Sal Buscema

Sal Buscema — born Silvio Buscema on January 26, 1936, and a fixture of Marvel Comics for decades — was one of the most prolific artists in American superhero comics. He passed away on January 24, 2026, just two days shy of his ninetieth birthday. The younger brother of celebrated Marvel artist John Buscema, Sal entered the industry around 1969 and quickly established himself as a reliable, expressive storyteller whose clean, dynamic linework made him a natural fit for action-driven titles.

He is perhaps best remembered for his decade-long run on The Incredible Hulk and his eight years on The Spectacular Spider-Man, two assignments that together defined a substantial portion of Marvel's visual identity through the 1970s and 1980s. Beyond those flagship titles, his credits stretched across Captain America, Nova, and numerous other series, accumulating to more than 2,200 issues as artist, inker, and occasional writer — a body of work remarkable in both its volume and its consistency.

Buscema's style favored clear storytelling over flash, making his pages accessible and kinetic without sacrificing character expression. Readers who grew up with Marvel during his peak years largely encountered the Hulk and Spider-Man through his renditions. His longevity, output, and steadfast craftsmanship left a durable mark on mainstream superhero comics.