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{{Infobox comics creator {{Infobox comics creator
| image = John Buscema 1975.jpg | image = John Buscema 1975.jpg
| imagesize = | imagesize =
| caption = Buscema in 1975 Marvel publicity photo | caption = Buscema in 1975 Marvel publicity photo
| birthname = Giovanni Natale Buscema | birthname = Giovanni Natale Buscema
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| deathplace = ] | deathplace = ]
| nationality = ] | nationality = ]
| cartoonist = | cartoonist =
| write = | write =
| pencil = y | pencil = y
| ink = y | ink = y
| letter = | letter =
| color = | color =
| alias = | alias =
| notable works = '']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']'' | notable works = '']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''<br>'']''
| awards = ], 1968, 1969<br />], 1974<br />], 1977<br />Inkpot Award, 1978<br />] Hall of Fame, 2002 | awards = ], 1968, 1969<br />], 1974<br />], 1977<br />Inkpot Award, 1978<br />] Hall of Fame, 2002
| nonUS = | nonUS =
| sortkey = Buscema, John | sortkey = Buscema, John
| subcat = American | subcat = American
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| dod = 10 | dod = 10
}} }}
{{Under construction}}
{{Underconstruction}}
'''John Buscema''', born '''Giovanni Natale Buscema''' (December 11, 1927&ndash;January 10, 2002),<ref>, ] details, ]</ref> was an ] ] ] and one of the mainstays of ] during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major ] ]. His younger brother ] is also a comic-book artist. '''John Buscema''', born '''Giovanni Natale Buscema''' (December 11, 1927&ndash;January 10, 2002),<ref>, ] details, ]</ref> was an ] ] ] and one of the mainstays of ] during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major ] ]. His younger brother ] is also a comic-book artist.


Buscema is best known for his run on the series '']'' and '']'', and for over 200 stories featuring the ] hero ]. In addition, he ] at least one issue of nearly every major Marvel title, including long runs on two of the company's top magazines '']'' and '']''. Buscema is best known for his run on the series '']'' and '']'', and for over 200 stories featuring the ] hero ]. In addition, he ] at least one issue of nearly every major Marvel title, including long runs on two of the company's top magazines '']'' and '']''.


He was inducted into the ] in 2002.<ref>. .</ref> He was inducted into the ] in 2002.<ref>. .</ref>
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===Early life and career=== ===Early life and career===
] ]
Born in ], John Buscema showed an interest in drawing at an early age, copying ]s such as '']''.<ref name="quart">Quartuccio, Sal, and Keenan, Bob, ''The Art of John Buscema'' (New York, Sal Q Productions, 1978)</ref> In his teens, he developed an interest in both ] comic books and such classic ] comic strips as ]'s '']'' and '']'', ]'s '']'', ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']''.<ref>Spurlock, David J., and John Buscema, ''John Buscema Sketchbook'' (New Jersey: Vanguard Productions, 2001) pp.60-61. Hardcover ISBN 1-887591-18-4, signed-numbered hardcover ISBN 1-887591-17-6, ] ISBN 1-887591-19-2</ref> Born in ], John Buscema showed an interest in drawing at an early age, copying ]s such as '']''.<ref name="quart">Quartuccio, Sal, and Keenan, Bob, ''The Art of John Buscema'' (New York, Sal Q Productions, 1978)</ref> In his teens, he developed an interest in both ] comic books and such classic ] comic strips as ]'s '']'' and '']'', ]'s '']'', ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']''.<ref>Spurlock, David J., and John Buscema, ''John Buscema Sketchbook'' (New Jersey: Vanguard Productions, 2001) pp.60-61. Hardcover ISBN 1-887591-18-4, signed-numbered hardcover ISBN 1-887591-17-6, ] ISBN 1-887591-19-2</ref>
He also showed an interest in ]s of the period, such as ], ], ], ], ], and ],<ref>Spurlock, p.27</ref> He also showed an interest in ]s of the period, such as ], ], ], ], ], and ],<ref>Spurlock, p.27</ref>


Buscema graduated from ]'s ]. He also took night lessons at ] as well as ] classes at the ].<ref>Irving, Christoper, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", '']'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 5-B.</ref> While training as a ], he began painting portraits of boxers and sold some cartoons to '']''.<ref name="quart" /> Seeking work as a commercial illustrator while doing various odd jobs, Buscema found himself instead entering the comic-book field in 1948, landing a staff job under ] and ] ] at ], the forerunner of ]. The Timely "bullpen", as the staff was called, included such fellow staffers as established veterans ], ], ], ], and ] and hired roughly two months earlier, ].<ref name="steranko-a">Steranko, in Spurlock, p.5</ref> Buscema graduated from ]'s ]. He also took night lessons at ] as well as ] classes at the ].<ref>Irving, Christoper, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", '']'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 5-B.</ref> While training as a ], he began painting portraits of boxers and sold some cartoons to '']''.<ref name="quart" /> Seeking work as a commercial illustrator while doing various odd jobs, Buscema found himself instead entering the comic-book field in 1948, landing a staff job under ] and ] ] at ], the forerunner of ]. The Timely "bullpen", as the staff was called, included such fellow staffers as established veterans ], ], ], ], and ] and hired, roughly two months earlier, newcomer ].<ref name="steranko-a">Steranko, in Spurlock, p.5</ref>


His first recorded credit is the seven-page story "Crime: Kidnapping! - Victim: Abraham Lincoln!" in Timely's ''Crime Fighters'' #4 (Nov. 1948).<ref>], and John Buscema, ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) pp.16-17V </ref> He also contributed to the "real-life" dramatic series ''True Adventures'' and ''Man Comics'' (the premiere issue of which sported one of Buscema's earliest recorded comic-book covers), as well as to ''Cowboy Romances'', ''Two-Gun Western'' (for which he drew at least one story of the continuing character the ]), '']'', and '']''. Until the bullpen was dissolved a year-and-a-half later, as comic books in general and superhero comics in particular continued their post-war fade in popularity, Buscema<!--, the youngest member of the bullpen,--> ] and ] in a variety of genres, including ] and ].<ref name="steranko-a" /> An early highlight is his work on the Tex Morgan western title (#'s 4-7). ).<ref>, </ref> His first recorded credit is the seven-page story "Crime: Kidnapping! - Victim: Abraham Lincoln!" in Timely's ''Crime Fighters'' #4 (Nov. 1948).<ref>], and John Buscema, ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) pp.16-17V</ref> He also contributed to the "real-life" dramatic series ''True Adventures'' and ''Man Comics'' (the premiere issue of which sported one of Buscema's earliest recorded comic-book covers), as well as to ''Cowboy Romances'', ''Two-Gun Western'' (for which he drew at least one story of the continuing character the ]), '']'', and '']''. Until the bullpen was dissolved a year-and-a-half later, as comic books in general and superhero comics in particular continued their post-war fade in popularity, Buscema<!--, the youngest member of the bullpen,--> ] and ] in a variety of genres, including ] and ].<ref name="steranko-a" />


===1950s=== ===1950s===
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Buscema's mid-1950s work also includes ]' ''] Comics'' #74-91 (Feb. 1954 - July 1955) and subsequent ''Roy Rogers and Trigger'' #92-97 & #104-108 (Aug. 1955 - Jan. 1956 & Aug.-Dec. 1956); and the ] series ''Ramar of the Jungle''and ''Nature Boy'' &mdash; the latter, Buscema's first ] work, created by himself and ] co-creator ]. Buscema's mid-1950s work also includes ]' ''] Comics'' #74-91 (Feb. 1954 - July 1955) and subsequent ''Roy Rogers and Trigger'' #92-97 & #104-108 (Aug. 1955 - Jan. 1956 & Aug.-Dec. 1956); and the ] series ''Ramar of the Jungle''and ''Nature Boy'' &mdash; the latter, Buscema's first ] work, created by himself and ] co-creator ].


Buscema next produced a series of ] ], and ] film adaptations for Dell's '']'' series (see Bibliogrpahy section). According to Buscema :'...I did a bunch of their movie books-...that was a lot of fun. I worked from stills on those, except for ''The Vikings''....I think one of the best books I ever did was ''Sinbad the Sailor''. <ref>Peel, John. "John Buscema", ''Comics Feature'' #31 (Sept.-Oct. 1984)</ref> Buscema next produced a series of ] ], and ] film adaptations for Dell's '']'' series. Buscema recalled, "I did a bunch of their movie books ... that was a lot of fun. I worked from stills on those, except for ''The Vikings''. ...I think one of the best books I ever did was ''Sinbad the Sailor''."<ref>Peel, John. "John Buscema", ''Comics Feature'' #31 (Sept.-Oct. 1984)</ref>


He drew at least one issue of the ], film, and ] character ] for Dell in 1957, as well as one- to eight-page biographies of every ] through ] for that company's ] ''Life Stories of American Presidents''. His work on Indian Chief #30-33 is notable late 50's work. <ref>Evanier. San Diego 2001, p.7V. </ref> He drew at least one issue of the ], film, and ] character the ] for Dell in 1957, as well as one- to eight-page biographies of every ] through ] for that company's ] ''Life Stories of American Presidents''.<ref> at the ]</ref>


During a late 1950s downturn in the comics industry, Buscema drew occasional ], ], and ] stories for Atlas Comics' '']'', '']'', and '']'', and ]'s ''Adventures into the Unknown'', and '']'' before leaving comics to do freelance commercial art.<ref>Steranko, p. 6</ref> He began a freelance position for the major ] ] studio, the Chaite Agency, which employed top commercial artists such as ] and ]. <ref>Steranko, p. 6</ref> During a late 1950s downturn in the comics industry, Buscema drew occasional ], ], and ] stories for Atlas Comics' '']'', '']'', and '']'', and ]'s ''Adventures into the Unknown'', and '']'' before leaving comics to do freelance commercial art.<ref name="Steranko, p. 6">Steranko, p. 6</ref> He began a freelance position for the major ] ] studio, the Chaite Agency, which employed top commercial artists such as ] and ].<ref name="Steranko, p. 6"/>


===1960s=== ===1960s===
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Buscema spent approximately eight years in the commercial-art field, freelancing for the Chaite Agency<ref>This advertising agency, not to be confused with New York City's similarly named ] Agency or ], was responsible for, among other things, the ] for the ] movie '']'', per . .</ref> and the studio Triad, doing a variety of assignments: layouts, storyboards, illustrations, paperback book covers, etc. in a variety of media. Buscema called this time "quite a learning period for me in my own development of techniques".<ref>Spurlock, p. 35</ref> Buscema spent approximately eight years in the commercial-art field, freelancing for the Chaite Agency<ref>This advertising agency, not to be confused with New York City's similarly named ] Agency or ], was responsible for, among other things, the ] for the ] movie '']'', per . .</ref> and the studio Triad, doing a variety of assignments: layouts, storyboards, illustrations, paperback book covers, etc. in a variety of media. Buscema called this time "quite a learning period for me in my own development of techniques".<ref>Spurlock, p. 35</ref>


Following an offer from Stan Lee which allowed him to cut down on his extensive commuting time,<ref>Woolcombe, A.(Aug. 2002). Talking with Big John. Comic Book Artist, 21, p. 29-B.</ref> he returned to comic books in 1966 as a regular freelance penciller for ], debuting over ] layouts on the "]" story in '']'' #150 (Nov. 1966), followed by three "]" stories in '']'' #85-87 (Nov. 1966 - Jan. 1967). He then settled in as regular penciller of the '']'', which would become one of his signature series, with #41 (June 1967). ''Avengers'' #49-50, featuring Hercules and inked by Buscema, are two of his "best-looking of that period". <ref>], "'Big John' & 'Roy the Boy'", ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 5 (Conan cover side)</ref> He returned to comic books in 1966 as a regular freelance penciller for ], debuting over ] layouts on the "]" story in '']'' #150 (Nov. 1966), followed by three "]" stories in '']'' #85-87 (Nov. 1966 - Jan. 1967). He then settled in as regular penciller of the '']'', which would become one of his signature series, with #41 (June 1967). ''Avengers'' #49-50, featuring Hercules and inked by Buscema, are two of his "best-looking of that period".<ref>], "'Big John' & 'Roy the Boy'", ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 5 (Conan cover side)</ref>


In order to adapt to the Marvel Comics style of superhero adventure, Buscema "synthesized the essence of Kirby's supercharged action figures, harrowing perspectives, monolithic structures, mega-force explosions, and mythological planetscapes into a formula that he instantly integrated into his own superbly crafted vision. The process brought Buscema's art to life in a way that it had never been before. Anatomically balanced figures of Herculean proportions stalked, stormed, sprawled, and savaged their way across Marvel's universe like none had previously".<ref>Steranko, in Spurlock, pp. 6-7</ref> In order to adapt to the Marvel Comics style of superhero adventure, Buscema "synthesized the essence of Kirby's supercharged action figures, harrowing perspectives, monolithic structures, mega-force explosions, and mythological planetscapes into a formula that he instantly integrated into his own superbly crafted vision. The process brought Buscema's art to life in a way that it had never been before. Anatomically balanced figures of Herculean proportions stalked, stormed, sprawled, and savaged their way across Marvel's universe like none had previously".<ref>Steranko, in Spurlock, pp. 6-7</ref>


Buscema would pencil an average of two comics a month in collaboration with such inkers as ], ], ], ], his younger brother ], ], and, occasionally, Marvel ] and sometime inker-] ]. Buscema would pencil an average of two comics a month in collaboration with such inkers as ], ], ], ], his younger brother ], ], and, occasionally, Marvel ] and sometime inker-] ].
]. One of Buscema's most famous covers". " <ref>Thomas, Roy. "Drawing Was His Life!", ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 31 (Buscema self-portrait cover side), p. 31</ref>]] ]. One of Buscema's most famous covers.<ref>Thomas, Roy. "Drawing Was His Life!", ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 31 (Buscema self-portrait cover side), p. 31</ref>]]
⚫ Among Buscema's works during this period fans and historians call the ] are ''The Avengers'' #41-#62 (June 1967 - March 1969), which includes the introduction of the modern-day ] in #57 (Oct. 1968), and ''The Avengers Annual'' #2 (Sept. 1968); the first eight issues of ''The Sub-Mariner'' (May-Dec. 1968); '']'' #72-73, 76-81, 84-85 (ranging from June 1969 - June 1970), providing layouts finished by either ] or ], and two issues he himself finished over Romita layouts; and a new title, '']''. That philosophical series about a ]-like alien roaming the world trying to understand both the divinity and the savagery of humanity was a personal favorite of Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee,<ref>]. ''Origins of Marvel Comics'' (Marvel Entertainment Group, 1997 reissue) ISBN 0-7851-0551-4</ref> who scripted. Buscema penciled 17 of its 18 issues &mdash; the first seven as a 25¢ "giant-size" title at a time when comics typically cost 12¢. Former Marvel editor-in-chief ] said Buscema considered ''Silver Surfer'' #4 (Feb. 1969), featuring a battle between the Silver Surfer and Thor, "as the highpoint of his Marvel work".<ref name="highpoint">DeFalco, Tom. "Memories of Brother John", '']'' #21 (August 2002), p. 34-B (caption)</ref>


⚫ Toward the end of the decade, Buscema drew some fill-in issues of superhero series and also returned to familiar 1950s genres with a spate of supernatural mystery stories (in '']'' and '']''), and romance tales (in ''My Love'' and ''Our Love''). He then returned to his signature series ''The Avengers'' for 11 issues inked by ].
⚫ Among Buscema's works during this period fans and historians call the ] are ''The Avengers'' #41-#62 (June 1967 - March 1969), which includes the introduction of the modern-day ] in #57 (Oct. 1968), and ''The Avengers Annual'' #2 (Sept. 1968); the first eight issues of ''The Sub-Mariner'' (May-Dec. 1968); '']'' #72-73, 76-81, 84-85 (ranging from June 1969 - June 1970), providing layouts finished by either ] or ], and two issues he himself finished over Romita layouts; and a new title, '']''. That philosophical series about a ]-like alien roaming the world trying to understand both the divinity and the savagery of humanity was a personal favorite of Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee,<ref>]. ''Origins of Marvel Comics'' (Marvel Entertainment Group, 1997 reissue) ISBN 0-7851-0551-4</ref> who scripted. Buscema penciled 17 of its 18 issues &mdash; the first seven as a 25¢ "giant-size" title at a time when comics typically cost 12¢. Former Marvel editor-in-chief ] said Buscema considered ''Silver Surfer'' #4 (Feb. 1969), featuring a battle between the Silver Surfer and Thor, "as the highpoint of his Marvel work".<ref>Thomas, Roy. "Drawing Was His Life!", ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 31 (Buscema self-portrait cover side), p. 31</ref>]]

⚫ Toward the end of the decade, Buscema drew some fill-in issues of superhero series ('']'' #115, ''Captain Marvel'' #18, ''Sub-Mariner'' #s 20 and 24) and also returned to familiar 1950s genres with a spate of supernatural mystery stories (in '']'' and '']''), and romance tales (in ''My Love'' and ''Our Love''). He then returned to his signature series ''The Avengers'' for 11 issues inked by ].


===1970s=== ===1970s===
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{{blockquote|One thing I loved about Big John is the fact that I didn't have to spend time writing synopses for him. . . . He'd always growl over the phone, 'Don't bother sending me any outlines, Stan. I hate to waste time reading them. Just tell what you've got in mind over the phone. I'll remember it.' So I'd tell him the story I wanted, and I have a hunch he didn't even write any notes while I spoke &mdash; because I spoke too fast &mdash; but it didn't matter. He remembered every last detail and the stories always came out perfect &mdash; at least as far as I was concerned.<ref>Irving, Christopher, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", ''Comic Book Artist'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 6B</ref>}} {{blockquote|One thing I loved about Big John is the fact that I didn't have to spend time writing synopses for him. . . . He'd always growl over the phone, 'Don't bother sending me any outlines, Stan. I hate to waste time reading them. Just tell what you've got in mind over the phone. I'll remember it.' So I'd tell him the story I wanted, and I have a hunch he didn't even write any notes while I spoke &mdash; because I spoke too fast &mdash; but it didn't matter. He remembered every last detail and the stories always came out perfect &mdash; at least as far as I was concerned.<ref>Irving, Christopher, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", ''Comic Book Artist'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 6B</ref>}}


Buscema began penciling '']'' with #25 (April 1973) following ]'s celebrated run, and debuted as the Conan artist of the black-and-white comics-] omnibus '']'' with issue #1 (Aug. 1974). ]/Chan was his main inker on ''Conan the Barbarian'' in the 1970s, (except for a hiatus between #’s 44-69 which were inked by Tony DeZuniga, Dick Giordano, Tom Palmer, Steve Gan and others). Highlights of the Buscema/Thomas run include the double-sized issues #'s 100<ref>Thomas, R.,(February 1998). Roy's Ramblings. Conan Saga, 95, 61-62.</ref> and 115<ref>Thomas, R. (April 1995). Roy's Ramblings. Conan Saga, V.1, 97, 34-35.</ref>. Buscema began penciling '']'' with #25 (April 1973) following ]'s celebrated run, and debuted as the Conan artist of the black-and-white comics-] omnibus '']'' with issue #1 (Aug. 1974). He would eventually contribute to more than 100 issues of each title (the former through 190, the latter through 101, then again from #190-210), giving him one of the most prolific runs for an artist on a single character. He additionally drew the ''Conan'' Sunday and daily ] ] ] upon its premiere in 1978,<ref>Thomas, "'Big John'", p. 14</ref> and even contributed some storyboard illustrations for the 1982 Conan movie,<ref>Thomas, "'Big John'", p. 15</ref> as well as painting four covers for the Conan magazines.

] was his regular inker on ''Savage Sword of Conan'' until #24 and they produced some highly regarded stories. Of note are "Iron Shadows in the Moon" (#4), "The Slithering Shadow" (#20). "The Tower of the Elephant" (#24,)<ref>Schumer, A.(Aug. 2002), , Remembering Buscema. Comic Book Artist, 21, p. 23-B.</ref> Tony DeZuniga became Buscema' regular inker with #26 producing Conan literary adaptations until his departure with #58 (with Thomas leaving with #60,<ref>Thomas. Big John, p.11r.</ref> He would eventually contribute to more than 100 issues of each title (the former through 190, the latter through 101, then again from #190-210), giving him one of the most prolific runs for an artist on a single character. He additionally drew the ''Conan'' Sunday and daily ] ] ] upon its premiere in 1978,<ref>Thomas. Big John, p.14r.</ref> and even contributed some storyboard illustrations for the 1982 Conan movie,<ref>Thomas. Big John, p.15r.</ref> as well as painting four covers for the Conan magazines.
] ]
In the mid-1970s, Buscema began opting to pencil primarily layouts (pencilled pages without the shading and rendering) as opposed to finished pencils. For about ten years, he would produce an average three to four books' worth of pencils a month. He launched the feature "]" in '']'' in 1970), and the comics '']'' (1976) and '']'' (1977). In additional to his regular assignments he would pencil covers and fill-in issues of titles including '']'', '']'' (Marvel UK), '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. He also drew a story for the ] ] '']''. In the mid-1970s, Buscema began opting to pencil primarily layouts (pencilled pages without the shading and rendering) as opposed to finished pencils. For about ten years, he would produce an average three to four books' worth of pencils a month. He launched the feature "]" in '']'' in 1970), and the comics '']'' (1976) and '']'' (1977). In additional to his regular assignments he would pencil covers and fill-in issues of titles including '']'', '']'' (Marvel UK), '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. He also drew a story for the ] ] '']''.
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Buscema contributed as well to Marvel's black-and-white comics magazines, including the features "]" in '']'' #1 (May 1971) and "]" in ''Rampaging Hulk'' #1 (Jan. 1977), and '' ]'' #1 & 3 (Aug. 1975, Jan,. 1976). Other magazine work ran the gamut from ] (''Dracula Lives!'', ''Monsters Unleashed'', '']'') to ] (''Crazy'', ''Pizzaz''). Buscema contributed as well to Marvel's black-and-white comics magazines, including the features "]" in '']'' #1 (May 1971) and "]" in ''Rampaging Hulk'' #1 (Jan. 1977), and '' ]'' #1 & 3 (Aug. 1975, Jan,. 1976). Other magazine work ran the gamut from ] (''Dracula Lives!'', ''Monsters Unleashed'', '']'') to ] (''Crazy'', ''Pizzaz'').


⚫ Buscema left the ''Thor'' title for a time to launch the Marvel version of the ] character ] in 1977. Other licensed projects include a 72-page '']'' movie adaptation in an oversized "Treasury Edition" format with DeZuniga inking. For ], which produced children's book-and-record sets, Buscema drew '']'' and Conan the Barbarian comics.<ref>. .</ref> He also contributed some superhero drawings for ''Pro'', the ] official magazine (1970), and pencilled some chapters of the first issue of ''Marvel Comics Super Special Magazine'' featuring the rock group ] (1977).
Buscema left ''Thor'' for a time to launch the Marvel version of ''Tarzan'' in 1977. Buscema left the ''Thor'' title (although will return for issues #272-285, inks by Palmer and Stone) to launch the Marvel version of the ] popular fiction character ] in 1977. Having already done 13 issues of the Jungle-oriented ''Kazar'' (in ''Astonishing Tales'' and ''Savage Tales''), he pencilled and inked in the first three issues (along with several covers) although he switches to only layouts for the rest of his 18-issue stint with several changes in inkers. Of note is his ''Tarzan Annual'' #1 with Steve Gan inks. <ref>Thomas. Big John, p.16r.</ref>


⚫ In 1978, small-press publisher Sal Quartuccio released ''The Art of John Buscema'',<ref>. .</ref> a retrospective that included an interview, previously unpublished sketches and drawings, and a cover that was also sold as a poster. Buscema's passion for drawing was such that he continued to draw and sketch in his spare time (often on the back of comic book art pages) and these images form a considerable body of work in their own right.<ref>DeFalco, "Memories", p. 35-B: ]: "This guy used to eat, sleep and breathe drawing. It didn't matter what was going on around him. He would get bored with it and start sketching. ... He just couldn't stop drawing. better than some of the stuff that he did on the front. ... He'd get a spark of inspiration and turn the page over and draw whatever was in his skull."</ref>
⚫ Other licensed projects include a 72-page '']'' movie adaptation in an oversized "Treasury Edition" format with DeZuniga inking. For ], which produced children's book-and-record sets, Buscema drew '']'' and Conan the Barbarian comics.<ref>. .</ref> He also contributed some superhero drawings for ''Pro'', the ] official magazine (1970), and pencilled some chapters of the first issue of ''Marvel Comics Super Special Magazine'' featuring the rock group ] (1977).


⚫ Buscema capped off the decade penciling writer ]'s three-issue ] epic-fantasy tale "Warriors of the Shadow Realm" in '']'' #11-13 (June-Oct. 1979). ] released an accompanying portfolio of six signed, colored plates from the story.<ref>Maillot, Michael. (fan site). </ref>
⚫ In 1978, small-press publisher Sal Quartuccio released ''The Art of John Buscema'',<ref>. .</ref> a retrospective that included an interview, previously unpublished sketches and drawings, and a cover that was also sold as a poster. Buscema's passion for drawing was such that he continued to draw and sketch in his spare time (often on the back of comic book art pages) and these images form a considerable body of work in their own right. <ref>Defalco. Memories, p.35-B.</ref>

⚫ Buscema capped off the decade penciling writer ]'s three-issue ] epic-fantasy tale "Warriors of the Shadow Realm" in '']'' #11-13 (June-Oct. 1979). ] released an accompanying portfolio of six signed, colored plates from the story.<ref>Buscema, John, Nebres R. & Ledger, P. ''Warriors of the Shadow Realm'' (6 Colour Plates), (San Diego: Pacific Comics, 1979).</ref>


====Teaching==== ====Teaching====
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===1980s=== ===1980s===
The Thomas, Buscema, Chan team launched a third Conan title, the double-sized bi-monthly ''King Conan'' in 1980 as Buscema abandoned regular superhero work in order to spearhead art duties on all three ] titles. The popularity of the character spurred the release of a ] in 1982; Buscema provided pencils and inks for a 48-page movie adaptation and drew a 6-plate Conan portfolio released by Sal Q. Productions in 1980. Buscema abandoned regular superhero work in order to spearhead art duties on all three ] titles. The popularity of the character spurred the release of a ] in 1982; Buscema provided pencils and inks for a 48-page movie adaptation.


He continued to tackle other high-profile projects such as the second ''Superman and Spider-Man'' team-up (1981), a Silver Surfer story for '']'' #1 (1980), a ] story (''Marvel Preview'' #22, 1980), an adaptation of the 1981 movie '']'', and the ] biography of '']'' (1980). He continued to tackle other high-profile projects such as the second ''Superman and Spider-Man'' team-up (1981), a Silver Surfer story for '']'' #1 (1980), a ] story (''Marvel Preview'' #22, 1980), an adaptation of the 1981 movie '']'', and the ] biography of '']'' (1980).


He left ''King Conan'' in 1982 after nine issues, although he remained with Marvel's Robert E. Howard franchise with a revival of the '']'' series for 10 issues. Buscema continued on ''Savage Sword of Conan'' after Thomas and Dezuniga's departures (Ernie Chan, Rudy Nebres, Nestor Redondo took on the inking chores, as did Buscema himself in issues #61, 70, 73) and introduced a character of his own creation, Bront, in a 5-part tale in issues #65-66, 79-81, which he plotted, pencilled, and inked, and left ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' in 1984 with #101 with a series of stories that he plotted himself. He continued with the Conan the Barbarian comic book series which had gone through a number of changes in writers and inkers (Bob Camp being the most prolific inker before the return of Ernie Chan as regular inker). Buscema plotted five issues (#'s 155-159). Buscema became increasingly disenchanted with the writing on the various Conan series. <ref>Peel. John Buscema, p. 18.</ref> After pencilling the ''Conan the Destroyer'' movie adaptation in 1984 and the ''Conan of the Isles'' graphic novel in 1987, he left ''Conan the Barbarian'' with #190 in 1987, ending a 14-year association with the character. He left ''King Conan'' in 1982 after nine issues, although he remained with Marvel's Robert E. Howard franchise with a revival of the '']'' series for 10 issues, and left ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' in 1984 with #101 with a series of stories that he plotted himself. After pencilling the ''Conan the Destroyer'' movie adaptation in 1984 and the ''Conan of the Isles'' graphic novel in 1987, he left ''Conan the Barbarian'' with #190 in 1987, ending a 14-year association with the character.
] ]
⚫ After nearly five years away from superheroes, except for the first two issues of the X-Men-related, four-issue miniseries ''Magik'' (Dec. 1983 - March 1984), Buscema returned to familiar ground as regular penciller on ''The Avengers'' from #255-300 (May 1985 - Feb. 1989). He was also regular penciller on ''Fantastic Four'' for its 300th issue, during a 15-issue stint from #296-309 (Nov. 1986 - Dec. 1987). Additionally, he also fit in the three-issue film adaptation '']'' (Nov. 1986 - Jan. 1987) and the four-issue miniseries '']'' (April-July 1987), starring a character he created with Stan Lee in ''The Silver Surfer''.

⚫ After nearly five years away from superheroes, except for the first two issues of the X-Men-related, four-issue miniseries ''Magik'' (Dec. 1983 - March 1984), Buscema returned to familiar ground as regular penciller on ''The Avengers'' from #255-300 (May 1985 - Feb. 1989). He was also regular penciller on ''Fantastic Four'' for its 300th issue, during a 15-issue stint from #296-309 (Nov. 1986 - Dec. 1987). Additionally, he also fit in the three-issue film adaptation '']'' (Nov. 1986 - Jan. 1987) and the four-issue miniseries '']'' (April-July 1987), starring a character he created with Stan Lee in ''The Silver Surfer''. Moreover, he continued his inking efforts, producing the ''Thor Annual'' (#15, 1985), a 10-page western in ''Savage Tales'' magazine (#10,1986), and a plate for the ''WFCBA Portfolio'' (Éditions Déesse, 1983), for example.


Buscema reteamed with Lee on the Silver Surfer himself with the 1988 <!--hardcover : no, it was released as both hardcover and trade paperback, per http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=16851--> graphic novel ''Silver Surfer: Judgment Day'', self-inked and done entirely as full-page panels. He and inker ] drew a ] solo feature in the biweekly anthology ''Marvel Comics Presents'' #1-10 (Early Sept. 1988 - Early January 1989) and, inking himself, #38-47 (Dec. 1989 - April 1990). He pencilled the first Wolverine ongoing series, inked by ] from issues #1-6 (Nov. 1988 - April 1989), self-inked on #7-8 (May-June 1989), and inked by ] on #10-14 (Aug. to Mid-Nov. 1989). Sienkiewicz years later recalled Buscema's pencil work as "the sturdiest foundation an inker or an embellisher could possibly hope to build on, and their beauty was not in their attention to fastidiously rendered minutiae, but instead were marvels of deceptive simplicity. Each page an example of grace, elegance and power.<ref>], ], "Remembering Buscema: Over 25 of the Master's Peers Reminisce about John and his Art", ''Comic Book Artist'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 22B.</ref> Buscema reteamed with Lee on the Silver Surfer himself with the 1988 <!--hardcover : no, it was released as both hardcover and trade paperback, per http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=16851--> graphic novel ''Silver Surfer: Judgment Day'', self-inked and done entirely as full-page panels. He and inker ] drew a ] solo feature in the biweekly anthology ''Marvel Comics Presents'' #1-10 (Early Sept. 1988 - Early January 1989) and, inking himself, #38-47 (Dec. 1989 - April 1990). He pencilled the first Wolverine ongoing series, inked by ] from issues #1-6 (Nov. 1988 - April 1989), self-inked on #7-8 (May-June 1989), and inked by ] on #10-14 (Aug. to Mid-Nov. 1989). Sienkiewicz years later recalled Buscema's pencil work as "the sturdiest foundation an inker or an embellisher could possibly hope to build on, and their beauty was not in their attention to fastidiously rendered minutiae, but instead were marvels of deceptive simplicity. Each page an example of grace, elegance and power.<ref>], ], "Remembering Buscema: Over 25 of the Master's Peers Reminisce about John and his Art", ''Comic Book Artist'' #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 22B.</ref>
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Buscema began his sixth decade in the field by joining Roy Thomas for a return to ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' with #191 (Nov. 1991) for a 20-issue run. ''Conan the Rogue'', a ] Buscema plotted, pencilled, inked, and colored over a period of five years in his spare time appeared that same year.<ref>Thomas, "'Big John'", pp. 16-17</ref><ref> at the Grand Comics Database</ref> He departed the ''Wolverine'' title, but not before both penciling and inking the graphic novel ''Wolverine: Bloody Choices'' (Nov. 1993). Buscema began his sixth decade in the field by joining Roy Thomas for a return to ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' with #191 (Nov. 1991) for a 20-issue run. ''Conan the Rogue'', a ] Buscema plotted, pencilled, inked, and colored over a period of five years in his spare time appeared that same year.<ref>Thomas, "'Big John'", pp. 16-17</ref><ref> at the Grand Comics Database</ref> He departed the ''Wolverine'' title, but not before both penciling and inking the graphic novel ''Wolverine: Bloody Choices'' (Nov. 1993).
].]] ].]]
Buscema returned to ] with ''The Punisher: War Zone'' #23-30 (Jan.-Aug. 1994, self-inking #26-29). ] an artist he particularly admired, follow him on that title. <ref>Peel. John Buscema, p.66.</ref>Buscema also pencilled and inked that title's 1993 ] and the 1994 graphic novel ''A Man Named Frank'', a ] Punisher ] tale. He also pencilled the Punisher portions of 1994's '']'' team-up. No longer attached to a regular series after his Punisher run, he penciled and inked ''The Avengers Annual'' #23 (1994) and five more black-and-white Conan adventures, serving as that Marvel franchise's final artist on ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' with #235 (July 1995) and on the short-lived spin-off ''Conan the Savage'' with #10 (May 1996).<!--the cited databases list his raw credits; they don't need separate footnotes unless there's something controversial or disputed about them--> He also provided fill-in pencil jobs on the ''Cosmic Powers Unlimited'' miniseries, ''Doom 2099'', ''Fantastic Four 2099'', ''Thor'', ''Fantastic Four'', ''Silver Surfer'' and a ''Silver Surfer/Rune'' special. Buscema returned to ] with ''The Punisher: War Zone'' #23-30 (Jan.-Aug. 1994, self-inking #26-29). Buscema also pencilled and inked that title's 1993 ] and the 1994 graphic novel ''A Man Named Frank'', a ] Punisher ] tale. He also pencilled the Punisher portions of 1994's '']'' team-up. No longer attached to a regular series after his Punisher run, he penciled and inked ''The Avengers Annual'' #23 (1994) and five more black-and-white Conan adventures, serving as that Marvel franchise's final artist on ''The Savage Sword of Conan'' with #235 (July 1995) and on the short-lived spin-off ''Conan the Savage'' with #10 (May 1996).<!--the cited databases list his raw credits; they don't need separate footnotes unless there's something controversial or disputed about them--> He also provided fill-in pencil jobs on the ''Cosmic Powers Unlimited'' miniseries, ''Doom 2099'', ''Fantastic Four 2099'', ''Thor'', ''Fantastic Four'', ''Silver Surfer'' and a ''Silver Surfer/Rune'' special.


In 1996, he formally retired at age 68. <ref></ref>1997 was the first year in 30 years where new Buscema material did not appear on the stands - it would also be the last year in Buscema's lifetime, as Buscema continued to receive assignment offers; his retirement thus becoming a "semi-retirement".<ref>Spurlock. ''Buscema Sketchbook'', p.95.</ref> He did pencils and inks on a black-and-white short story for ''Shadows and Light'' (1998) and made a final return to Conan with the ''Death Covered in Gold'' three-issue miniseries (1999). He penciled and inked ''The Amazing Spider-Man 1999'' Annual (June 1999), penciled five of the six-issue ''] the Devourer'' miniseries, and a fill-in ''Thor''. Buscema semi-retired in 1996,{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}} at age 68. He did pencils and inks on a black-and-white short story for ''Shadows and Light'' (1998) and made a final return to Conan with the ''Death Covered in Gold'' three-issue miniseries (1999). He penciled and inked ''The Amazing Spider-Man 1999'' Annual (June 1999), penciled five of the six-issue ''] the Devourer'' miniseries, and a fill-in ''Thor''.


Buscema worked with ] for the first time in 2000, initially doing both pencils and inks on a black-and-white ] short story (''Batman: Gotham Knights'' #7, 2000). He reunited with Stan Lee on the 2001 one-shot ''Just Imagine Stan Lee and John Buscema Creating Superman''. He also kept active doing private commissions and cover re-creations as well as teaching art classes with abstract expressionist and figurative painter, Jack Beal. <ref> Spurlock. ''Buscema Sketchbook'', p.20.</ref> and helped produce the John Buscema Sketchbook (Vanguard 2001) for whose promotion he attended the 2001 San Diego Comic Art Convention where he was received with great appreciation by fans and colleagues.<ref>Irving. Life of Buscema. p.11-B.</ref> The book gives a good overview of Buscema's wide-ranging passion for art: Buscema worked with ] for the first time in 2000, initially doing both pencils and inks on a black-and-white ] short story (''Batman: Gotham Knights'' #7, 2000). He reunited with Stan Lee on the 2001 one-shot ''Just Imagine Stan Lee and John Buscema Creating Superman''. He helped produce ''The John Buscema Sketchbook'' (Vanguard Production, 2001).
{{cquote|I love all the painters…Vermeer, Velasquez, Goya, Rubens, Rembrandt…I’ve got over a thousand art books!}}<ref>Spurlock. ''Buscema Sketchbook'', p.111.</ref>


He finished the pencils on 2004's ''Superman: Blood of my Ancestors'', begun by ], who had since died, and had just signed on for a five-issue miniseries with Roy Thomas, ''JLA: Barbarians''. Shortly after finishing the first issue, Buscema, diagnosed with ] a few months earlier, died at the age of 74.<ref name=nyt>Nash, Eric. , '']'', January 28, 2002. .</ref> An 11x17-inch ] print of the late 1960s/early 1970s Avengers, penciled by Buscema and painted in ] by ] for the publisher ], was Buscema's last professional work. He finished the pencils on 2004's ''Superman: Blood of my Ancestors'', begun by ], who had since died, and had just signed on for a five-issue miniseries with Roy Thomas, ''JLA: Barbarians''. Shortly after finishing the first issue, Buscema, diagnosed with ] a few months earlier, died at the age of 74.<ref name=nyt>Nash, Eric. , '']'', January 28, 2002. .</ref> An 11x17-inch ] print of the late 1960s/early 1970s Avengers, penciled by Buscema and painted in ] by ] for the publisher ], was Buscema's last professional work.
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===Dell ''Four Color''=== ===Dell ''Four Color''===
* #684 (March 1956): '']'', 34 pages * #684 (March 1956): '']'', 34 pages
* #762 (Jan. 1957): '']'', 34 pages * #762 (Jan. 1957): '']'', 34 pages
* #775 (March 1957): '']'', 34 pages * #775 (March 1957): '']'', 34 pages
* #794 (April 1957): '']'', 35 pages * #794 (April 1957): '']'', 35 pages
* #910 (June 1958): '']'', 34 pages * #910 (June 1958): '']'', 34 pages
* #927 (Aug. 1958'): '']'s Top Gun'', 35 pages (adapted from novel ''Test Pit'' by Luke Short) * #927 (Aug. 1958'): '']'s Top Gun'', 35 pages (adapted from novel ''Test Pit'' by Luke Short)
* #944 (Sept. 1958): '']'', 33 pages * #944 (Sept. 1958): '']'', 33 pages
* #1006 (July 1959): '']'', 34 pages * #1006 (July 1959): '']'', 34 pages
* #1077 (April 1960) & #1130 (Nov. 1960): '']'', 34 pages and 35 pages, respectively * #1077 (April 1960) & #1130 (Nov. 1960): '']'', 34 pages and 35 pages, respectively
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===Marvel Comics=== ===Marvel Comics===
*'']'' (]) #1-2 *'']'' (]) #1-2
*'']'' #76-78; with ]: #72-73; 80-81, 84-85 *'']'' #76-78; with ]: #72-73; 80-81, 84-85
*'']'' #12-14, 16 (] stories) *'']'' #12-14, 16 (] stories)
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*'']'' (]) #1-10 *'']'' (]) #1-10
*'']'' #51, 53 *'']'' #51, 53
*'']'' #22-23 *'']'' #22-23
*'']'' #30 *'']'' #30
*'']'' #1-2 *'']'' #1-2
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*'']'' #12-13, 15 *'']'' #12-13, 15
*'']'' #1 *'']'' #1
*'']'' (]) #1, 6-8 *'']'' (]) #1, 6-8
*'']'' #1-5, 7, 10-13, 15-24, 26-28, 30-36, 38-43, 45, 47-58, 60-67, 70-74, 76-81, 87-88, 90-93, 95-96, 98-101, 190-200, 202-210, 222, 225, 234-235 *'']'' #1-5, 7, 10-13, 15-24, 26-28, 30-36, 38-43, 45, 47-58, 60-67, 70-74, 76-81, 87-88, 90-93, 95-96, 98-101, 190-200, 202-210, 222, 225, 234-235
*'']'' #1-17 *'']'' #1-17
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*'']'' #1-18; Annual #1 *'']'' #1-18; Annual #1
*'']'' #178, 182-213, 215-226, 231-238, 241-253, 256-259, 272-278, 283-285, 490, Annual #5, 8, 13 *'']'' #178, 182-213, 215-226, 231-238, 241-253, 256-259, 272-278, 283-285, 490, Annual #5, 8, 13
*'']'' (Conan) #13 *'']'' (Conan) #13
*'']'' #1-8, 10-16, 25, 27 *'']'' #1-8, 10-16, 25, 27


==Legacy== ==Legacy==
]. Painted cover art by Buscema.]] ]. Painted cover art by Buscema.]]
The documentary ''], Painting with Fire'' (2003) <ref>{{imdb title|id=0363621|title=Frazetta: Painting with Fire}}. Retrieved on ], ]</ref> on ], another ] and ] illustrator and Brooklyn native (born two months earlier than Buscema), is posthumously dedicated to him. The documentary ''], Painting with Fire'' (2003) is posthumously dedicated to Buscema.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

''']:''' "John Buscema was far more than one of our finest comic book artists. If Michaelangelo had elected to draw storyboards with pencil and pen, his style would have been close to that of Big John's. But, even more than a superb illustrator, John was also a brilliant visual storyteller. Thinking back on all the strips we had done together, I had only to give him the briefest kernel of a plot and he would flesh it out with his magnificent illustrations so beautifully that the stories seemed to write themselves. Happily, the legacy of artwork that my dear friend, the creative giant that was John Buscema, leaves behind, will bring wonder and enjoyment to generations of readers to come.".<ref> Lee, S., et al. (June 2002). Tributes - A few more words about John Buscema. Alter Ego, v.3, 15, 42v-43v. </ref>



==Awards== ==Awards==
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*Gravett, Paul. (obituary), '']'' (Apr. 17, 2002). . *Gravett, Paul. (obituary), '']'' (Apr. 17, 2002). .
* Retrieved on 2008-11-26; site unresponsive 2008-12-02 * Retrieved on 2008-11-26; site unresponsive 2008-12-02
*


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{{succession box | title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1970&ndash;1979}} {{Succession box| title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1970&ndash;1979}}
{{succession box | title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1971&ndash;1973}} {{Succession box| title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1971&ndash;1973}}
{{succession box | title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1973&ndash;1987}} {{Succession box| title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1973&ndash;1987}}
{{succession box | title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1985&ndash;1989}} {{Succession box| title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1985&ndash;1989}}
{{succession box | title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1986&ndash;1987}} {{Succession box| title='']'' artist| before=]| after=]| years=1986&ndash;1987}}
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Revision as of 02:47, 22 June 2010

John Buscema
Buscema in 1975 Marvel publicity photo
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Penciller, Inker
Notable worksAvengers
Conan the Barbarian
Fantastic Four
Silver Surfer
Tarzan
Thor
AwardsAlley Award, 1968, 1969
Shazam Award, 1974
Eagle Award, 1977
Inkpot Award, 1978
Eisner Award Hall of Fame, 2002
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John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema (December 11, 1927–January 10, 2002), was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate. His younger brother Sal Buscema is also a comic-book artist.

Buscema is best known for his run on the series The Avengers and The Silver Surfer, and for over 200 stories featuring the sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. In addition, he pencilled at least one issue of nearly every major Marvel title, including long runs on two of the company's top magazines Fantastic Four and Thor.

He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002.

Biography

Early life and career

Man Comics #1 (Dec. 1949), one of Buscema's earliest recorded comic-book covers

Born in Brooklyn, New York, John Buscema showed an interest in drawing at an early age, copying comic strips such as Popeye. In his teens, he developed an interest in both superhero comic books and such classic adventure comic strips as Hal Foster's Tarzan and Prince Valiant, Burne Hogarth's Tarzan, Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon, and Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates. He also showed an interest in commercial illustrators of the period, such as N.C. Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, Dean Cornwell, Coby Whitmore, Albert Dorne, and Robert Fawcett,

Buscema graduated from Manhattan's High School of Music and Art. He also took night lessons at Pratt Institute as well as life drawing classes at the Brooklyn Museum. While training as a boxer, he began painting portraits of boxers and sold some cartoons to The Hobo News. Seeking work as a commercial illustrator while doing various odd jobs, Buscema found himself instead entering the comic-book field in 1948, landing a staff job under editor-in-chief and art director Stan Lee at Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel Comics. The Timely "bullpen", as the staff was called, included such fellow staffers as established veterans Syd Shores, Carl Burgos, Mike Sekowsky, George Klein, and Marty Nodell and hired, roughly two months earlier, newcomer Gene Colan.

His first recorded credit is the seven-page story "Crime: Kidnapping! - Victim: Abraham Lincoln!" in Timely's Crime Fighters #4 (Nov. 1948). He also contributed to the "real-life" dramatic series True Adventures and Man Comics (the premiere issue of which sported one of Buscema's earliest recorded comic-book covers), as well as to Cowboy Romances, Two-Gun Western (for which he drew at least one story of the continuing character the Apache Kid), Lorna the Jungle Queen, and Strange Tales. Until the bullpen was dissolved a year-and-a-half later, as comic books in general and superhero comics in particular continued their post-war fade in popularity, Buscema penciled and inked in a variety of genres, including crime fiction and romance fiction.

1950s

File:Herculesfc1006.jpg
Page from the film adaptation Hercules a.k.a. Four Color #1006 (July 1959). Art by Buscema.

Buscema served in the U.S. Army in 1951 before receiving an honorable discharge due to ulcer. He married in 1953. He continued to freelance for Timely, by now known as Atlas Comics, as well as for the publishers Ace Comics, Hillman Periodicals, Our Publications/Orbit, Quality Comics, St. John Publications, and Ziff-Davis.

Buscema's mid-1950s work also includes Dell Comics' Roy Rogers Comics #74-91 (Feb. 1954 - July 1955) and subsequent Roy Rogers and Trigger #92-97 & #104-108 (Aug. 1955 - Jan. 1956 & Aug.-Dec. 1956); and the Charlton Comics series Ramar of the Jungleand Nature Boy — the latter, Buscema's first superhero work, created by himself and Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel.

Buscema next produced a series of Western war, and sword and sandal film adaptations for Dell's Four Color series. Buscema recalled, "I did a bunch of their movie books ... that was a lot of fun. I worked from stills on those, except for The Vikings. ...I think one of the best books I ever did was Sinbad the Sailor."

He drew at least one issue of the radio, film, and TV character the Cisco Kid for Dell in 1957, as well as one- to eight-page biographies of every U.S. president through Dwight Eisenhower for that company's one-shot Life Stories of American Presidents.

During a late 1950s downturn in the comics industry, Buscema drew occasional mystery, fantasy, and science-fiction stories for Atlas Comics' Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, and Strange Worlds, and American Comics Group's Adventures into the Unknown, and Forbidden Worlds before leaving comics to do freelance commercial art. He began a freelance position for the major New York City advertising studio, the Chaite Agency, which employed top commercial artists such as Bob Peak and Frank McCarthy.

1960s

The Avengers #41 (June 1967), Buscema's first issue of a signature series. Cover art by Buscema and inker George Roussos.

Buscema spent approximately eight years in the commercial-art field, freelancing for the Chaite Agency and the studio Triad, doing a variety of assignments: layouts, storyboards, illustrations, paperback book covers, etc. in a variety of media. Buscema called this time "quite a learning period for me in my own development of techniques".

He returned to comic books in 1966 as a regular freelance penciller for Marvel Comics, debuting over Jack Kirby layouts on the "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." story in Strange Tales #150 (Nov. 1966), followed by three "The Incredible Hulk" stories in Tales to Astonish #85-87 (Nov. 1966 - Jan. 1967). He then settled in as regular penciller of the The Avengers, which would become one of his signature series, with #41 (June 1967). Avengers #49-50, featuring Hercules and inked by Buscema, are two of his "best-looking of that period".

In order to adapt to the Marvel Comics style of superhero adventure, Buscema "synthesized the essence of Kirby's supercharged action figures, harrowing perspectives, monolithic structures, mega-force explosions, and mythological planetscapes into a formula that he instantly integrated into his own superbly crafted vision. The process brought Buscema's art to life in a way that it had never been before. Anatomically balanced figures of Herculean proportions stalked, stormed, sprawled, and savaged their way across Marvel's universe like none had previously".

Buscema would pencil an average of two comics a month in collaboration with such inkers as George Klein, Frank Giacoia, Dan Adkins, Joe Sinnott, his younger brother Sal Buscema, Tom Palmer, and, occasionally, Marvel production manager and sometime inker-cartoonist John Verpoorten.

The Silver Surfer #4 (July 1969). Cover art by Buscema and inker Sal Buscema. One of Buscema's most famous covers.

Among Buscema's works during this period fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books are The Avengers #41-#62 (June 1967 - March 1969), which includes the introduction of the modern-day Vision in #57 (Oct. 1968), and The Avengers Annual #2 (Sept. 1968); the first eight issues of The Sub-Mariner (May-Dec. 1968); The Amazing Spider-Man #72-73, 76-81, 84-85 (ranging from June 1969 - June 1970), providing layouts finished by either John Romita or Jim Mooney, and two issues he himself finished over Romita layouts; and a new title, The Silver Surfer. That philosophical series about a Christ-like alien roaming the world trying to understand both the divinity and the savagery of humanity was a personal favorite of Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee, who scripted. Buscema penciled 17 of its 18 issues — the first seven as a 25¢ "giant-size" title at a time when comics typically cost 12¢. Former Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas said Buscema considered Silver Surfer #4 (Feb. 1969), featuring a battle between the Silver Surfer and Thor, "as the highpoint of his Marvel work".

Toward the end of the decade, Buscema drew some fill-in issues of superhero series and also returned to familiar 1950s genres with a spate of supernatural mystery stories (in Chamber of Darkness and Tower of Shadows), and romance tales (in My Love and Our Love). He then returned to his signature series The Avengers for 11 issues inked by Tom Palmer.

1970s

With Jack Kirby's departure from Marvel in 1970, Buscema succeeded him on both of Kirby's titles: Fantastic Four (penciling issues #107-141, following John Romita Sr.) and The Mighty Thor (#182-259). He was inked by Joe Sinnott on the former, and variously by Sinnott, Verpoorten, Vince Colletta, Tony DeZuniga, and others on the latter.

Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee, who collaborated with Buscema on many stories up to this time, wrote,

One thing I loved about Big John is the fact that I didn't have to spend time writing synopses for him. . . . He'd always growl over the phone, 'Don't bother sending me any outlines, Stan. I hate to waste time reading them. Just tell what you've got in mind over the phone. I'll remember it.' So I'd tell him the story I wanted, and I have a hunch he didn't even write any notes while I spoke — because I spoke too fast — but it didn't matter. He remembered every last detail and the stories always came out perfect — at least as far as I was concerned.

Buscema began penciling Conan the Barbarian with #25 (April 1973) following Barry Smith's celebrated run, and debuted as the Conan artist of the black-and-white comics-magazine omnibus Savage Sword of Conan with issue #1 (Aug. 1974). He would eventually contribute to more than 100 issues of each title (the former through 190, the latter through 101, then again from #190-210), giving him one of the most prolific runs for an artist on a single character. He additionally drew the Conan Sunday and daily syndicated newspaper comic strip upon its premiere in 1978, and even contributed some storyboard illustrations for the 1982 Conan movie, as well as painting four covers for the Conan magazines.

File:Tarzan marvel annual 1.jpg
Tarzan Annual #1 (1977). Self-inked cover art by Buscema.

In the mid-1970s, Buscema began opting to pencil primarily layouts (pencilled pages without the shading and rendering) as opposed to finished pencils. For about ten years, he would produce an average three to four books' worth of pencils a month. He launched the feature "Black Widow" in Amazing Adventures in 1970), and the comics Nova (1976) and Ms. Marvel (1977). In additional to his regular assignments he would pencil covers and fill-in issues of titles including Captain America, Captain Britain (Marvel UK), Daredevil, The Frankenstein Monster, Howard the Duck, Master of Kung Fu, Red Sonja and Warlock. He also drew a story for the science-fiction anthology Worlds Unknown.

Buscema contributed as well to Marvel's black-and-white comics magazines, including the features "Ka-Zar" in Savage Tales #1 (May 1971) and "Bloodstone" in Rampaging Hulk #1 (Jan. 1977), and Doc Savage #1 & 3 (Aug. 1975, Jan,. 1976). Other magazine work ran the gamut from horror (Dracula Lives!, Monsters Unleashed, Tales of the Zombie) to humor (Crazy, Pizzaz).

Buscema left the Thor title for a time to launch the Marvel version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs character Tarzan in 1977. Other licensed projects include a 72-page The Wizard of Oz movie adaptation in an oversized "Treasury Edition" format with DeZuniga inking. For Power Records, which produced children's book-and-record sets, Buscema drew Star Trek and Conan the Barbarian comics. He also contributed some superhero drawings for Pro, the NFL official magazine (1970), and pencilled some chapters of the first issue of Marvel Comics Super Special Magazine featuring the rock group Kiss (1977).

In 1978, small-press publisher Sal Quartuccio released The Art of John Buscema, a retrospective that included an interview, previously unpublished sketches and drawings, and a cover that was also sold as a poster. Buscema's passion for drawing was such that he continued to draw and sketch in his spare time (often on the back of comic book art pages) and these images form a considerable body of work in their own right.

Buscema capped off the decade penciling writer Doug Moench's three-issue Weirdworld epic-fantasy tale "Warriors of the Shadow Realm" in Marvel Comics Super Special #11-13 (June-Oct. 1979). Pacific Comics released an accompanying portfolio of six signed, colored plates from the story.

Teaching

In the mid-1970s, Buscema ran the John Buscema Art School, which advertised for students in the pages of many Marvel titles. Stan Lee made appearances as a guest lecturer at Buscema's school, and some of the school's graduates (including Bob Hall and Bruce Patterson) went on to become professional cartoonists. Buscema then collaborated with Lee on the book How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way (Marvel Fireside Books, 1978), a primer on comic-book art and storytelling based on the comic art classes Buscema had given a few years prior,and has remained in print for over 25 years, in its 33rd printing as of 2007.

1980s

Buscema abandoned regular superhero work in order to spearhead art duties on all three Conan titles. The popularity of the character spurred the release of a Conan movie in 1982; Buscema provided pencils and inks for a 48-page movie adaptation.

He continued to tackle other high-profile projects such as the second Superman and Spider-Man team-up (1981), a Silver Surfer story for Epic Illustrated #1 (1980), a King Arthur story (Marvel Preview #22, 1980), an adaptation of the 1981 movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the St. Francis of Assisi biography of Francis, Brother of the Universe (1980).

He left King Conan in 1982 after nine issues, although he remained with Marvel's Robert E. Howard franchise with a revival of the Kull series for 10 issues, and left The Savage Sword of Conan in 1984 with #101 with a series of stories that he plotted himself. After pencilling the Conan the Destroyer movie adaptation in 1984 and the Conan of the Isles graphic novel in 1987, he left Conan the Barbarian with #190 in 1987, ending a 14-year association with the character.

File:Wolvybloody.jpg
Self-inked page from the graphic novel Wolverine: Bloody Choices (Nov. 1993)

After nearly five years away from superheroes, except for the first two issues of the X-Men-related, four-issue miniseries Magik (Dec. 1983 - March 1984), Buscema returned to familiar ground as regular penciller on The Avengers from #255-300 (May 1985 - Feb. 1989). He was also regular penciller on Fantastic Four for its 300th issue, during a 15-issue stint from #296-309 (Nov. 1986 - Dec. 1987). Additionally, he also fit in the three-issue film adaptation Labyrinth (Nov. 1986 - Jan. 1987) and the four-issue miniseries Mephisto (April-July 1987), starring a character he created with Stan Lee in The Silver Surfer.

Buscema reteamed with Lee on the Silver Surfer himself with the 1988 graphic novel Silver Surfer: Judgment Day, self-inked and done entirely as full-page panels. He and inker Klaus Janson drew a Wolverine solo feature in the biweekly anthology Marvel Comics Presents #1-10 (Early Sept. 1988 - Early January 1989) and, inking himself, #38-47 (Dec. 1989 - April 1990). He pencilled the first Wolverine ongoing series, inked by Al Williamson from issues #1-6 (Nov. 1988 - April 1989), self-inked on #7-8 (May-June 1989), and inked by Bill Sienkiewicz on #10-14 (Aug. to Mid-Nov. 1989). Sienkiewicz years later recalled Buscema's pencil work as "the sturdiest foundation an inker or an embellisher could possibly hope to build on, and their beauty was not in their attention to fastidiously rendered minutiae, but instead were marvels of deceptive simplicity. Each page an example of grace, elegance and power.

Later career

Buscema began his sixth decade in the field by joining Roy Thomas for a return to The Savage Sword of Conan with #191 (Nov. 1991) for a 20-issue run. Conan the Rogue, a graphic novel Buscema plotted, pencilled, inked, and colored over a period of five years in his spare time appeared that same year. He departed the Wolverine title, but not before both penciling and inking the graphic novel Wolverine: Bloody Choices (Nov. 1993).

File:Thor9.jpg
Thor #9 (March 1999). Art by Buscema and inker Jerry Ordway.

Buscema returned to crime fiction with The Punisher: War Zone #23-30 (Jan.-Aug. 1994, self-inking #26-29). Buscema also pencilled and inked that title's 1993 summer annual and the 1994 graphic novel A Man Named Frank, a parallel-universe Punisher Western tale. He also pencilled the Punisher portions of 1994's The Punisher Meets Archie team-up. No longer attached to a regular series after his Punisher run, he penciled and inked The Avengers Annual #23 (1994) and five more black-and-white Conan adventures, serving as that Marvel franchise's final artist on The Savage Sword of Conan with #235 (July 1995) and on the short-lived spin-off Conan the Savage with #10 (May 1996). He also provided fill-in pencil jobs on the Cosmic Powers Unlimited miniseries, Doom 2099, Fantastic Four 2099, Thor, Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer and a Silver Surfer/Rune special.

Buscema semi-retired in 1996, at age 68. He did pencils and inks on a black-and-white short story for Shadows and Light (1998) and made a final return to Conan with the Death Covered in Gold three-issue miniseries (1999). He penciled and inked The Amazing Spider-Man 1999 Annual (June 1999), penciled five of the six-issue Galactus the Devourer miniseries, and a fill-in Thor.

Buscema worked with DC Comics for the first time in 2000, initially doing both pencils and inks on a black-and-white Batman short story (Batman: Gotham Knights #7, 2000). He reunited with Stan Lee on the 2001 one-shot Just Imagine Stan Lee and John Buscema Creating Superman. He helped produce The John Buscema Sketchbook (Vanguard Production, 2001).

He finished the pencils on 2004's Superman: Blood of my Ancestors, begun by Gil Kane, who had since died, and had just signed on for a five-issue miniseries with Roy Thomas, JLA: Barbarians. Shortly after finishing the first issue, Buscema, diagnosed with stomach cancer a few months earlier, died at the age of 74. An 11x17-inch lithograph print of the late 1960s/early 1970s Avengers, penciled by Buscema and painted in watercolor by Alex Ross for the publisher Dynamic Forces, was Buscema's last professional work.

Family

Buscema, who lived in Port Jefferson, New York, on Long Island, at the time of his death, was married to Dolores Buscema, with whom he had a son, John Jr., and a daughter, Dianne. His granddaughter Stephanie Buscema is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist, who started out as an inker for her grandfather.

Bibliography

Interior pencil art includes:

Dell Four Color

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Legacy

Savage Tales #1 (May 1971), featuring Conan the Barbarian. Painted cover art by Buscema.

The documentary Frank Frazetta, Painting with Fire (2003) is posthumously dedicated to Buscema.

Awards

In 2002 and 2004, the Haxtur Awards presented the Special John Buscema Award.

Audio/video

Notes

  1. John Buscema, Social Security Death Index details, FamilySearch
  2. 2002 Comic Book Awards Almanac: 2002 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. WebCite archive.
  3. ^ Quartuccio, Sal, and Keenan, Bob, The Art of John Buscema (New York, Sal Q Productions, 1978) Cite error: The named reference "quart" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. Spurlock, David J., and John Buscema, John Buscema Sketchbook (New Jersey: Vanguard Productions, 2001) pp.60-61. Hardcover ISBN 1-887591-18-4, signed-numbered hardcover ISBN 1-887591-17-6, trade paperback ISBN 1-887591-19-2
  5. Spurlock, p.27
  6. Irving, Christoper, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", Comic Book Artist #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 5-B.
  7. ^ Steranko, in Spurlock, p.5
  8. Evanier, Mark, and John Buscema, Alter Ego vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) pp.16-17V
  9. Peel, John. "John Buscema", Comics Feature #31 (Sept.-Oct. 1984)
  10. Life Stories of American Presidents #1 (Nov. 1957) at the Grand Comics Database
  11. ^ Steranko, p. 6
  12. This advertising agency, not to be confused with New York City's similarly named Lawrence G. Chait Agency or Chiat\Day, was responsible for, among other things, the one-sheet for the James Bond movie Thunderball, per British Film Institute: Exhibitions & Events: "Poster Galore". WebCite archive.
  13. Spurlock, p. 35
  14. Thomas, Roy, "'Big John' & 'Roy the Boy'", Alter Ego vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 5 (Conan cover side)
  15. Steranko, in Spurlock, pp. 6-7
  16. Thomas, Roy. "Drawing Was His Life!", Alter Ego vol. 3, #15 (June 2002) p. 31 (Buscema self-portrait cover side), p. 31
  17. Lee, Stan. Origins of Marvel Comics (Marvel Entertainment Group, 1997 reissue) ISBN 0-7851-0551-4
  18. DeFalco, Tom. "Memories of Brother John", Comic Book Artist #21 (August 2002), p. 34-B (caption)
  19. Irving, Christopher, "The Life of Legendary 'Big' John Buscema", Comic Book Artist #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 6B
  20. Thomas, "'Big John'", p. 14
  21. Thomas, "'Big John'", p. 15
  22. Bails, Jerry. Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999: Buscema, John. WebCite archive.
  23. Quartuccio entry, Michigan State University Libraries' Special Collections Division: Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection, "Qualities" to "Quartz". WebCite archive.
  24. DeFalco, "Memories", p. 35-B: Sal Buscema: "This guy used to eat, sleep and breathe drawing. It didn't matter what was going on around him. He would get bored with it and start sketching. ... He just couldn't stop drawing. better than some of the stuff that he did on the front. ... He'd get a spark of inspiration and turn the page over and draw whatever was in his skull."
  25. Maillot, Michael. The John Buscema Checklist (fan site). WebCite archive
  26. "Cables of Champions," Champions #10 (Marvel Comics, Jan. 1977).
  27. Spurlock. Buscema Sketchbook, pp. 19-20
  28. Sienkiewicz, Bill, et al., "Remembering Buscema: Over 25 of the Master's Peers Reminisce about John and his Art", Comic Book Artist #21 (Aug. 2002), p. 22B.
  29. Thomas, "'Big John'", pp. 16-17
  30. Conan the Rogue at the Grand Comics Database
  31. ^ Nash, Eric. "John Buscema, 74, Who Drew Classic Comic Book Characters", The New York Times, January 28, 2002. WebCite archive.
  32. The Art of Stephanie Buscema (official site). WebCite archive.

References

Further reading

  • Big John Buscema, Palma de Mallorca: Ajuntament de Palma, 2009. ISBN 978-84-87159-38-1

External links

Preceded byDon Heck Avengers artist
1967–1969 		Succeeded byGene Colan
Preceded byNeal Adams Thor artist
1970–1979 		Succeeded byKeith Pollard
Preceded byJohn Romita, Sr. Fantastic Four artist
1971–1973 		Succeeded byRich Buckler
Preceded byBarry Smith Conan the Barbarian artist
1973–1987 		Succeeded byVal Semeiks
Preceded byBob Hall Avengers artist
1985–1989 		Succeeded byRich Buckler
Preceded byJohn Byrne Fantastic Four artist
1986–1987 		Succeeded byKeith Pollard
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