Cartoonist Sal Buscema has died, the Marvel legend was 89 years old

The beginnings

Born on January 26, 1936 in the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York, to Sicilian parents, Silvio Buscema was the youngest of four brothers. His father, a barber originally from Pozzallo (Ragusa), passed away in 1973. Raised in a family context deeply linked to art and creativitySal Buscema began his career in the mid-1960s as an inker of his brother John’s drawings. From that moment, his collaboration with Marvel became one of the most enduring and prolific in the history of American comics.

Sal’s professional debut came with Silver Surfer #4, in 1968, where he inked the pencils of John Buscema, marking the beginning of a career full of successes and extraordinary goals. His ability to meet tight deadlines and produce a huge amount of work quickly made him indispensable to the publishing house. Buscema’s style was distinguished by darker tones and angular featuresan evolution compared to the Silver Age which anticipated the atmosphere of the comics of the nineties. Starting in the late 1970s, Buscema regularly inked his own drawings, and in the 1990s he also returned to inking works by other artists, such as the Fantastic Four series drawn by his brother John based on texts by Steve Englehart.

The most famous works

Among his most famous works is the long collaboration with Captain Americatogether with Steve Englehart, who led to the creation of historical saga ‘Secret Empire’in which the president of the United States was found to be affiliated with a secret criminal organization. The series culminated in a dramatic and memorable moment: the president’s suicide in front of Captain America, an event that pushed Steve Rogers to temporarily retire by assuming the identity of Nomad, a hero with no ties to any nation.

In the Seventies Buscema also collaborated on the ‘Defenders’, teaming with Len Wein and Steve Gerber, signing some of the most iconic battles between Hulk and Thor. Also in that decade, he worked on the Avengers and contributed to the creation of the Squadron Sinister, inspiration for the historic Squadron Supreme. From 1975, with his colleague Len Wein, Buscema devoted himself steadily to the Incredible Hulk, a character he loved deeply and drew regularly for over a decade. It was precisely in this series that the famous “Buscema Punch” emerged, the distinctive feature of the Incredible Hulk’s punches, recognizable for the power and dynamism of the drawings.

In the 1980s, Buscema continued to be a key figure for Marvel, contributing to such successful series as Rom, Spaceknight, New Mutants, and Spectacular Spider-Man, the latter with over one hundred consecutive issues drawn and inked between 1988 and 1996. His collaboration with JM DeMatteis on Spider-Man in the 1990s is remembered as one of the high points of his career.

The legacy

Buscema gradually retired in the mid-nineties, dedicating himself sporadically to inking Spider-Girl and other series, always keeping his presence alive in the American comics industry. His ability to alternate roles as penciler and inker, speed of execution and attention to detail have made him one of Marvel’s most reliable and respected comics artists, alongside big names like Jack Kirby, Gil Kane, John Romita Sr. and Ron Frenz.

In addition to his creative work, Sal Buscema is remembered for his humanity and helpfulness. Colleagues and collaborators have often underlined his kindness and the passion with which he passed on his experience to new generations of artists. JM DeMatteis, screenwriter and longtime collaborator, called him “not only a great artist, but a truly good person”, highlighting how Buscema’s influence went beyond the simple graphic trait.

His passing leaves a void not only among fans, but also among colleagues and the entire comics industry. As artist Sterling Clark recalled, “Sal’s name appeared in virtually every comic book I read as a child. I not only read them, I studied them, trying to imitate every nuance of his drawings.” (by Paolo Martini)