As a teenager in Detroit, Buckler was involved in comics fandom.[3] He attended the initial iterations of the Detroit Triple Fan Fair, eventually running the convention along with originator Robert Brosch in 1969–1970.[4][5]
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.[6] 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).[7]
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".[8] 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.[9] During this period, Buckler created the cyborg antihero Deathlok, who starred in an ongoing feature debuting in Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974).[10] Also during this period, Buckler hired the young George Pérez as his studio assistant.[11]
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.[21][22] Buckler sued the magazine for libel,[23] but later dropped the suit.[24]
In 2011, Buckler drew a Djustine short story written by Enrico Teodorani for the Italian market.[28]
He was the author of three books on comic book artistry: How to Become a Comic Book Artist[29] and How to Draw Superheroes[30] (Solson Publications) in 1986, and How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books (Vanguard Publications) in 2007.[31]
In 2015, he became an Inkwell Awards Ambassador.[32][33] 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.[34] 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]
^Siegel, Howard P. "Made in America," BEM #16 (December 1977).
^Cooke, Jon B., ed. (2005). "Rich Buckler Breaks Out! The Artist on Deathlok, T'Challa, and Other Marvel Tales". Comic Book Artist Collection Volume 3. TwoMorrows Publishing.
^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."
^Cassell, Dewey (May 2013). "A Rose By Any Other Name...Would Be Thorn". Back Issue! (64). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 28–32.
^Thomas, Roy. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover-dated January 1974.
^Sanderson, Peter; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1970s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 166. ISBN978-0756641238. Created by artist Rich Buckler and writer Doug Moench, the original Deathlok was Colonel Luther Manning, a soldier in an alternate, post-apocalyptic future.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Hamerlinck, P.C. (December 2012). "When Worlds Collide The Colossal-Sized Confrontation Between Superman and Captain Marvel". Back Issue! (61). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 65–68.
^Cassell, Dewey (February 2014). "Smashing into Syndication: The Incredible Hulk Newspaper Strip". Back Issue! (70). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 37–40.
^Friedt, Stephan (July 2016). "Marvel at the Movies - The House of Ideas' Hollywood Adaptations of the 1970s and 1980s". Back Issue! (89). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 64. 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 Nasser [Netzer], Brent Anderson, Joe Brozowski, Al Milgrom, and Bill Sienkiewicz).
^Wells, John (October 24, 1997), "'Lost' DC: The DC Implosion", Comics Buyer's Guide, no. 1249, p. 132
^Wells, John (December 2012). "The Perils of the DC/Marvel Tabloid Era". Back Issue! (61). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 6.
^Catron, Michael (June 1981). "Thomas Revives WWII Superheroes". Amazing Heroes (1). Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books: 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.
^Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 195. ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9. 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.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Plagiarism: Rich Buckler Signs his Name to Jack Kirby's Work". The Comics Journal. No. 83. August 1983. pp. 33–35.
^"Rich Buckler Answers His Critics". The Comics Journal. No. 86. November 1983. pp. 28–31.
^"Rich Buckler Sues Comics Journal and two of its Writers for Libel". The Comics Journal. No. 88. January 1984. p. 13.
^"Buckler Drops Comics Journal Libel Suit". The Comics Journal. No. 93. September 1984. pp. 11–12.
^Cobb, Bradley S. (2001). "Cary Burkett Interview". The Mighty Crusaders Network. Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
^Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1980s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 150. ISBN978-0756692360. 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.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
