Dick Calkins

(August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962)

Dick Calkins at the drawing board with a sketch of Buck Rogers.

Richard William Calkins, who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic-strip artist best known for Buck Rogers.

Born in Grand Rapids, MI, Calkins graduated from the Chicago Art Institute. His first job was as a cartoonist for the Detroit Free Press. Later, he was an editorial cartoonist for the Chicago American. In 1929, he began drawing the Buck Rogers scienticomics, which originated with writer Philip Nowlan. In 1939, Nowlan retired from the strip and Calkins had full story control until his own retirement in 1947.

In 1940, Calkins contributed art to the Chicon program book.

During World War I, Calkins served in the Army Air Service as a pilot and flight instructor.

• FindaGrave entry.

Chicon Program Book heading by Calkins, featuring his Buck Rogers scientificomics characters, courtesy of the John F. Dille Co., a Chicago-based newspaper syndicate.

---

Person

1894—1962

This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.