Rich Buckler

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For the U.S. Representative from Minnesota, see Rich T. Buckler.

Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler at the 2008 New York Comic Convention.
Birth name	Richard Buckler
Born
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Penciller, Cover artist
Notable works	The Fantastic Four, Deathlok

Richard "Rich" Buckler 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.

[edit] Career

Buckler broke into comics at age 18, with the four-page historical story "Freedom Fighters: Washington Attacks Trenton" in the King Features comic book Flash Gordon #10, November 1967. Four years passed before Buckler left his native Detroit, Michigan, and moved to New York City at the recommendation of comics legend Jack Kirby, to whom he had sent art samples.

Finding work at Marvel Comics, he went on to become one of the publisher's most prominent artists in the early to mid-1970s, owing in part to his speed as an artist, but also to the fact that he is a gifted mimic of other artists, proving himself highly adept at incorporating the distinctive styles from the likes of Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, John Buscema, and others. Some fans, however, faulted Buckler for not developing enough of an individual artistic style of his own.

Buckler has drawn virtually every major character at Marvel and DC, often as a cover artist.

In his early years at Marvel, he was perhaps best known for his work on The Fantastic Four, as well as his own original creation, Deathlok. At DC in the early-80s, he helped Roy Thomas launch All-Star Squadron. In the mid-1980s he returned to the company and had a short but memorable run on the title Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man with writer Peter David, where they produced the "Death of Jean DeWolff" storyline. He also served as editor for a short-lived line of comics by Solson Publications, and worked for Archie Comics when that publisher briefly revived its superhero line of books.

Other notable work includes his collaboration with writer Don McGregor on the acclaimed 1970s Black Panther series in Jungle Action.

He is the author of two books: How to Become a Comic Book Artist and How to Draw Superheroes. With his artist son Rick Buckler Jr. and artist Walter McDaniel Buckler formed Visage Studios.

[edit] Selected works

• New Mutants vol. 1 #76-77 (penciller)

[edit] External links

• RichBuckler.com
• The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Australian interview with Rich Buckler
• An interview with Rich Buckler about his time on The Fantastic Four

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