Bill Rechin, creator of “Crock,” “Out of Bounds” and “Pluribus,” has passed away at the age of 80 due to complications to esophageal cancer.
“He was a cartoonist’s cartoonist,” said Mel Lazarus, creator of “Momma” and “Miss Peach.”
Rechin’s signature is the giant nose. His unmistakable characters usually have sloping shoulders and drooping bellies.
His comic Crock was syndicated by King Features and was a parody of the 1924 adventure novel “Beau Geste” featuring a band of foreign legion characters stationed in a desert outpost. He was honored with the National Cartoonists Society’s Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award in 1992 for his work on Out of Bounds. He was also president of the NCS for part of 1988.
Bill welcomed me to this community when I first arrived in 1998. He was a generous guy and gave time and encouragement to future cartoonists. I didn’t see much of him over the last few years, but each time I did he always had a smile on his face.
My condolences to his family, friends and fans.
I don’t get Crock in any Chicago paper anymore.
Any word if Mr. Wilder will get 100% control of the strip or be taken over by a new artist or cease the strip?
Darryl, Wilder passed away years ago. Kevin Rechin will be continuing the strip.