing Tales (Deathlok)Fantastic Four (comic book)>Fantastic Four’Superman vs. Shazam!World’s Finest Comics| awards = richbuckler.com}}| subcat = American}}Rich Buckler (February 6, 1949 – May 19, 2017)WEB, Miller, John Jackson, John Jackson Miller,cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays, Comics Industry Birthdays, Comics Buyer’s Guide, June 10, 2005, Iola, Wisconsinarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdaysurl-status= dead, was an Americans comics artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four (comic book)>Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and for creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25. Buckler drew virtually every major character at Marvel and DC, often as a cover artist.

Career

As a teenager in Detroit, Buckler was involved in comics fandom.Siegel, Howard P. “Made in America,” BEM #16 (December 1977). He attended the initial iterations of the Detroit Triple Fan Fair, eventually running the convention along with originator Robert Brosch in 1969–1970.BOOK, Cooke, Jon B., Rich Buckler Breaks Out! The Artist on Deathlok, T’Challa, and Other Marvel Tales, Comic Book Artist Collection Volume 3, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2005, WEB,www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=BUCKLER%2c+RICH+F., Buckler, Rich F., Jerry, Bails, Jerry Bails, Hames, Ware, n.d., Who’s Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999,www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=BUCKLER%2c+RICH+F.," title="web.archive.org/web/20160218031015www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=BUCKLER%2c+RICH+F.,">web.archive.org/web/20160218031015www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=BUCKLER%2c+RICH+F., February 18, 2016, live, Buckler’s first comics work was as a teenager with the four-page historical story “Freedom Fighters: Washington Attacks Trenton” in the King Features comic book Flash Gordon #10 (cover-dated Nov. 1967). In 1971, he did some work for Skywald Publications but made a “wrong move” by attempting to date the daughter of Skywald’s co-owner Israel Waldman.Buckler in Cooke, p. 72: “I was told that I’m not Jewish enough - understandable since I’m not Jewish (I’m a mixture of German, Irish, and French - but I look mostly German). Anyway, I’m married to a Jewish girl now.” At DC Comics, he drew the “Rose and the Thorn” backup stories in Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane #117–121 (Dec. 1971–April 1972).JOURNAL, Cassell, Dewey, A Rose By Any Other Name...Would Be Thorn, Back Issue!, 64, 28–32, TwoMorrows Publishing, May 2013, Raleigh, North Carolina, Buckler drew the first three issues of writer Don McGregor’s Black Panther series in Jungle Action vol. 2, #6–8 (Sept. 1973–Jan. 1974), a run that Comics Bulletin in 2010 ranked third on its list of the “Top 10 1970s Marvels”.WEB,www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/447/top-10-1970s-marvels/, Top 10 1970s Marvels, Jason, Sacks, September 6, 2010, Comics Bulletin,www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/447/top-10-1970s-marvels," title="web.archive.org/web/20130801070005www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/447/top-10-1970s-marvels,">web.archive.org/web/20130801070005www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/447/top-10-1970s-marvels, August 1, 2013, dead, August 3, 2013, He fulfilled a decade-long dream in 1974 when assigned to draw Marvel’s flagship series, Fantastic Four, on which he stayed for two years.Thomas, Roy. “Bullpen Bulletins,” Marvel comics cover-dated January 1974. During this period, Buckler created the cyborg antihero Deathlok, who starred in an ongoing feature debuting in Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974).BOOK, Sanderson, Peter, Peter Sanderson, Gilbert, Laura, ed., 1970s, Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History, Dorling Kindersley, 2008, London, United Kingdom, 166, 978-0756641238, Created by artist Rich Buckler and writer Doug Moench, the original Deathlok was Colonel Luther Manning, a soldier in an alternate, post-apocalyptic future., Also during this period, Buckler hired the young George Pérez as his studio assistant.JOURNAL, O’Neill, Daniel Patrick, Career Moves, Wizard (magazine), Wizard, 35, July 1994,vu.morrissey-solo.com/moz/perez/int/wiz7-94.htm,vu.morrissey-solo.com/moz/perez/int/wiz7-94.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20090907171748vu.morrissey-solo.com/moz/perez/int/wiz7-94.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20090907171748vu.morrissey-solo.com/moz/perez/int/wiz7-94.htm, September 7, 2009, dead, Buckler collaborated with writer Gerry Conway on a “Superman vs. Shazam!” story published in All-New Collectors’ Edition #C-58 (April 1978).JOURNAL, Hamerlinck, P.C., When Worlds Collide The Colossal-Sized Confrontation Between Superman and Captain Marvel, Back Issue!, 61, 65–68, TwoMorrows Publishing, December 2012, Raleigh, North Carolina, All-New Collectors’ Edition #C-58 at the Grand Comics Database He drew the newspaper comic strip The Incredible Hulk for approximately six months in 1979.JOURNAL, Cassell, Dewey, February 2014, Smashing into Syndication: The Incredible Hulk Newspaper Strip, Back Issue!, 70, 37–40, TwoMorrows Publishing, Raleigh, North Carolina, Buckler was one of several artists to draw the comics adaptation of Xanadu in Marvel Super Special #17 (Summer 1980).JOURNAL, Friedt, Stephan, Marvel at the Movies - The House of Ideas’ Hollywood Adaptations of the 1970s and 1980s, Back Issue!, 89, 64, TwoMorrows Publishing, July 2016, Raleigh, North Carolina, The interior [art] was a group effort with over a dozen people credited with different aspects of the artwork (including layouts by Rich Buckler and Jimmy Janes, and finished pencils by Michael Netzer, Michael Nasser [Netzer], Brent Anderson (comics), Brent Anderson, Joe Brozowski, Al Milgrom, and Bill Sienkiewicz)., A Justice League story by Conway and Buckler originally intended for All-New Collectors’ Edition saw print in Justice League of America #210–212 (Jan.–March 1983).Justice League of America #210 at the Grand Comics Database{{Citation|last = Wells|first = John|title = ‘Lost’ DC: The DC Implosion|newspaper = Comics Buyer’s Guide|issue = 1249|page = 132|date = October 24, 1997}}JOURNAL, Wells, John, The Perils of the DC/Marvel Tabloid Era, Back Issue!, 61, 6, TwoMorrows Publishing, December 2012, Raleigh, North Carolina, Buckler and Roy Thomas then created the World War II superhero team the All-Star Squadron in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 (Aug. 1981)JOURNAL, Catron, Michael, Michael Catron, Thomas Revives WWII Superheroes, Amazing Heroes, 1, 28–30, Fantagraphics Books, June 1981, Stamford, Connecticut, 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., which led to the team’s own title the following month.BOOK, Manning, Matthew K., Dolan, Hannah, ed., 1980s, DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle, Dorling Kindersley, 2010, London, United Kingdom, 978-0-7566-6742-9, 195, 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., In 1983,The Comics Journal accused Buckler of plagiarism, saying that he had a reputation as a “swipe” artist who copied poses and layouts from previous artists’ work.NEWS, Plagiarism: Rich Buckler Signs his Name to Jack Kirby’s Work, The Comics Journal, 83, August 1983, 33–35, NEWS, Rich Buckler Answers His Critics, The Comics Journal, 86, November 1983, 28–31, Buckler sued the magazine for libel,NEWS, Rich Buckler Sues Comics Journal and two of its Writers for Libel, The Comics Journal, 88, January 1984, 13, but later dropped the suit.NEWS, Buckler Drops Comics Journal Libel Suit, The Comics Journal, 93, September 1984, 11–12, Buckler worked for Archie Comics in 1983 and 1984, when that publisher briefly revived its Red Circle Comics superhero line, and he recruited Cary Burkett to write the Mighty Crusaders title.WEB, Cobb, Bradley S., Cary Burkett Interview, The Mighty Crusaders Network, 2001,www.mightycrusaders.net/interviews/burkett.html,www.mightycrusaders.net/interviews/burkett.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20131215170409www.mightycrusaders.net/interviews/burkett.html,">web.archive.org/web/20131215170409www.mightycrusaders.net/interviews/burkett.html, December 15, 2013, June 23, 2012, dead, In 1985, Buckler returned to Marvel and briefly drew The Spectacular Spider-Man with writer Peter David, where they produced the storyline “The Death of Jean DeWolff”.BOOK, Manning, Matthew K., Gilbert, Laura, ed., 1980s, Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging, Dorling Kindersley, 2012, London, United Kingdom, 150, 978-0756692360, Revered as one of the finest Spider-Man stories ever told, this four-part saga, written by Peter David and penciled by Rich Buckler, was a decidedly dark tale for the usually lighthearted web-slinger., He also served as editor for a short-lived line of comics by Solson Publications, where in 1987 he created Reagan’s Raiders.Reagan’s Raiders at Don Markstein’s Toonopedia. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016.In 2011, Buckler drew a Djustine short story written by Enrico Teodorani for the Italian market.WEB,www.efedizioni.com/djustine.html, Djustine, EF edizioni, it-IT, 2019-06-21, He was the author of three books on comic book artistry: How to Become a Comic Book ArtistBOOK, How to Become a Comic Book Artist, Buckler, Rich, 1986, Solson, 0-9615671-1-2, and How to Draw SuperheroesBOOK, How to Draw Super-Heroes, Buckler, Rich, 1987, Solson, 0-9615671-5-5, (Solson Publications) in 1986, and How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books (Vanguard Publications) in 2007.BOOK, How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books, Buckler, Rich, 2007, Vanguard, 978-1-887591-95-9, In 2015, he became an Inkwell Awards Ambassador.WEB,www.inkwellawards.com/?page_id=413, Inkwell Awards, Ambassadors, January 27, 2017, January 28, 2016,www.inkwellawards.com/?page_id=413," title="web.archive.org/web/20160128181915www.inkwellawards.com/?page_id=413,">web.archive.org/web/20160128181915www.inkwellawards.com/?page_id=413, live, PRESS RELEASE,www.firstcomicsnews.com/?p=176730, Rich Buckler Made Inkwell Awards Ambassador, Plus Roster Changes, January 11, 2016, Bob, Almond, First Comics, March 19, 2016,www.firstcomicsnews.com/?p=176730," title="web.archive.org/web/20160319095151www.firstcomicsnews.com/?p=176730,">web.archive.org/web/20160319095151www.firstcomicsnews.com/?p=176730, It was not uncommon for him to use the alias Ron Validar or simply Validar for his Marvel comics work when he was on exclusive contract with rival DC.{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Validar|title= Rich Buckler as Validar}} In this way he was able to skirt the spirit of the law if not the letter. His most prominent covers using this nom de plume were often inked by Ernie Chan.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Death

Buckler died May 19, 2017, after a long battle with cancer.NEWS,www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rich-buckler-dead-marvel-dc-comics-artist-was-68-1005867, Rich Buckler, Prolific Marvel and DC Comics Artist, Dies at 68, The Hollywood Reporter, May 20, 2017, en, May 21, 2017,www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rich-buckler-dead-marvel-dc-comics-artist-was-68-1005867," title="web.archive.org/web/20170521033448www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rich-buckler-dead-marvel-dc-comics-artist-was-68-1005867,">web.archive.org/web/20170521033448www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rich-buckler-dead-marvel-dc-comics-artist-was-68-1005867, live,

Bibliography

Arcana Studio

• Shadowflame 3 (inker) (2007)

Archie Comics

• Blue Ribbon Comics 4 (artist with Trevor von Eden, writer with Stan Timmons), 6–7, 11 (writer with Stan Timmons) (1983–84)
• Fly 1–2, 4 (1983)
• Lancelot Strong, The Shield 1 (writer) (1983)
• Mighty Crusaders 1–8 (penciller), 9–10 (inker) (1983–84)

Astral Comics

• Astral Comics 1 (1977)
• Galaxia Magazine 1 (1981)

Atlas/Seaboard Comics

• The Demon Hunter 1 (1975)
• Tales of Evil 3 (1975)
• Weird Suspense 3 (with Pat Boyette) (1975)

Continuity Comics

• Hybrids: The Origin 3–4 (1993)

DC Comics

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Action Comics (Atom) 447 (1975)
• All-New Collectors’ Edition (Superman vs. Shazam!) C–58 (1978)
• All-Star Squadron 1–5, 36 (full art); Annual 3 (among other artists) (1981–84)
• America vs. the Justice Society, miniseries, 1 (among other artists) (1985)
• Batman 265, 267, 329; (Robin) 239–242 (1972–80)
• DC Comics Presents 12, 33–34, 45, 49, Annual 1 (1979–82)
• DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The ‘80s 1 (2011)
• DC Special (Captain Comet) 27 (1977)
• DC Super Stars (Gorilla Grodd) 14 (1977)
• Detective Comics (Hawkman) 434, 446, 479 (1973–78)
• The Flash 271–272 (1979)
• Hardware 10, 12 (1993–94)
• House of Mystery 199, 258 (1972–78)
• House of Secrets 90 (1971)
• Jonah Hex 11 (1978)
• Justice League of America 188–191, 193, 210–212 (1981–83)
• Kobra 5 (1976)
• The New Adventures of Superboy 9 (1980)
• New Gods 15 (1977)
• Omega Men 34 (1986)
• Secret Origin of Superman (Leaf Comic Book Candy) (1980)
• Secrets of Sinister House 10 (inker) (1973)
• Secret Society of Super Villains 5–9 (1977)
• Star Hunters 4–7 (1978)
• Superman (Fabulous World of Krypton) 246, 251, 352 (1971–1980); (Bruce Superman Wayne) 363 (1981); (Superman) 364, 369 (1981–82)
• Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane (Rose and Thorn) 117–121 (1971–72)
• Tales of the Teen Titans 51–54 (1985)
• Time Warp 1 (1979)
• The Unexpected 123, 126, 135, 157, 174 (1971–76)
• The Warlord 87–88 (inker), 89–90, 97 (1985)
• Weird War Tales 23, 123 (1974–83)
• Weird Western Tales (Jonah Hex) 37 (1976)
• Wonder Woman 300 (among other artists) (1983)
• World’s Finest Comics (Hawkman) 257–258; (Superman and Batman) 259–261, 263–264, 266–267, 269–272, 275–276, 278, 280, 285–286 (1979–82)

{{div col end}}

Deluxe Comics

• Wally Wood’s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents 4 (1986)

Dynamite Entertainment

• Red Sonja 1973 (2015)

Gold Key

• The Twillight Zone 47 (1973)

Image Comics

• Big Bang Comics 4 (among other artists) (1996)

King Comics

• Flash Gordon 10 (backup feature) (1967)

Lodestone Publishing

• Codename: Danger 1 (1985)

Malibu Comics

• Genesis 0 (1993)

Marvel Comics

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Adventure into Fear 11, 22 (penciller), 12 (inker) (1973–74)
• Amazing Adventures (Killraven) 25 (1974)
• Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America: Dr. Doom’s Revenge (distributed with a computer game by Paragon Software) (1989)
• Astonishing Tales (Ka-Zar) 13 (with John Buscema), 16; (Deathlok) 25–28, 30–36 (1972–76)
• The Avengers 101–104, 106, 302–304, Giant-Size 1 (1972–74, 1989)
• Battlestar Galactica 6-7 (1979)
• Black Goliath 4 (1976)
• Black Knight miniseries 3–4 (1990)
• Captain America 243, 355 (1980, 1989)
• Captain America: The Medusa Effect (with M. C. Wyman) (1994)
• Conan The Barbarian 40 (1974)
• Daredevil 101 (1973)
• Doc Savage 8 (1974)
• Dracula Lives 1 (1973)
• Epic Illustrated 29 (1985)
• Fantastic Four 142–144, 147–153, 155–159, 161–163, 168–169, 171, 325, 329–335; Giant-Size 1, 3; Annual 22 (1974–76, 1989)
• Freddy Krueger’s A Nightmare on Elm Street miniseries 1–2 (with Tony DeZuniga) (1989)
• The Incredible Hulk Annual 11 (1982)
• Invaders 5 (1976)
• Iron Man 196–197 (1985)
• Journey into Mystery vol. 2 5 (1973)
• Jungle Action vol. 2 (Black Panther) 6–8 (full pencils), 22 (with Billy Graham) (1973–76)
• Luke Cage, Power Man 30 (1976)
• Marvel Comics Presents 24–31 (1989)
• Marvel Comics Super Special (Kiss) 1; (Xanadu) 17 (among other artists) (1977–80)
• Marvel Spotlight (Deathlok) 33 (1977)
• Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 2 (X-Men) 6 (1991)
• Marvel Team-Up (Spider-Man and Nightcrawler) 89 (with Mike Nasser) (1980)
• Micronauts Annual 2 (with Steve Ditko) (1980)
• Monsters on the Prowl 22 (new splash page for reprint story) (1973)
• Monsters Unleashed 8 (with George Perez) (1974)
• New Mutants 76–77 (1989)
• Saga of The Original Human Torch limited series 1–4 (1990)
• Saga of The Sub-Mariner limited series 1–12 (1988–89)
• Savage Sword of Conan 182 (1991)
• The Spectacular Spider-Man 103, 107–111, 116–117, 119, 122; Annual 1, 10 (1979, 1985–87, 1990)
• Starblast 4 (1994)
• Supernatural Thrillers 5 (1973)
• Tales of the Zombie 4 (1974)
• Thor 227–230 (1974)
• Vampire Tales 2–3, 5 (1973–74)
• What If? (Eternals) 24; (Thor) 25; (Namor) 29; (Spider-Man) 30 (1980–81)
• What If? vol. 2 (X-Men) 9 (1990)
• Where Monsters Dwell 15 (1972)
• X-Factor 50 (1990)

{{div col end}}

Now Comics

• Mr. T and the T-Force 7–10 (inker) (1994)
• Syphons: The Sygate Strategem 1–3 (1994–95)

Silverline Comics

• Assassins Inc. 2 (inker) (1987)

Skywald Publications

• Hell-Rider 2 (1971)
• Nightmare 3, 5 (with Bruce Jones) (1971)
• Psycho 2, 4–5 (1971)
• Scream 8 (1974)

Solson Publications

• Amazing Wahzoo 1 (1986)
• The Bushido Blade of Zatoichi Walrus 2 (1987)
• How to Become a Comic Book Artist (1986)
• How To Draw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 (1986)
• Reagan’s Raiders 1–3 (1986–87)
• Rich Buckler’s Secrets of Drawing Comics 1–4 (1986)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Authorized Martial Arts Training Manual 1 (writer & inker) (1986)

S.Q.P. Inc.

• Phase 1 (1971)
• Hot Stuf’ 1 (1974)

Tekno Comix (Big Entertainment)

• The Big Bang 1–14 (four-page backup feature that ran in most Tekno Comix titles in 1996)
• Gene Roddenberry’s Lost Universe 5 (1995)

Tiger Comics

• Phantasy Against Hunger 1 (inker, among others) (1987)

Topps Comics

• Cadillacs and Dinosaurs 1 (1994)

Warrant Publishing

• The Creeps 1–3 (also writer in 2) (2014–2015)

Warren Publishing

• Creepy 36, 38, 75 (1970–75)
• Eerie 29, 48–49, 53 (1970–74)
• Vampirella 21 (1972)

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

{{commons category}}

• {{Official websitewww.richbuckler.com}} and www.bucklercomicart.com/" title="web.archive.org/web/20121219021748www.bucklercomicart.com/">archive of Buckler Comic Art official site. Archived on December 19, 2013.
• {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=412|title=Rich Buckler}}
• WEB,www.fantasticfourheadquarters.co.uk/blog/rich-buckler-interview, Rich Buckler, (interview) Fantastic Four Headquarters website, July 10, 2016, October 12, 2016,www.fantasticfourheadquarters.co.uk/blog/rich-buckler-interview," title="web.archive.org/web/20161012004948www.fantasticfourheadquarters.co.uk/blog/rich-buckler-interview,">web.archive.org/web/20161012004948www.fantasticfourheadquarters.co.uk/blog/rich-buckler-interview, dead,
• Rich Buckler at Mike’s Amazing World of Comics
• Rich Buckler at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• ”Astonishing Tales 25 and the Birth of Deathlok, with insights from Rich Buckler!” at GiantSizeMarvel.com

{{Authority control}}