The celebrated Mr. K pays a BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE…
By PAUL KUPPERBERG
Rich Buckler’s characters knew how to throw a punch!
They leaned into their blows, muscles coiled, hurling all their weight behind them to send opponents flying, obliterating anything in their path. His covers were dynamic and bold, and his storytelling was clear and often innovative. He was one of the first of this generation of comic book fans to break into field in the late 1960s and early 1970s at a time when DC and Marvel, and a host of smaller publishers, were not only expanding their lines but experimenting with new formats and genres.
Born and raised in Detroit, Buckler (February 6, 1949 – May 19, 2017) was an active participant in early comics fandom, contributing to such fanzines as G.B. Loves’s Rocket’s Blast/Comicollector (RBCC) in 1965 and Star-Studded Comics (published by the “Texas Trio,” aka Larry Herndon, Howard Keltner, and Buddy Saunders) in 1967, as well as Joe Brancatelli’s Comic Fandom Monthly, Bill Schelly’s Sense of Wonder, and others.
Like many of this generation, Rich understood that fandom was not only a way to meet other fans, but also a creative training ground and a networking tool. And, like others, he was largely self-taught, learning by studying the work of artists he admired and refining his technique through repetition rather than formal training.
Rich made his breakthrough with a four-page back-up in Flash Gordon #10 (November 1967, King Features), followed by work for the short-lived Skywald Publications. By 1971, he was drawing the Rose and the Thorn backup in Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane.
But the young artist would make his splash a couple of years later at Marvel, first on a short run on Don McGregor’s legendary Black Panther series in Jungle Action, then during his two-year stint on Fantastic Four, which the artist often also wrote, producing stories that emphasized grand science fiction concepts, alternate realities, and cosmic themes consistent with the title’s history. He also co-created Deathlok the Demolisher, the cyber-super-soldier character with writer Doug Moench for Astonishing Tales, and contributed to a wide range of titles, including The Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Team-Up.
For DC, he worked on titles such as Justice League of America and World’s Finest Comics, and helped launch All-Star Squadron, a World War II period piece with a vast cast, written by Roy Thomas, as well as contributed a wide range of covers across the line.
Rich’s output was prodigious and varied and for publishers across the spectrum, including Archie Comics, Atlas/Seaboard, Continuity Comics, Solson Publications, S.Q.P. Inc., Tekno Comics, Warren Publications, and many others, and he was the author of three how-to books, How to Become a Comic Book Artist (Solson, 1986), How to Draw Superheroes (Solson, 1987), and How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books (Vanguard Press, 2007).
I loved the way Rich drew Superman. I only ever got to work with him twice on the character… well, one and a half times, first when he drew a Superman/Batman lead story I wrote for World’s Finest #275, and then when I dialogued a Superman/Shazam! team-up in DC Comics Presents #49, over Roy Thomas’ plot.
Here then, MY 13 FAVORITE RICH BUCKLER SUPERMAN COVERS:
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All New Collector’s Edition #C-58: Superman vs. Shazam (1978). An iconic image, and what I was talking about with the punching. Inked by Dick Giordano.
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Superman #319 (January 1978). You don’t want to see Superman mad! Inked by Bob Oksner.
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Superman Family #190 (July/August 1978). Even if it didn’t feature Nightwing and Flamebird, my characters from the issue, I would have thought this was a killer cover! Inked by Giordano.
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Superman #327 (September 1978). Great Krypton! And a great Kobra, too! Inked by Frank Giacoia.
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Superman #356 (February 1981). I remember this one grabbing my attention in the day. Inked by Giordano.
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Action Comics #516 (February 1981). Superman, Vandal Savage, dinosaurs… and the Atom!? Yes, please! Inked by Giordano.
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Superman Family #215 (February 1982). Now, ladies, let’s not fight! Inked by Vince Colletta.
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Action Comics #528 (February 1982). Cosmic action, and that’s not the Death Star. Inked by Giacoia.
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Superman Family #220 (July 1982). Because it’s based on the story I wrote and, besides, Master Jailer deserves more love. Inked by Giordano.
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DC Comics Presents #49 (September 1982). A tough shot to pull off but Rich manages it with ease. Inked by Giordano.
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Action Comics #536 (October 1982). I know there’s a special love for covers with floating heads, but what about the ones with Superman bondage? Inked by Giacoia.
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Superman #376 (October 1982). Yes, that is the preview of my Daring New Adventures of Supergirl title blurbed in the lower right, but I swear I picked this one because of the flying, cigar-smoking Perry White on it! Inked by Giacoia. (By the way, Rich’s cover of Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1 was selected to represent the modern version of the character in the 2006 DC Comics Super Heroes commemorative stamp set from the US Postal Service — certainly the closest I’ll ever come to being on a postage stamp!)
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Superman #378 (December 1982). Besides it being a cool image by Rich (inked by Giordano), I’ve always had a fondness for this cover based on a story I wrote, which represents the peak silliness of the later Julie Schwartz years on Superman. But it was born out of very sweet intentions.
Julie wanted to do an homage to his old friend, science fiction and comic book writer Edmond Hamilton. To that end, he suggested a story about a character named “Edmond Hamilton” that incorporated one of Hamilton’s most famous creations, the SF pulp magazine hero, Captain Future. We worked out an idea and as I was leaving, Julie stopped me and said, “On second thought, let’s call him Colonel Future. After all these years, Ed deserves a promotion.”
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MORE
— 13 COVERS: A RICH BUCKLER Birthday Celebration — 2025 Edition.Click here.
— 13 COVERS: A RICH BUCKLER Birthday Celebration — 2024 Edition. Click here.
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PAUL KUPPERBERG was a Silver Age fan who grew up to become a Bronze Age comic book creator, writer of Superman, the Doom Patrol, and Green Lantern, creator of Arion Lord of Atlantis, Checkmate, and Takion, and slayer of Aquababy, Archie, and Vigilante. He is the Harvey and Eisner Award nominated writer of Archie Comics’ Life with Archie, and his YA novel Kevin was nominated for a GLAAD media award and won a Scribe Award from the IAMTW. Check out his memoir, Panel by Panel: My Comic Book Life.
Website: https://www.paulkupperberg.net/
Shop: https://www.paulkupperberg.net/shop-1
