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Wikipedia

Steve Ditko

September 27, 2023

Stephen John Ditko[1][2] (/ˈdɪtkoʊ/; November 2, 1927 – June 29, 2018) was an American comics artist and writer best known for being co-creator of Marvel superhero Spider-Man and creator of Doctor Strange. He also made notable contributions to the character of Iron Man with the character's iconic red and yellow design being revolutionized by Ditko.

Steve Ditko
Ditko c. 1970s
BornStephen John Ditko
(1927-11-02)November 2, 1927
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJune 29, 2018(2018-06-29) (aged 90)
New York City, U.S.
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Inker
Notable works
Spider-Man
Doctor Strange
Creeper
Hawk and Dove
Mr. A
Question
Captain Atom
Blue Beetle

Ditko studied under Batman artist Jerry Robinson at the Cartoonist and Illustrators School in New York City. He began his professional career in 1953, working in the studio of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, beginning as an inker and coming under the influence of artist Mort Meskin. During this time, he then began his long association with Charlton Comics, where he did work in the genres of science fiction, horror, and mystery. He also co-created the superhero Captain Atom in 1960.

During the 1950s, Ditko also drew for Atlas Comics, a forerunner of Marvel Comics. He went on to contribute much significant work to Marvel. Ditko was artist for the first 38 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, co-creating much of the Spider-Man supporting characters and villains with Stan Lee. Beginning with issue #25, Ditko was also credited as the plotter. In 1966, after being the exclusive artist on The Amazing Spider-Man and the "Doctor Strange" feature in Strange Tales, Ditko left Marvel for a variety of reasons, including creative differences and unpaid royalties.

Ditko continued to work for Charlton and also DC Comics, including a revamp of the long-running character the Blue Beetle, and creating or co-creating the Question, the Creeper, Shade the Changing Man, and Hawk and Dove. Ditko also began contributing to small independent publishers, where he created Mr. A, a hero reflecting the influence of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. Ditko largely declined to give interviews, saying he preferred to communicate through his work.

Ditko was inducted into the comics industry's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1990, and into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994.

Early life Edit

 
Ditko as a senior in high school, 1945

Stephen John Ditko[1] was born on November 2, 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.[3][4] His parents were second-generation Americans: children of Rusyn[5] Byzantine Catholic immigrants from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Slovakia).[6] His father, Stefan ("Stephen"), was an artistically talented master carpenter at a steel mill and his mother, Anna (née Balaschak),[1] a homemaker. The second-oldest child in a working-class family, he was preceded by sister Anna Marie,[6] and followed by sister Elizabeth and brother Patrick.[2] Inspired by his father's love of newspaper comic strips, particularly Hal Foster's Prince Valiant, Ditko found his interest in comics accelerated by the introduction of the superhero Batman in 1939, and by Will Eisner's The Spirit, which appeared in a tabloid-sized comic-book insert in Sunday newspapers.[7][8]

Ditko in junior high school was part of a group of students who crafted wooden models of German airplanes to aid civilian World War II aircraft-spotters.[7] Upon graduating from Greater Johnstown High School in 1945,[7] he enlisted in the U.S. Army on October 26, 1945,[6] and did military service in Allied-occupied Germany, where he drew comics for an Army newspaper.[7]

Career Edit

 
The Thing #12 (Feb. 1954), Ditko's first published comic-book cover

Following his discharge, Ditko learned that his idol, Batman artist Jerry Robinson, was teaching at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School (later the School of Visual Arts) in New York City. Moving there in 1950, he enrolled in the art school under the G.I. Bill.[9] Robinson found the young student "a very hard worker who really focused on his drawing"[10] and someone who "could work well with other writers as well as write his own stories and create his own characters",[10] and he helped Ditko acquire a scholarship for the following year.[11] "He was in my class for two years, four or five days a week, five hours a night. It was very intense."[12] Robinson, who invited artists and editors to speak with his class, once brought in Stan Lee, then editor of Marvel Comics' 1950s precursor Atlas Comics and, "I think that was when Stan first saw Steve's work."[12]

Ditko began professionally illustrating comic books in early 1953, drawing writer Bruce Hamilton's science-fiction story "Stretching Things" for the Key Publications imprint Stanmor Publications, which sold the story to Ajax/Farrell, where it finally found publication in Fantastic Fears #5 (cover-dated Feb. 1954).[13][14] Ditko's first published work was his second professional story, the six-page "Paper Romance" in Daring Love #1 (Oct. 1953),[7] published by the Key imprint Gillmor Magazines.[15]

Shortly afterward, Ditko found work at the studio of writer-artists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, who had created Captain America and other characters.[16] Beginning as an inker on backgrounds, Ditko was soon working with and learning from Mort Meskin, an artist whose work he had long admired. "Meskin was fabulous," Ditko once recalled. "I couldn't believe the ease with which he drew: strong compositions, loose pencils, yet complete; detail without clutter. I loved his stuff".[17] Ditko's known assistant work includes aiding inker Meskin on the Jack Kirby pencil work of Harvey Comics' Captain 3-D #1 (Dec. 1953).[18] For his own third published story, Ditko penciled and inked the six-page "A Hole in His Head" in Black Magic vol. 4, #3 (Dec. 1953), published by Simon & Kirby's Crestwood Publications imprint Prize Comics.[19]

Ditko then began a long association with the Derby, Connecticut, publisher Charlton Comics, a low-budget division of a company best known for song-lyric magazines. Beginning with the cover of The Thing! #12 (Feb. 1954) and the eight-page vampire story "Cinderella" in that issue, Ditko would continue to work intermittently for Charlton until the company's demise in 1986, producing science fiction, horror and mystery stories, as well as co-creating Captain Atom, with writer Joe Gill, in Space Adventures #33 (March 1960).[20] Ditko was allowed a great deal of creative freedom at Charlton due to very little editorial interference. However, the Comics Code Authority was imposed on the comics industry in 1954 due to public concern over graphic violence and horror imagery in comic books, and would prevent Ditko from further developing as a horror artist.[21] He first went on hiatus from the company, and comics altogether, in mid-1954, when he contracted tuberculosis and returned to his parents' home in Johnstown to recuperate.[22]

Marvel Comics Edit

After he recovered, Ditko had originally intended to return to Charlton, but Charlton's office had been flooded by Hurricane Diane and operations wouldn't resume until months later.[23] Ditko instead moved back to New York City in late 1955[22] and began drawing for Atlas Comics, the 1950s precursor of Marvel Comics, beginning with the four-page "There'll Be Some Changes Made" in Journey into Mystery #33 (April 1956);[24] this debut tale would be reprinted in Marvel's Curse of the Weird #4 (March 1994). In 1957, Atlas switched distributors to the American News Company, which shortly afterward lost a Justice Department lawsuit and discontinued its business,[25] leading to Atlas's entire staff being laid off.[26] Ditko returned to Charlton afterward and experimented with various drawing styles and genres in series such as Tales of the Mysterious Traveler and This Magazine is Haunted.[27]

During the summer of 1958, writer-editor Stan Lee invited Ditko back to Atlas.[28] Ditko would go on to contribute a large number of stories, many considered classic, to Atlas/Marvel's Strange Tales and the newly launched Amazing Adventures, Strange Worlds, Tales of Suspense and Tales to Astonish, issues of which would typically open with a Kirby-drawn monster story, followed by one or two twist-ending thrillers or sci-fi tales drawn by Don Heck, Paul Reinman, or Joe Sinnott, all capped by an often-surreal, sometimes self-reflective short by Ditko and Stan Lee.[29] The first collaboration between Ditko and Lee was 2-Gun Western #4 (May 1956), which was also Ditko's only non-fantasy story.[23]

These Lee-Ditko short stories proved so popular that Amazing Adventures was reformatted to feature such stories exclusively beginning with issue #7 (Dec. 1961), when the comic was rechristened Amazing Adult Fantasy, a name intended to reflect its more "sophisticated" nature, as likewise the new tagline "The magazine that respects your intelligence". Lee in 2009 described these "short, five-page filler strips that Steve and I did together", originally "placed in any of our comics that had a few extra pages to fill", as "odd fantasy tales that I'd dream up with O. Henry-type endings." Giving an early example of what would later be known as the "Marvel Method" of writer-artist collaboration, Lee said, "All I had to do was give Steve a one-line description of the plot and he'd be off and running. He'd take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect."[30]

Creation of Spider-Man Edit

After Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee obtained permission from publisher Martin Goodman to create a new "ordinary teen" superhero named "Spider-Man",[31] Lee originally approached his leading artist, Jack Kirby. Kirby told Lee about his own 1950s character conception, variously called the Silver Spider and Spiderman, in which an orphaned boy finds a magic ring that gives him super powers. Comics historian Greg Theakston says Lee and Kirby "immediately sat down for a story conference" and Lee afterward directed Kirby to flesh out the character and draw some pages. "A day or two later", Kirby showed Lee the first six pages, and, as Lee recalled, "I hated the way he was doing it. Not that he did it badly — it just wasn't the character I wanted; it was too heroic".[32]

Lee turned to Ditko, who developed a visual motif Lee found satisfactory,[33] although Lee would later replace Ditko's original cover with one penciled by Kirby. Ditko said, "The Spider-Man pages Stan showed me were nothing like the (eventually) published character. In fact, the only drawings of Spider-Man were on the splash [i.e., page 1] and at the end [where] Kirby had the guy leaping at you with a web gun... Anyway, the first five pages took place in the home, and the kid finds a ring and turns into Spider-Man."[34] Ditko also recalled that, "One of the first things I did was to work up a costume. A vital, visual part of the character. I had to know how he looked ... before I did any breakdowns. For example: A clinging power so he wouldn't have hard shoes or boots, a hidden wrist-shooter versus a web gun and holster, etc. ... I wasn't sure Stan would like the idea of covering the character's face but I did it because it hid an obviously boyish face. It would also add mystery to the character...."[35]

Much earlier, in a rare contemporaneous account, Ditko described his and Lee's contributions in a mail interview with Gary Martin published in Comic Fan #2 (Summer 1965): "Stan Lee thought the name up. I did costume, web gimmick on wrist & spider signal". He added he would continue drawing Spider-Man "[i]f nothing better comes along."[36] That same year, he expressed to the fanzine Voice of Comicdom, regarding a poll of "Best Liked" fan-created comics, "It seems a shame, since comics themselves have so little variety of stories and styles that you would deliberately restrict your own creative efforts to professional comics['] shallow range. What is 'Best Liked' by most readers is what they are most familiar in seeing and any policy based on readers likes has to end up with a lot of look-a-like (sic) strips. You have a great opportunity to show everyone a whole new range of ideas, unlimited types of stories and styles—why FLUB it!"[37]

From 1958 to 1968,[38] Ditko shared a Manhattan studio at 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue with noted fetish artist Eric Stanton, an art-school classmate. When either artist was under deadline pressure, it was not uncommon for them to pitch in and help the other with his assignment.[39][40] Ditko biographer Blake Bell, without citing sources, said, "At one time in history, Ditko denied ever touching Stanton's work, even though Stanton himself said they would each dabble in each other's art; mainly spot-inking",[39] and the introduction to one book of Stanton's work says, "Eric Stanton drew his pictures in India ink, and they were then hand-coloured by Ditko".[41] In a 1988 interview with Theakston, Stanton recalled that although his contribution to Spider-Man was "almost nil", he and Ditko had "worked on storyboards together and I added a few ideas. But the whole thing was created by Steve on his own... I think I added the business about the webs coming out of his hands".[42]

Spider-Man debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962), the final issue of that science-fiction/fantasy anthology series. When the issue proved to be a top seller, Spider-Man was given his own series, The Amazing Spider-Man.[43][44] Lee and Ditko's collaboration on the series saw the creation of many of the character's best known antagonists including Doctor Octopus in issue #3 (July 1963);[45] the Sandman in #4 (Sept. 1963);[46] the Lizard in #6 (Nov. 1963);[47] Electro in #9 (March 1964);[48] and the Green Goblin in #14 (July 1964).[49] Increasingly irritated by his perception that he was not receiving his due or proper compensation, Ditko demanded credit for the plotting he was contributing under the Marvel Method. Lee acquiesced, and starting with #25 (June 1965), Ditko received plot credit for the stories.[50]

One of the most celebrated issues of the Lee-Ditko run is #33 (Feb. 1966), the third part of the story arc "If This Be My Destiny...!", and featuring the dramatic scene of Spider-Man, through force of will and thoughts of family, escaping from being pinned by heavy machinery. Comics historian Les Daniels noted, "Steve Ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of Spider-Man's predicament, complete with visions of the uncle he failed and the aunt he has sworn to save."[51] Peter David observed, "After his origin, this two-page sequence from Amazing Spider-Man #33 is perhaps the best-loved sequence from the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era."[52] Steve Saffel stated the "full page Ditko image from The Amazing Spider-Man #33 is one of the most powerful ever to appear in the series and influenced writers and artists for many years to come."[53] Matthew K. Manning wrote that "Ditko's illustrations for the first few pages of this Lee story included what would become one of the most iconic scenes in Spider-Man's history."[54] The story was chosen as #15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. Editor Robert Greenberger wrote in his introduction to the story, "These first five pages are a modern-day equivalent to Shakespeare as Parker's soliloquy sets the stage for his next action. And with dramatic pacing and storytelling, Ditko delivers one of the great sequences in all comics."[55]

In this series, Ditko also had a lasting effect on Marvel's branding when he inserted a small box on the upper left-hand corner of issue #2 that featured a picture of Spider-Man's face along with the company name and price. Stan Lee approved of this visual motif and soon made it a standard feature on all of Marvel's subsequent comic books that would last for decades.[56]

Doctor Strange and other characters Edit

 
Dormammu attacks Eternity in a Ditko "Dr. Strange" panel from Strange Tales #146 (July 1966).

Ditko created[57][58] the supernatural hero Doctor Strange in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963).[59] Ditko in the 2000s told a visiting fan that Lee gave Dr. Strange the first name "Stephen".[60]

Though often overshadowed by his Spider-Man work, Ditko's Doctor Strange artwork has been equally acclaimed for its surrealistic mystical landscapes and increasingly psychedelic visuals that helped make the feature a favorite of college students. "People who read 'Doctor Strange' thought people at Marvel must be heads [i.e. drug users]," recalled then-associate editor and former Doctor Strange writer Roy Thomas in 1971, "because they had had similar experiences high on mushrooms. But ... I don't use hallucinogens, nor do I think any artists do."[61] Ditko, "always the most straight-laced man in comics", was deeply offended by the suggestion that he used psychedelic drugs to create the worlds of Dr. Strange.[62]

Eventually Lee & Ditko would take Strange into ever-more-abstract realms. In an epic 17-issue story arc in Strange Tales #130–146 (March 1965 – July 1966), Lee and Ditko introduced the cosmic character Eternity, who personified the universe and was depicted as a silhouette whose outlines are filled with the cosmos.[63] As historian Bradford W. Wright describes,

Steve Ditko contributed some of his most surrealistic work to the comic book and gave it a disorienting, hallucinogenic quality. Dr. Strange's adventures take place in bizarre worlds and twisting dimensions that resembled Salvador Dalí paintings. ... Inspired by the pulp-fiction magicians of Stan Lee's childhood as well as by contemporary Beat culture. Dr. Strange remarkably predicted the youth counterculture's fascination with Eastern mysticism and psychedelia. Never among Marvel's more popular or accessible characters, Dr. Strange still found a niche among an audience seeking a challenging alternative to more conventional superhero fare.[64]

The cartoonist and fine artist Seth in 2003 described Ditko's style as:

...oddball for mainstream comics. Whereas Kirby's stuff clearly appealed to a boy's sensibility because there was so much raw power, Ditko's work was really delicate and cartoony. There was a sense of design to it. You can always recognize anything that Ditko designed because it's always flowery. There is a lot of embroidered detail in the art, which is almost psychedelic.[65]

In addition to Dr. Strange, Ditko in the 1960s also drew comics starring the Hulk and Iron Man. He penciled and inked the final issue of The Incredible Hulk (#6, March 1963), then continued to collaborate with writer-editor Lee on a relaunched Hulk feature in the omnibus Tales to Astonish, beginning with issue #60 (Oct. 1964). Ditko, inked by George Roussos, penciled the feature through #67 (May 1965). Ditko designed the Hulk's primary antagonist, the Leader, in #63 (Jan. 1965).[66]

Ditko also penciled the Iron Man feature in Tales of Suspense #47–49 (Nov. 1963 – Jan. 1964), with various inkers. The first of these debuted the initial version of Iron Man's modern red-and-golden armor. [67]

Whichever feature he drew, Ditko's idiosyncratic, cleanly detailed, instantly recognizable art style, emphasizing mood and anxiety, found great favor with readers. The character of Spider-Man and his troubled personal life meshed well with Ditko's own interests, which Lee eventually acknowledged by giving the artist plotting credits on the latter part of their 38-issue run. But after four years on the title, Ditko left Marvel;[68] he and Lee had not been on speaking terms for some time, with art and editorial changes handled through intermediaries.[69] The details of the rift remain uncertain, even to Lee, who confessed in 2003, "I never really knew Steve on a personal level."[69] Ditko later claimed it was Lee who broke off contact and disputed the long-held belief[70] that the disagreement was over the true identity of the Green Goblin: "Stan never knew what he was getting in my Spider-Man stories and covers until after [production manager] Sol Brodsky took the material from me ... so there couldn't have been any disagreement or agreement, no exchanges ... no problems between us concerning the Green Goblin or anything else from before issue #25 to my final issues".[71] Spider-Man successor artist John Romita, in a 2010 deposition, recalled that Lee and Ditko "ended up not being able to work together because they disagreed on almost everything, cultural, social, historically, everything, they disagreed on characters. ..."[72] A friendly farewell was given to Ditko in the "Bullpen Bulletins" of comics cover-dated July 1966, including Fantastic Four #52: "Steve recently told us he was leaving for personal reasons. After all these years, we're sorry to see him go, and we wish the talented guy success with his future endeavors."[73]

Regardless, said Lee in 2007, "Quite a few years ago I met him up at the Marvel offices when I was last in New York. And we spoke; he's a hell of a nice guy and it was very pleasant. ... I haven't heard from him since that meeting."[74]

Charlton and DC Comics Edit

Back at Charlton—where the page rate was low but creators were allowed greater freedom—Ditko worked on such characters as the Blue Beetle (1967–1968),[75] the Question (1967–1968),[76] and Captain Atom (1965–1967), returning to the character he had co-created in 1960. In addition, in 1966 and 1967, he drew 16 stories, most of them written by Archie Goodwin, for Warren Publishing's horror-comic magazines Creepy and Eerie, generally using an ink-wash technique.[77]

In 1967, Ditko gave his Objectivist ideas ultimate expression in the form of Mr. A, published in Wally Wood's independent title witzend # 3, an underground anthology comic in black and white that avoided the Comics Code Authority by being published in magazine format and only being available by subscription, and whose editorial policy was to allow artistic freedom without any editorial interference.[78] Mr. A is a similar character to the Question, but without being restricted by the Comics Code.[79] Ditko's hard line against criminals was controversial[80] and he continued to produce Mr. A stories and one-pagers until the end of the 1970s.[81] Ditko returned to Mr. A in 2000 and in 2009.[82][83]

 
A panoply of Ditko DC Comics characters, from a "DC Profiles" biographical page appearing in comics cover-dated April 1980, including Batman #322 and The Legion of Super-Heroes #262. From left: the Creeper; Hawk and Dove; Stalker; the Odd Man; Shade, the Changing Man; Starman.

Ditko moved to DC Comics in 1968, where he co-created the Creeper in Showcase #73 (April 1968) with Don Segall, under editor Murray Boltinoff.[84] DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz observed that Ditko's art on the Creeper stories made "them look unlike anything else being published by DC at the time."[85] Ditko co-created the team Hawk and Dove in Showcase #75 (June 1968), with writer Steve Skeates.[86] Around this time, he penciled the lead story, written and inked by Wally Wood, in Wood's early mature-audience, independent-comics publication Heroes, Inc. Presents Cannon (1969).[87]

Ditko's stay at DC was short—he would work on all six issues of the Creeper's own title, Beware the Creeper (June 1968 – April 1969), though leaving midway through the final one—and the reasons for his departure uncertain. But while at DC, Ditko recommended Charlton staffer Dick Giordano to the company,[88] who would go on to become a top DC penciller, inker, editor, and ultimately, in 1981, the managing editor.[89]

From this time up through the mid-1970s, Ditko worked exclusively for Charlton and various small press/independent publishers. Frank McLaughlin, Charlton's art director during this period, describes Ditko as living "in a local hotel in Derby for a while. He was a very happy-go-lucky guy with a great sense of humor at that time, and always supplied the [female] color separators with candy and other little gifts".[90]

For Charlton in 1974 he did Liberty Belle backup stories in E-Man and conceived Killjoy.[91] Ditko produced much work for Charlton's science-fiction and horror titles, as well as for former Marvel publisher Martin Goodman's start-up line Atlas/Seaboard Comics, where he co-created the superhero the Destructor with writer Archie Goodwin, and penciled all four issues of the namesake series (Feb.–Aug. 1975), the first two of which were inked by Wally Wood. Ditko worked on the second and third issues of Tiger-Man and the third issue of Morlock 2001, with Bernie Wrightson inking.[87]

After 1975 Edit

Ditko returned to DC Comics in 1975, creating a short-lived title, Shade, the Changing Man (1977–1978).[87][92] Shade was later revived, without Ditko's involvement, in DC's mature-audience imprint Vertigo. With writer Paul Levitz, he co-created the four-issue sword and sorcery series Stalker (1975–1976).[93][94] Ditko and writer Gerry Conway produced the first issue of a two-issue Man-Bat series.[95] He also revived the Creeper[96] and did such various other jobs as a short Demon backup series in 1979, created The Odd Man and stories in DC's horror and science-fiction anthologies. Editor Jack C. Harris hired Ditko as guest artist on several issues of The Legion of Super-Heroes, a decision which garnered a mixed reaction from the title's readership.[97] Ditko also drew the Prince Gavyn version of Starman in Adventure Comics #467–478 (1980).[87][98] He then decamped to do work for a variety of publishers, briefly contributing to DC again in the mid-1980s, with four pinups of his characters for Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe and a pinup for Superman #400 (Oct. 1984)[99][100] and its companion portfolio.[101] Ditko returned to Marvel in 1979, taking over Jack Kirby's Machine Man,[102] drawing The Micronauts[103] and Captain Universe, and continuing to freelance for the company into the late 1990s. Starting in 1984, he penciled the last two years of the space-robot series Rom. A Godzilla story by Ditko and Marv Wolfman was changed into a Dragon Lord story published in Marvel Spotlight.[104][105] Ditko and writer Tom DeFalco introduced the Speedball character in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 (1988)[106] and Ditko drew a ten-issue series based on the character.[107]

In 1982, he also began freelancing for the early independent comics label Pacific Comics, beginning with Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #6 (Sept. 1982), in which he introduced the superhero Missing Man, with Mark Evanier scripting to Ditko's plot and art. Subsequent Missing Man stories appeared in Pacific Presents #1–3 (Oct. 1982 – March 1984), with Ditko scripting the former and collaborating with longtime friend Robin Snyder on the script for the latter two. Ditko also created The Mocker for Pacific, in Silver Star #2 (April 1983).[87]

For Eclipse Comics, he contributed a story featuring his character Static (no relation to the later Milestone Comics character) in Eclipse Monthly #1–3 (Aug.–Oct. 1983), introducing supervillain the Exploder in #2. With writer Jack C. Harris, Ditko drew the backup feature "The Faceless Ones" in First Comics' Warp #2–4 (April–June 1983). Working with that same writer and others, Ditko drew a handful of the Fly, Flygirl and Jaguar stories for The Fly #2–8 (July 1983 – Aug. 1984), for Archie Comics' short-lived 1980s superhero line; in a rare latter-day instance of Ditko inking another artist, he inked penciler Dick Ayers on the Jaguar story in The Fly #9 (Oct. 1984).[87] Western Publishing in 1982 announced a series by Ditko and Harris would appear in a new science-fiction comic, Astral Frontiers, but that title never materialized.[108]

Ditko and Harris created 3-D Substance, a character with the power to turn invisible in a 3-D comic, in 1990. Substance also had the ability to project his voice away from himself, which Ditko demonstrated through the placement of word balloons.[109] In the early 1990s Ditko worked for Jim Shooter's newly founded company Valiant Comics, drawing, among others, issues of Magnus, Robot Fighter, Solar, Man of the Atom and X-O-Manowar. In 1992 Ditko worked with writer Will Murray to produce one of his last original characters for Marvel Comics, the superheroine Squirrel Girl, who debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 2, #8, a.k.a. Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special (Jan. 1992).[110]

In 1993, he did the Dark Horse Comics one-shot The Safest Place in the World. For the Defiant Comics series Dark Dominion, he drew issue #0, which was released as a set of trading cards. In 1995, he pencilled a four-issue series for Marvel based on the Phantom 2040 animated TV series. This included a poster that was inked by John Romita Sr. Steve Ditko's Strange Avenging Tales was announced as a quarterly series from Fantagraphics Books, although it only ran one issue (Feb. 1997) due to publicly unspecified disagreements between Ditko and the publisher.[111]

The New York Times assessed in 2008 that, "By the '70s he was regarded as a slightly old-fashioned odd-ball; by the '80s he was a commercial has-been, picking up wretched work-for-hire gigs. ...following the example of [Ayn] Rand's John Galt, Ditko hacked out moneymaking work, saving his care for the crabbed Objectivist screeds he published with tiny presses. And boy, could Ditko hack: seeing samples of his Transformers coloring book and his Big Boy comic is like hearing Orson Welles sell frozen peas."[112]

Ditko retired from mainstream comics in 1998.[113] His later work for Marvel and DC included such established superheroes as the Sub-Mariner (in Marvel Comics Presents) and newer, licensed characters such as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The last mainstream character he created was Marvel's Longarm in Shadows & Light #1 (Feb. 1998), in a self-inked, 12-page Iron Man story "A Man's Reach....", scripted by Len Wein. His final mainstream work was a five-page New Gods story for DC Comics, "Infinitely Gentle Infinitely Suffering", inked by Mick Gray and believed to be intended for the 2000–2002 Orion series[114] but not published until the 2008 trade paperback Tales of the New Gods.[114]

Thereafter, Ditko's solo work was published intermittently by Robin Snyder, who was his editor at Charlton, Archie Comics, and Renegade Press in the 1980s. The Snyder publications have included a number of original books as well as reprints such as Static, The Missing Man, The Mocker and, in 2002, Avenging World, a collection of stories and essays spanning 30 years.[87]

In 2008, Ditko and Snyder released The Avenging Mind, a 32-page essay publication featuring several pages of new artwork; and Ditko, Etc..., a 32-page comic book composed of brief vignettes and editorial cartoons. Releases have continued in that format, with stories introducing such characters as the Hero, Miss Eerie, the Cape, the Madman, the Grey Negotiator, the !? and the Outline.[115] He said in 2012 of his self-published efforts, "I do those because that's all they'll let me do."[116]

In addition to the new material, Ditko and Snyder reprinted earlier Ditko material. In 2010 they published a new edition of the 1973 Mr. A comic and a selection of Ditko covers in The Cover Series. In 2011 they published a new edition of the 1975 comic ...Wha...!? Ditko's H. Series.[87]

Two "lost" stories drawn by Ditko in 1978 have been published by DC in hardcover collections of the artist's work. A Creeper story scheduled for the never published Showcase #106 appears in The Creeper by Steve Ditko (2010)[117] and an unpublished Shade, the Changing Man story appears in The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol. 1 (2011).[118] A Hulk and the Human Torch story written by Jack C. Harris and drawn by Ditko in the 1980s was published by Marvel as Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault #1 in August 2011.[119]

Personal life Edit

As of 2012, Ditko continued to work in Manhattan's Midtown West neighborhood.[116][120] He mostly declined to give interviews or make public appearances, explaining in 1969 that, "When I do a job, it's not my personality that I'm offering the readers but my artwork. It's not what I'm like that counts; it's what I did and how well it was done. I produce a product, a comic art story. Steve Ditko is the brand name."[121] However, he did contribute numerous essays to Robin Snyder's fanzine The Comics.[122]

He had a nephew who became an artist, also named Steve Ditko.[69] As far as it is known, he never married and had no surviving children at the time of his death.[116][123] Will Eisner stated that Ditko had a son out of wedlock,[124] but this may have been a confused reference to the nephew.[116]

Politically, Ditko supported a "constitutional republic" and "individual" and "property rights", describing them as "inalienable". He supported neither George W. Bush nor John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election due to believing neither would prioritize them.[125]

Ditko said in 2012 that he had made no income on the four Spider-Man films released to that time.[116] However, a neighbor of Ditko stated that Ditko received royalty checks.[126] Those involved with creating the 2016 film Doctor Strange purposely declined to contact him during production, believing they would not be welcome.[123]

Objectivism Edit

Ditko was an ardent supporter of Objectivism.[127][128] The philosophy of Ayn Rand had "forever changed [Ditko's] outlook on morality, finances and his mission as a comic-book creator".[129] After Ditko had received greater control of the plotting, he began revering the role of policemen in his Spider-Man work. Ditko had once told his Charlton co-worker Pete Morisi, a policeman who moonlighted as a comic book artist, that he envied Morisi for being able to arrest criminals.[130] Randian philosophy had influenced Ditko to demand being credited and compensated as both the plotter and artist for Spider-Man beginning in issue #25, which Stan Lee (now credited as "scripter") allowed, though their working relationship would begin deteriorating.[131] Other ways Ditko incorporated Randian views into Spider-Man were by having Peter Parker become more aggressive, demand better pay for his Spider-Man photos, and show contempt for student protestors.[132] Marvel publisher Martin Goodman had been worried that Parker's hard right-wing politics would distance the character from most left-leaning, countercultural university students,[133] and disputes with Goodman over royalties had led to Ditko leaving Marvel.[134] Ditko later expressed his Objectivist views even further with the Question, who criticized the apathy of the public toward right and wrong, and Mr. A, who refused to save villains from death.[135]

He also described himself as an Aristotelian.[125]

Death Edit

Ditko was found unresponsive in his apartment in New York City on June 29, 2018. Police said he had died within the previous two days. He was pronounced dead at the age of 90, with the cause of death initially deemed as a result of a myocardial infarction, brought on by arteriosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.[123]

The final words of Ditko's last essay, published posthumously in Down Memory Lane in February 2019, quoted an "old toast": "Here's to those who wish me well, and those that don't can go to hell."[136]

In June 2021, Ditko's nephew Mark Ditko was interviewed and discussed his history with his uncle and his legacy, dispelling myths about him while also discussing his work with the Bottleworks Exhibition which houses a Steve Ditko Exhibition. He also shared rare photos among many other facts.[137][138]

Artistic style Edit

Ditko preferred to introduce characters before giving them a proper origin story (which he called "legends"), believing that a character should first be proven worthy of having their origins told. For example, Doctor Strange first appeared abruptly in Strange Tales #110 before his origin was revealed in issue #115, which Stan Lee attributed to the pair forgetting to tell but was in fact intentional.[139]

Awards and honors Edit

BBC documentary Edit

In September 2007, presenter Jonathan Ross hosted a one-hour documentary for BBC Four titled In Search of Steve Ditko. The program covers Ditko's work at Marvel, DC, and Charlton Comics and at Wally Wood's witzend, as well as his following of Objectivism. It includes testimonials by writers and artists Alan Moore, Mark Millar, Jerry Robinson and Stan Lee, among others. Ross, accompanied by writer Neil Gaiman, met Ditko briefly at his New York office, but he declined to be filmed, interviewed or photographed. He did, however, give the two a selection of some comic books. At the end of the show, Ross said he had since spoken to Ditko on the telephone and, as a joke, that he was now on first name terms with him.[70]

Bibliography Edit

As penciler (generally but not exclusively self-inked), unless otherwise noted

Farrell Publications

Harvey Comics

Key Publications

  • Daring Love #1 (1953)
  • Blazing Western #1 (1954)

Prize Comics

Charlton Comics

  • The Thing! #12–15, 17 (1954)
  • This Magazine is Haunted #16–19, 21 (1954)
  • Crime and Justice #18 (1954)
  • Racket Squad in Action #11–12 (1954)
  • Strange Suspense Stories #18–22, 31–37, 39–41, 45, 47–48, 50–53 (1954–1961)
  • Space Adventures #10–12, 24–27, 31–40, 42 (#33 debut Captain Atom) (1954–1961)
  • From Here to Insanity #10 (1955)
  • Tales of the Mysterious Traveler #2–11 (1957–1959)
  • Out of this World #3–12, 16 (1957–1959)
  • Cheyenne Kid #10 (1957)
  • This Magazine is Haunted vol. 2 #12–14, 16 (1957–1958)
  • From Here to Insanity vol. 3 #10 (1957)
  • Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #3–12, 19, 21–24, 26 (1957–1961)
  • Texas Rangers in Action #8, 77 (1957–1970)
  • Unusual Tales #6–12, 14–15, 22–23, 25–27, 29 (1957–1961)
  • Fightin' Army #20, 89–90, 92 (1957–1970)
  • Outer Space #18–21 (1958)
  • Robin Hood and his Merry Men #38 (1958)
  • Rocky Lane's Black Jack #24–28 (1958–1959)
  • Black Fury #16–18 (1958–1959)
  • Outlaws of the West #18, 80–81 (1959–1970)
  • Gorgo #1–4, 11, 13–16, The Return of Gorgo #2–3 (1960–1964)
  • Konga #1, 3–15, Konga's Revenge #2 (1960–1963)
  • Space War #4–6, 8, 10 (1960–1961)
  • Mad Monsters #1 (1961)
  • Captain Atom #78–89 (1965–1967)
  • Fantastic Giants #64 (1966)
  • Shadows from Beyond #50 (1966)
  • Ghostly Tales #55–58, 60–61, 67, 69–73, 75–90, 92–97, 99–123, 125–126 (1966–1977)
  • The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #1, 7, 9, 11–13, 15–18, 20–22, 24, 26–35, 37–38, 40–43, 47–48, 51–56, 58, 60–62 (1967–1977)
  • Blue Beetle #1–5 (1967–1968)
  • Mysterious Suspense #1 (The Question) (1968)
  • Outer Space vol. 2 #1 (1968)
  • Strange Suspense Stories vol. 2 #2 (1968)
  • Charlton Premiere #4 (1968)
  • Time for Love #13 (1969)
  • Space Adventures vol. 3 #2, 5–6, 8 (1968–1969)
  • Jungle Jim #22, 27–28 (1969–1970)
  • Ghost Manor #13–16, 18–19 (1970–1971)
  • Phantom #36, 39 (1970)
  • Romantic Story #107 (1970)
  • Just Married #79 (1971)
  • I Love You # 91 (1971)
  • Haunted #1–8, 11–16, 18, 23–25, 28, 30 (1971–1976)
  • Ghost Manor vol. 2 #1–18, 20–22, 24–26, 28–31, 37 (1971–1978)
  • Ghostly Haunts #22–34, 36–40, 43–48, 50, 52, 54 (1972–1977)
  • Haunted Love #4–5 (1973)
  • E-Man #2, 4 (Killjoy), #5 (intro Liberty Belle II) (1973–1974)
  • Midnight Tales #12 (1975)
  • Scary Tales #3, 5, 7–8, 11–12, 14–15 (1975–1978)
  • Beyond the Grave #1–6 (1975–1976)
  • Monster Hunters #2, 4, 6, 8, 10 (1975–1977)
  • Creepy Things #3, 5 (1975–1976)
  • Doomsday +1 #5 (1976)

Marvel Comics

Amazing Adult Fantasy #7–14 (1961–1962); becomes
Amazing Fantasy #15 (debut Spider-Man) (1962)

St. John Publications

  • Do You Believe in Nightmares #1 (1957)

DC Comics

ACG

Dell Publishing

Warren Publishing

  • Eerie #3–10 (1966–1967)
  • Creepy #9–16 (1966–1967)

Tower Comics

Independent

  • Witzend #3, 4, 6, 7 (Wallace Wood) (1967–1969)
  • Heroes, Inc. #1 (Wallace Wood) (1969)
  • Mr. A. (Comic Art Publishers) (1973)
  • Avenging World (Bruce Hershenson) (1973) (Note that the 2002 Avenging World is a collection of Ditko works including the 1973 comic)
  • ...Wha..!? (Bruce Hershenson) (1975)
  • Mr. A. (Bruce Hershenson) (1975)

Atlas/Seaboard

  • The Destructor #1–4 (1975)
  • Morlock 2001 #3 (1975)
  • Tiger-Man #2–3 (1975)

CPL Gang

Star*Reach Productions

  • Imagine #4 (1978)

M W Communications

  • Questar #1–5 (1978–1979)

Pacific Comics

New Media Publishing

  • Fantasy Illustrated #1 (1982)

First Comics

Eclipse Comics

Epic Comics

  • Coyote #7–10 (The Djinn) (1984–1985)

Archie Comics

Deluxe Comics

Renegade Press

  • Revolver #1–5, Annual Frisky Frolics #1 (1985–1986)
  • Ditko's World featuring...Static #1–3 (1986)
  • Murder #1–3 (1986)

Globe Communications

  • Cracked #218–223, 225–227, 231 (1986–1987)
  • Monsters Attack #1–5 (1989–1990)
  • Cracked Collector's Edition #86 (1991)

Ace Comics

3-D- Zone

  • 3-D Substance #1–2 (1990)

Valiant Comics

Marvel UK

Dark Horse Comics

  • The Safest Place... (1993)

Defiant Comics

Topps Comics

Yoe! Studio

Fantagraphics Books

  • Steve Ditko's Strange Avenging Tales #1 (1997)

AC Comics

  • AC Retro Comics #5 (1998)

Robin Snyder

  • Ditko Package (1989)
  • The Mocker (1990)
  • Ditko Public Service Package (1991)
  • The Ditko Package series:
Steve Ditko's 160-Page Package (1999)
Steve Ditko's 80-Page Package: The Missing Man (1999)
Steve Ditko's 160-Page Package: From Charlton Press (1999)
Steve Ditko's 176-Page Package: Heroes (2000)
Steve Ditko's 32-Page Package: Tsk! Tsk! (2000)
  • Steve Ditko's Static: Chapters 1 to 14 plus... (2000)
  • Avenging World (2002) (240-page expanded version of 1973 edition)
  • Mr. A. (2010) (Revised and reformatted reprint of the 1973 edition)
  • Mr. A. #15 (2014) (Contains two stories originally intended for the first issue of a Mr. A. series solicited but unpublished by AAA circa 1990)
  • The Four-Page Series (essays) #1–9 (2012–2015)
  • The 32-page Series:
The Avenging Mind (2008)
Ditko, etc... (2008)
Ditko Continued... (2008)
Oh, No! Not Again, Ditko (2009)
Ditko Once More (2009)
Ditko Presents (2009)
A Ditko Act Two (2010)
A Ditko Act 3 (2010)
Act 4 (2010)
Act 5 (2010)
Act 6 (2011)
Act 7, Seven, Making 12 (2011)
Act 8, Making Lucky 13 (2011)
A Ditko #14 (2011)
A Ditko #15 (2011)
#16: Sixteen (2012)
#17: Seventeen (2012)
Ate Tea N: 18 (2013)
#9 Teen (2014)
#20 (2014)
#2oww1 (2014)
#22 (2015)
#23 (2015)
#24 (2016)
#25 (2016)
#26 (2018)
Down Memory Lane (2019)
  • The 32 Series by Ditko: (each collecting 5–6 issues from the 32-page series)
Vol. I: Overture (2019) collecting 5 issues: Avenging Mind through Ditko Once More
Vol. II: Opening Acts (2019) collecting 5 issues: Ditko Presents through Act 5
Vol. III: Character Twists (2019) collecting 5 issues: Act 6 through A Ditko #15
Vol. IV: Postshadowing (2019) collecting 6 issues: #16: Sixteen through #2oww1
Vol. V: Curtain (2019) collecting 6 issues: #22 through Down Memory Lane

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c "Obituary for Stephen John Ditko". Moskal-Reid Funeral Home. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Bell 2008, p. 14. Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular activities: "Vocational Course. Ambition: Undecided".
  3. ^ Bell, pp. 14–15.
  4. ^ Comics Buyer's Guide #1636 (December 2007) p. 135
  5. ^ Anderson, Jon (March 7, 2019). "The beautiful witness of the Eastern Catholic Churches". Catholic Herald. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c For information on the Ditkos's origins and Steve's siblings, see Bell, Strange and Stranger, Endnotes, p.1, citing 1920 and 1930 United States Census data. "Ditko's grandparents were of Austrian descent (the paternal grandfather having landed in l900, and paternal grandmother in 190l), even though Ditko's parents, on the 1930 Census, list their parents as "Czechoslovakian" Czechoslovakia coming into creation in 1918, owing to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after WWI (and the parents' mother tongue being Slovak)."
    • For parents' and grandparents' place of birth, see "United States Census, 1930", United States census, 1930; Johnstown, Cambria, Pennsylvania; roll 2012, page 7A, line 39–40, enumeration district 70, Family History film 2,41746, National Archives film number T626. Retrieved on 2021-10-29.
    • For Rusyn history of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church, Custer, Richard D. (Summer 2016). "Old Countrymen, New Neighbors: Early Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak Immigrant Relations in the United States". Slovo. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. p. 3. (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e Bell 2008, p. 15.
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania Center for the Book".
  9. ^ Bell 2008, p. 16.
  10. ^ a b Jerry Robinson interview, Alter Ego #38 (Aug. 2004), p. 9
  11. ^ Bell 2008, p. 19.
  12. ^ a b Robinson, Jerry, "Student and Teacher", in Yoe, Craig, ed. The Art of Ditko (IDW Publishing, January 2010), ISBN 978-1-60010-542-5, p. 54
  13. ^ Bell 2008, p. 20.
  14. ^ "Fantastic Fears #5". Grand Comics Database.
  15. ^ Daring Love #1 at the Grand Comics Database
  16. ^ Webster, Andy (July 7, 2018). "Steve Ditko, Influential Comic-Book Artist Who Helped Create Spider-Man, Dies at 90". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  17. ^ Theakston, Steve Ditko Reader, p. 3 (unnumbered)
  18. ^ Captain 3-D #1 (Dec. 1953) at the Grand Comics Database
  19. ^ Black Magic vol. 4, #3 [27] (Dec. 1953) at the Grand Comics Database
  20. ^ McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1960s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Captain Atom was born in a tale by artist Steve Ditko and writer Joe Gill.
  21. ^ Bell 2008, pp. 24–27.
  22. ^ a b Bell, Blake, ed. (2009). Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-60699-289-0.
  23. ^ a b Bell 2008, p. 32.
  24. ^ Cronin, Brian (August 27, 2018). "The Marvel Monsters of Steve Ditko". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  25. ^ Jones, Gerard. Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book (Basic Books, 2004).
  26. ^ Bell 2008, p. 34.
  27. ^ Bell 2008, pp. 37–40.
  28. ^ Bell 2008, p. 40.
  29. ^ Brevoort, Tom (2008). "1950s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.). Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 73. ISBN 978-0756641238.
  30. ^ Lee, Stan, "Introduction", in Yoe, p. 9
  31. ^ Lee, Stan, and Mair, George. Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee (Fireside, 2002), p.130. ISBN 0-684-87305-2
  32. ^ Theakston, Greg. The Steve Ditko Reader (Pure Imagination, Brooklyn, New York, 2002; ISBN 1-56685-011-8), p. 12 (unnumbered)
  33. ^ DeFalco, Tom "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 87: "Deciding that his new character would have spider-like powers, [Stan] Lee commissioned Jack Kirby to work on the first story. Unfortunately, Kirby's version of Spider-Man's alter ego Peter Parker proved too heroic, handsome, and muscular for Lee's everyman hero. Lee turned to Steve Ditko, the regular artist on Amazing Adult Fantasy, who designed a skinny, awkward teenager with glasses."
  34. ^ Theakston, Steve Ditko Reader, p. 13
  35. ^ Ditko, Steve. "Jack Kirby's Spider-Man", Robin Snyder's History of Comics #5 (May 1990). Reprinted in Thomas, Roy, ed., Alter Ego: The Comic Book Artist Collection. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing, 2001, p. 56. ISBN 978-1-893905-06-1
  36. ^ Ditko interview (Summer 1965). . Comic Fan #2 (Larry Herndon, pub.) via Ditko.Comics.org (Blake Bell, ed.). Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2008. Additional, February 28, 2012.
  37. ^ Ditko, Steve (April 1965). . Voice of Comicdom #4 (Bob Metz, ed.) via Ditko.Comics.org (Blake Bell, ed.). Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Punctuation verbatim. Additional, September 23, 2010.
  38. ^ Pérez Seves, Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground, p. 213.
  39. ^ a b Bell, Blake. . Ditko Looked Up. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Additional .
  40. ^ Theakston, The Steve Ditko Reader, pp. 13–15 (unnumbered, pp. 14–15 misordered as pp. 16 & 14)
  41. ^ Riemschneider, Burkhard (1997). Eric Stanton: For the Man Who Knows His Place. Cologne, Germany: Benedikt Taschen Verlag. p. 4 (unnumbered). ISBN 978-3-8228-8169-9.
  42. ^ Theakston, Steve Ditko Reader, p. 14 (unnumbered, misordered as page 16)
  43. ^ Rhoades, Shirrel (2008). A Complete History of American Comic Books. Pieterlen and Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-4331-0107-6.
  44. ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 91: "Thanks to a flood of fan mail, Spider-Man was awarded his own title six months after his first appearance. Amazing Spider-Man began as a bimonthly title, but was quickly promoted to a monthly."
  45. ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 93: "Dr. Octopus shared many traits with Peter Parker. They were both shy, both interested in science, and both had trouble relating to women...Otto Octavius even looked like a grown up Peter Parker. Lee and Ditko intended Otto to be the man Peter might have become if he hadn't been raised with a sense of responsibility"
  46. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2012). "1960s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.). Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 20. ISBN 978-0756692360. In this installment, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced Sandman — a super villain who could turn his entire body into sand with a single thought.
  47. ^ Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 20: "The Amazing Spider-Mans sixth issue introduced the Lizard."
  48. ^ Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 24: "Electro charged into Spider-Man's life for the first time in another [Stan] Lee and [Steve] Ditko effort that saw Peter Parker using his brilliant mind to outwit a foe."
  49. ^ Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 26: "Spider-Man's arch nemesis, the Green Goblin, as introduced to readers as the 'most dangerous foe Spidey's ever fought.' Writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko had no way of knowing how true that statement would prove to be in the coming years."
  50. ^ Kraft, David Anthony; Slifer, Roger (April 1983). "Mark Evanier". Comics Interview. No. 2. Fictioneer Books. pp. 23–34.
  51. ^ Daniels, Les (1991). Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams. p. 129. ISBN 9780810938212.
  52. ^ David, Peter; Greenberger, Robert (2010). The Spider-Man Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles Spun from Marvel's Web. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0762437726.
  53. ^ Saffel, Steve (2007). "A Legend Is Born". Spider-Man the Icon: The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon. London, United Kingdom: Titan Books. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-84576-324-4.
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  55. ^ Greenberger, Robert, ed. (December 2001). 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time. Marvel Comics. p. 67.
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  58. ^ In a 1963 letter to Jerry Bails, Marvel writer-editor Stan Lee called the character Ditko's idea, saying, "The first story is nothing great, but perhaps we can make something of him-- 'twas Steve's idea and I figured we'd give it a chance, although again, we had to rush the first one too much. Little sidelight: Originally decided to call him Mr. Strange, but thought the 'Mr.' bit too similar to Mr. Fantastic....". April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  59. ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 93: "When Dr. Strange first appeared in Strange Tales #110, it was only clear that he dabbled in black magic and had the ability to project his consciousness into an astral form that could leave his physical body."
  60. ^ Maheras, Russ (March 16, 2019). "Steve Ditko: Inside His Studio Sanctum Sanctorum". Pop Culture Squad. from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  61. ^ Green, Robin (September 16, 1971). . Rolling Stone. No. 91. via fan site Green Skin's Grab-Bag. p. 31. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  62. ^ Bell 2008, p. 78.
  63. ^ Strange Tales #134 at the Grand Comics Database: "Indexer Notes: Part 5 of 17. First mention of Eternity. Strange would finally find it in Strange Tales #138 (November 1965)".
  64. ^ Wright, Bradford W. Comic Book Nation: Transformation of a Youth Culture, Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-7450-5. p. 213
  65. ^ Heer, Jeet. "Steve Ditko", The National Post, May 3, 2003, via JeetHeer.com. .
  66. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  67. ^ Daniels 1991, p. 99.
  68. ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 117: "To this day, no one really knows why Ditko quit. Bullpen sources reported he was unhappy with the way Lee scripted some of his plots, using a tongue-in-cheek approach to stories Ditko wanted handled seriously."
  69. ^ a b c Sinclair, Tom (June 20, 2003). "Still a Marvel!". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on October 7, 2012.
  70. ^ a b Ross, Jonathan, In Search of Steve Ditko, BBC Four
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  72. ^ "Confidential Videotaped Deposition of John V. Romita". Garden City, New York: United States District Court, Southern District of New York: "Marvel Worldwide, Inc., et al., vs. Lisa R. Kirby, et al.". October 21, 2010. p. 45.
  73. ^ "Bullpen Bulletins", Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966). Marvel Comics.
  74. ^ . CraveOnline.com. July 31, 2007. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009.
  75. ^ McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 123: "After Ted Kord assumed the scarab as Blue Beetle in a back-up feature of Captain Atom #83, writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-writer 'D.C. Glanzman' (who was actually Ditko) launched the Blue Beetle into his own series."
  76. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 241. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  77. ^ Spurlock, J. David (2011). How to Draw Chiller Monsters, Werewolves, Vampires, and Zombies. New York, New York: Watson-Guptill. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-8230-9532-2. Retrieved October 29, 2011. The tonal ink-wash drawings he did for Creepy and Eerie magazines afforded him unique opportunities to exercise his mysterious prowess.
  78. ^ Comic Books Underground Comix – Essay – eNotes.com
  79. ^ Bell 2008, p. 110.
  80. ^ Cronin, Brian (November 15, 2019). "The Strange Background Behind the Creation of the Question". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  81. ^ Bell 2008, p. 136.
  82. ^ Steve Ditko's 176-Page, Heroes Package, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2000
  83. ^ Ditko Continued, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009 and Oh, No! Not Again, Ditko!, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009
  84. ^ McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129 "Writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-scripter Don Segall gave [character Jack Ryder] more than the last laugh as the garishly garbed Creeper, one of DC's quirkiest protagonists."
  85. ^ Levitz, Paul (2010). "The Silver Age 1956–1970". 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Cologne, Germany: Taschen. p. 268. ISBN 9783836519816.
  86. ^ McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 130 "Brothers Hank and Don Hall were complete opposites, yet writer/artist Steve Ditko with scripter Steve Skeates made sure the siblings shared a desire to battle injustice as Hawk and Dove."
  87. ^ a b c d e f g h Steve Ditko at the Grand Comics Database
  88. ^ Evanier, Mark (September 11, 2007). . "P.O.V. Online" (column). Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  89. ^ "Jack Adler Retires, Dick Giordano Promoted". The Comics Journal. Fantagraphics Books (67): 15. October 1981.
  90. ^ Cooke, Jon B., & Christopher Irving. "The Charlton Empire: A Brief History of the Derby, Connecticut Publisher", Comic Book Artist  #9, August 2000. Access date April 27, 2010. .
  91. ^ Sinkovac, Jerome, ed. (November 1973). "Charlton News". The Comic Reader. Brooklyn, New York, United States: TCR Publications (101).
  92. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 174 "Steve Ditko returned to mainstream comics with Shade, the Changing Man. Joined by writer Michael Fleisher, Ditko unveiled the story of Rac Shade, a secret agent-turned-fugitive from the extra-dimensional world of Meta."
  93. ^ Stalker at the Grand Comics Database
  94. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 164 "This sword and sorcery title by scripter Paul Levitz and artist Steve Ditko epitomized the credo 'Be careful what you wish for'. The series anti-hero was a nameless wanderer whose dreams of becoming a warrior brought him first slavery, then worse."
  95. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 168 "Thanks to his appearances in Detective Comics and Batman, Man-Bat's popularity soared to the point where writer Gerry Conway and artist Steve Ditko launched the [character] into his own series."
  96. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2014). "1970s". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). Batman: A Visual History. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 119. ISBN 978-1465424563.
  97. ^ Daudt, Ron E. (2010). . TheSilverLantern.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. Some of the fans loved it and some hated it. Nobody was lukewarm about it. It was a very Ditko type of feeling. You hated it or you loved it and there was nothing in between.
  98. ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 186 "The second [feature in Adventure Comics #467] debuted a new version of Starman by writer Paul Levitz and illustrator Steve Ditko."
  99. ^ Superman #400 at the Grand Comics Database
  100. ^ Addiego, Frankie (December 2013). "Superman #400". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (69): 68–70.
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Sources Edit

External links Edit

  • at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
  • Ditko Looked Up (archived website)
  • Steve Ditko at IMDb
  • Hart, Hugh. "Strange and Stranger Salutes Spider-Man Artist Steve Ditko", Wired, August 21, 2008. .
  • Steve Ditko interviewed in Bubnis, Bernie (1964). "Spotlight on the Pros #5: This Issue: Steve Ditko" (PDF). Rocket's Blast Comicollector. No. 31. Reprinted in Ditkomania (45) May 1995. (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2014.

September 27, 2023
steve, ditko, stephen, john, ditko, november, 1927, june, 2018, american, comics, artist, writer, best, known, being, creator, marvel, superhero, spider, creator, doctor, strange, also, made, notable, contributions, character, iron, with, character, iconic, ye. Stephen John Ditko 1 2 ˈ d ɪ t k oʊ November 2 1927 June 29 2018 was an American comics artist and writer best known for being co creator of Marvel superhero Spider Man and creator of Doctor Strange He also made notable contributions to the character of Iron Man with the character s iconic red and yellow design being revolutionized by Ditko Steve DitkoDitko c 1970sBornStephen John Ditko 1927 11 02 November 2 1927Johnstown Pennsylvania U S DiedJune 29 2018 2018 06 29 aged 90 New York City U S Area s Writer Penciller InkerNotable worksSpider ManDoctor StrangeCreeperHawk and DoveMr AQuestionCaptain AtomBlue BeetleDitko studied under Batman artist Jerry Robinson at the Cartoonist and Illustrators School in New York City He began his professional career in 1953 working in the studio of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby beginning as an inker and coming under the influence of artist Mort Meskin During this time he then began his long association with Charlton Comics where he did work in the genres of science fiction horror and mystery He also co created the superhero Captain Atom in 1960 During the 1950s Ditko also drew for Atlas Comics a forerunner of Marvel Comics He went on to contribute much significant work to Marvel Ditko was artist for the first 38 issues of The Amazing Spider Man co creating much of the Spider Man supporting characters and villains with Stan Lee Beginning with issue 25 Ditko was also credited as the plotter In 1966 after being the exclusive artist on The Amazing Spider Man and the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales Ditko left Marvel for a variety of reasons including creative differences and unpaid royalties Ditko continued to work for Charlton and also DC Comics including a revamp of the long running character the Blue Beetle and creating or co creating the Question the Creeper Shade the Changing Man and Hawk and Dove Ditko also began contributing to small independent publishers where he created Mr A a hero reflecting the influence of Ayn Rand s philosophy of Objectivism Ditko largely declined to give interviews saying he preferred to communicate through his work Ditko was inducted into the comics industry s Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Marvel Comics 2 1 1 Creation of Spider Man 2 1 2 Doctor Strange and other characters 2 2 Charlton and DC Comics 2 3 After 1975 3 Personal life 3 1 Objectivism 4 Death 5 Artistic style 6 Awards and honors 7 BBC documentary 8 Bibliography 9 References 10 Sources 11 External linksEarly life Edit nbsp Ditko as a senior in high school 1945Stephen John Ditko 1 was born on November 2 1927 in Johnstown Pennsylvania 3 4 His parents were second generation Americans children of Rusyn 5 Byzantine Catholic immigrants from the former Austro Hungarian Empire now Slovakia 6 His father Stefan Stephen was an artistically talented master carpenter at a steel mill and his mother Anna nee Balaschak 1 a homemaker The second oldest child in a working class family he was preceded by sister Anna Marie 6 and followed by sister Elizabeth and brother Patrick 2 Inspired by his father s love of newspaper comic strips particularly Hal Foster s Prince Valiant Ditko found his interest in comics accelerated by the introduction of the superhero Batman in 1939 and by Will Eisner s The Spirit which appeared in a tabloid sized comic book insert in Sunday newspapers 7 8 Ditko in junior high school was part of a group of students who crafted wooden models of German airplanes to aid civilian World War II aircraft spotters 7 Upon graduating from Greater Johnstown High School in 1945 7 he enlisted in the U S Army on October 26 1945 6 and did military service in Allied occupied Germany where he drew comics for an Army newspaper 7 Career Edit nbsp The Thing 12 Feb 1954 Ditko s first published comic book coverFollowing his discharge Ditko learned that his idol Batman artist Jerry Robinson was teaching at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School later the School of Visual Arts in New York City Moving there in 1950 he enrolled in the art school under the G I Bill 9 Robinson found the young student a very hard worker who really focused on his drawing 10 and someone who could work well with other writers as well as write his own stories and create his own characters 10 and he helped Ditko acquire a scholarship for the following year 11 He was in my class for two years four or five days a week five hours a night It was very intense 12 Robinson who invited artists and editors to speak with his class once brought in Stan Lee then editor of Marvel Comics 1950s precursor Atlas Comics and I think that was when Stan first saw Steve s work 12 Ditko began professionally illustrating comic books in early 1953 drawing writer Bruce Hamilton s science fiction story Stretching Things for the Key Publications imprint Stanmor Publications which sold the story to Ajax Farrell where it finally found publication in Fantastic Fears 5 cover dated Feb 1954 13 14 Ditko s first published work was his second professional story the six page Paper Romance in Daring Love 1 Oct 1953 7 published by the Key imprint Gillmor Magazines 15 Shortly afterward Ditko found work at the studio of writer artists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who had created Captain America and other characters 16 Beginning as an inker on backgrounds Ditko was soon working with and learning from Mort Meskin an artist whose work he had long admired Meskin was fabulous Ditko once recalled I couldn t believe the ease with which he drew strong compositions loose pencils yet complete detail without clutter I loved his stuff 17 Ditko s known assistant work includes aiding inker Meskin on the Jack Kirby pencil work of Harvey Comics Captain 3 D 1 Dec 1953 18 For his own third published story Ditko penciled and inked the six page A Hole in His Head in Black Magic vol 4 3 Dec 1953 published by Simon amp Kirby s Crestwood Publications imprint Prize Comics 19 Ditko then began a long association with the Derby Connecticut publisher Charlton Comics a low budget division of a company best known for song lyric magazines Beginning with the cover of The Thing 12 Feb 1954 and the eight page vampire story Cinderella in that issue Ditko would continue to work intermittently for Charlton until the company s demise in 1986 producing science fiction horror and mystery stories as well as co creating Captain Atom with writer Joe Gill in Space Adventures 33 March 1960 20 Ditko was allowed a great deal of creative freedom at Charlton due to very little editorial interference However the Comics Code Authority was imposed on the comics industry in 1954 due to public concern over graphic violence and horror imagery in comic books and would prevent Ditko from further developing as a horror artist 21 He first went on hiatus from the company and comics altogether in mid 1954 when he contracted tuberculosis and returned to his parents home in Johnstown to recuperate 22 Marvel Comics Edit After he recovered Ditko had originally intended to return to Charlton but Charlton s office had been flooded by Hurricane Diane and operations wouldn t resume until months later 23 Ditko instead moved back to New York City in late 1955 22 and began drawing for Atlas Comics the 1950s precursor of Marvel Comics beginning with the four page There ll Be Some Changes Made in Journey into Mystery 33 April 1956 24 this debut tale would be reprinted in Marvel s Curse of the Weird 4 March 1994 In 1957 Atlas switched distributors to the American News Company which shortly afterward lost a Justice Department lawsuit and discontinued its business 25 leading to Atlas s entire staff being laid off 26 Ditko returned to Charlton afterward and experimented with various drawing styles and genres in series such as Tales of the Mysterious Traveler and This Magazine is Haunted 27 During the summer of 1958 writer editor Stan Lee invited Ditko back to Atlas 28 Ditko would go on to contribute a large number of stories many considered classic to Atlas Marvel s Strange Tales and the newly launched Amazing Adventures Strange Worlds Tales of Suspense and Tales to Astonish issues of which would typically open with a Kirby drawn monster story followed by one or two twist ending thrillers or sci fi tales drawn by Don Heck Paul Reinman or Joe Sinnott all capped by an often surreal sometimes self reflective short by Ditko and Stan Lee 29 The first collaboration between Ditko and Lee was 2 Gun Western 4 May 1956 which was also Ditko s only non fantasy story 23 These Lee Ditko short stories proved so popular that Amazing Adventures was reformatted to feature such stories exclusively beginning with issue 7 Dec 1961 when the comic was rechristened Amazing Adult Fantasy a name intended to reflect its more sophisticated nature as likewise the new tagline The magazine that respects your intelligence Lee in 2009 described these short five page filler strips that Steve and I did together originally placed in any of our comics that had a few extra pages to fill as odd fantasy tales that I d dream up with O Henry type endings Giving an early example of what would later be known as the Marvel Method of writer artist collaboration Lee said All I had to do was give Steve a one line description of the plot and he d be off and running He d take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect 30 Creation of Spider Man Edit After Marvel Comics editor in chief Stan Lee obtained permission from publisher Martin Goodman to create a new ordinary teen superhero named Spider Man 31 Lee originally approached his leading artist Jack Kirby Kirby told Lee about his own 1950s character conception variously called the Silver Spider and Spiderman in which an orphaned boy finds a magic ring that gives him super powers Comics historian Greg Theakston says Lee and Kirby immediately sat down for a story conference and Lee afterward directed Kirby to flesh out the character and draw some pages A day or two later Kirby showed Lee the first six pages and as Lee recalled I hated the way he was doing it Not that he did it badly it just wasn t the character I wanted it was too heroic 32 Lee turned to Ditko who developed a visual motif Lee found satisfactory 33 although Lee would later replace Ditko s original cover with one penciled by Kirby Ditko said The Spider Man pages Stan showed me were nothing like the eventually published character In fact the only drawings of Spider Man were on the splash i e page 1 and at the end where Kirby had the guy leaping at you with a web gun Anyway the first five pages took place in the home and the kid finds a ring and turns into Spider Man 34 Ditko also recalled that One of the first things I did was to work up a costume A vital visual part of the character I had to know how he looked before I did any breakdowns For example A clinging power so he wouldn t have hard shoes or boots a hidden wrist shooter versus a web gun and holster etc I wasn t sure Stan would like the idea of covering the character s face but I did it because it hid an obviously boyish face It would also add mystery to the character 35 Much earlier in a rare contemporaneous account Ditko described his and Lee s contributions in a mail interview with Gary Martin published in Comic Fan 2 Summer 1965 Stan Lee thought the name up I did costume web gimmick on wrist amp spider signal He added he would continue drawing Spider Man i f nothing better comes along 36 That same year he expressed to the fanzine Voice of Comicdom regarding a poll of Best Liked fan created comics It seems a shame since comics themselves have so little variety of stories and styles that you would deliberately restrict your own creative efforts to professional comics shallow range What is Best Liked by most readers is what they are most familiar in seeing and any policy based on readers likes has to end up with a lot of look a like sic strips You have a great opportunity to show everyone a whole new range of ideas unlimited types of stories and styles why FLUB it 37 From 1958 to 1968 38 Ditko shared a Manhattan studio at 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue with noted fetish artist Eric Stanton an art school classmate When either artist was under deadline pressure it was not uncommon for them to pitch in and help the other with his assignment 39 40 Ditko biographer Blake Bell without citing sources said At one time in history Ditko denied ever touching Stanton s work even though Stanton himself said they would each dabble in each other s art mainly spot inking 39 and the introduction to one book of Stanton s work says Eric Stanton drew his pictures in India ink and they were then hand coloured by Ditko 41 In a 1988 interview with Theakston Stanton recalled that although his contribution to Spider Man was almost nil he and Ditko had worked on storyboards together and I added a few ideas But the whole thing was created by Steve on his own I think I added the business about the webs coming out of his hands 42 Spider Man debuted in Amazing Fantasy 15 Aug 1962 the final issue of that science fiction fantasy anthology series When the issue proved to be a top seller Spider Man was given his own series The Amazing Spider Man 43 44 Lee and Ditko s collaboration on the series saw the creation of many of the character s best known antagonists including Doctor Octopus in issue 3 July 1963 45 the Sandman in 4 Sept 1963 46 the Lizard in 6 Nov 1963 47 Electro in 9 March 1964 48 and the Green Goblin in 14 July 1964 49 Increasingly irritated by his perception that he was not receiving his due or proper compensation Ditko demanded credit for the plotting he was contributing under the Marvel Method Lee acquiesced and starting with 25 June 1965 Ditko received plot credit for the stories 50 One of the most celebrated issues of the Lee Ditko run is 33 Feb 1966 the third part of the story arc If This Be My Destiny and featuring the dramatic scene of Spider Man through force of will and thoughts of family escaping from being pinned by heavy machinery Comics historian Les Daniels noted Steve Ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of Spider Man s predicament complete with visions of the uncle he failed and the aunt he has sworn to save 51 Peter David observed After his origin this two page sequence from Amazing Spider Man 33 is perhaps the best loved sequence from the Stan Lee Steve Ditko era 52 Steve Saffel stated the full page Ditko image from The Amazing Spider Man 33 is one of the most powerful ever to appear in the series and influenced writers and artists for many years to come 53 Matthew K Manning wrote that Ditko s illustrations for the first few pages of this Lee story included what would become one of the most iconic scenes in Spider Man s history 54 The story was chosen as 15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel s readers in 2001 Editor Robert Greenberger wrote in his introduction to the story These first five pages are a modern day equivalent to Shakespeare as Parker s soliloquy sets the stage for his next action And with dramatic pacing and storytelling Ditko delivers one of the great sequences in all comics 55 In this series Ditko also had a lasting effect on Marvel s branding when he inserted a small box on the upper left hand corner of issue 2 that featured a picture of Spider Man s face along with the company name and price Stan Lee approved of this visual motif and soon made it a standard feature on all of Marvel s subsequent comic books that would last for decades 56 Doctor Strange and other characters Edit nbsp Dormammu attacks Eternity in a Ditko Dr Strange panel from Strange Tales 146 July 1966 Ditko created 57 58 the supernatural hero Doctor Strange in Strange Tales 110 July 1963 59 Ditko in the 2000s told a visiting fan that Lee gave Dr Strange the first name Stephen 60 Though often overshadowed by his Spider Man work Ditko s Doctor Strange artwork has been equally acclaimed for its surrealistic mystical landscapes and increasingly psychedelic visuals that helped make the feature a favorite of college students People who read Doctor Strange thought people at Marvel must be heads i e drug users recalled then associate editor and former Doctor Strange writer Roy Thomas in 1971 because they had had similar experiences high on mushrooms But I don t use hallucinogens nor do I think any artists do 61 Ditko always the most straight laced man in comics was deeply offended by the suggestion that he used psychedelic drugs to create the worlds of Dr Strange 62 Eventually Lee amp Ditko would take Strange into ever more abstract realms In an epic 17 issue story arc in Strange Tales 130 146 March 1965 July 1966 Lee and Ditko introduced the cosmic character Eternity who personified the universe and was depicted as a silhouette whose outlines are filled with the cosmos 63 As historian Bradford W Wright describes Steve Ditko contributed some of his most surrealistic work to the comic book and gave it a disorienting hallucinogenic quality Dr Strange s adventures take place in bizarre worlds and twisting dimensions that resembled Salvador Dali paintings Inspired by the pulp fiction magicians of Stan Lee s childhood as well as by contemporary Beat culture Dr Strange remarkably predicted the youth counterculture s fascination with Eastern mysticism and psychedelia Never among Marvel s more popular or accessible characters Dr Strange still found a niche among an audience seeking a challenging alternative to more conventional superhero fare 64 The cartoonist and fine artist Seth in 2003 described Ditko s style as oddball for mainstream comics Whereas Kirby s stuff clearly appealed to a boy s sensibility because there was so much raw power Ditko s work was really delicate and cartoony There was a sense of design to it You can always recognize anything that Ditko designed because it s always flowery There is a lot of embroidered detail in the art which is almost psychedelic 65 In addition to Dr Strange Ditko in the 1960s also drew comics starring the Hulk and Iron Man He penciled and inked the final issue of The Incredible Hulk 6 March 1963 then continued to collaborate with writer editor Lee on a relaunched Hulk feature in the omnibus Tales to Astonish beginning with issue 60 Oct 1964 Ditko inked by George Roussos penciled the feature through 67 May 1965 Ditko designed the Hulk s primary antagonist the Leader in 63 Jan 1965 66 Ditko also penciled the Iron Man feature in Tales of Suspense 47 49 Nov 1963 Jan 1964 with various inkers The first of these debuted the initial version of Iron Man s modern red and golden armor 67 Whichever feature he drew Ditko s idiosyncratic cleanly detailed instantly recognizable art style emphasizing mood and anxiety found great favor with readers The character of Spider Man and his troubled personal life meshed well with Ditko s own interests which Lee eventually acknowledged by giving the artist plotting credits on the latter part of their 38 issue run But after four years on the title Ditko left Marvel 68 he and Lee had not been on speaking terms for some time with art and editorial changes handled through intermediaries 69 The details of the rift remain uncertain even to Lee who confessed in 2003 I never really knew Steve on a personal level 69 Ditko later claimed it was Lee who broke off contact and disputed the long held belief 70 that the disagreement was over the true identity of the Green Goblin Stan never knew what he was getting in my Spider Man stories and covers until after production manager Sol Brodsky took the material from me so there couldn t have been any disagreement or agreement no exchanges no problems between us concerning the Green Goblin or anything else from before issue 25 to my final issues 71 Spider Man successor artist John Romita in a 2010 deposition recalled that Lee and Ditko ended up not being able to work together because they disagreed on almost everything cultural social historically everything they disagreed on characters 72 A friendly farewell was given to Ditko in the Bullpen Bulletins of comics cover dated July 1966 including Fantastic Four 52 Steve recently told us he was leaving for personal reasons After all these years we re sorry to see him go and we wish the talented guy success with his future endeavors 73 Regardless said Lee in 2007 Quite a few years ago I met him up at the Marvel offices when I was last in New York And we spoke he s a hell of a nice guy and it was very pleasant I haven t heard from him since that meeting 74 Charlton and DC Comics Edit Back at Charlton where the page rate was low but creators were allowed greater freedom Ditko worked on such characters as the Blue Beetle 1967 1968 75 the Question 1967 1968 76 and Captain Atom 1965 1967 returning to the character he had co created in 1960 In addition in 1966 and 1967 he drew 16 stories most of them written by Archie Goodwin for Warren Publishing s horror comic magazines Creepy and Eerie generally using an ink wash technique 77 In 1967 Ditko gave his Objectivist ideas ultimate expression in the form of Mr A published in Wally Wood s independent title witzend 3 an underground anthology comic in black and white that avoided the Comics Code Authority by being published in magazine format and only being available by subscription and whose editorial policy was to allow artistic freedom without any editorial interference 78 Mr A is a similar character to the Question but without being restricted by the Comics Code 79 Ditko s hard line against criminals was controversial 80 and he continued to produce Mr A stories and one pagers until the end of the 1970s 81 Ditko returned to Mr A in 2000 and in 2009 82 83 nbsp A panoply of Ditko DC Comics characters from a DC Profiles biographical page appearing in comics cover dated April 1980 including Batman 322 and The Legion of Super Heroes 262 From left the Creeper Hawk and Dove Stalker the Odd Man Shade the Changing Man Starman Ditko moved to DC Comics in 1968 where he co created the Creeper in Showcase 73 April 1968 with Don Segall under editor Murray Boltinoff 84 DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz observed that Ditko s art on the Creeper stories made them look unlike anything else being published by DC at the time 85 Ditko co created the team Hawk and Dove in Showcase 75 June 1968 with writer Steve Skeates 86 Around this time he penciled the lead story written and inked by Wally Wood in Wood s early mature audience independent comics publication Heroes Inc Presents Cannon 1969 87 Ditko s stay at DC was short he would work on all six issues of the Creeper s own title Beware the Creeper June 1968 April 1969 though leaving midway through the final one and the reasons for his departure uncertain But while at DC Ditko recommended Charlton staffer Dick Giordano to the company 88 who would go on to become a top DC penciller inker editor and ultimately in 1981 the managing editor 89 From this time up through the mid 1970s Ditko worked exclusively for Charlton and various small press independent publishers Frank McLaughlin Charlton s art director during this period describes Ditko as living in a local hotel in Derby for a while He was a very happy go lucky guy with a great sense of humor at that time and always supplied the female color separators with candy and other little gifts 90 For Charlton in 1974 he did Liberty Belle backup stories in E Man and conceived Killjoy 91 Ditko produced much work for Charlton s science fiction and horror titles as well as for former Marvel publisher Martin Goodman s start up line Atlas Seaboard Comics where he co created the superhero the Destructor with writer Archie Goodwin and penciled all four issues of the namesake series Feb Aug 1975 the first two of which were inked by Wally Wood Ditko worked on the second and third issues of Tiger Man and the third issue of Morlock 2001 with Bernie Wrightson inking 87 After 1975 Edit Ditko returned to DC Comics in 1975 creating a short lived title Shade the Changing Man 1977 1978 87 92 Shade was later revived without Ditko s involvement in DC s mature audience imprint Vertigo With writer Paul Levitz he co created the four issue sword and sorcery series Stalker 1975 1976 93 94 Ditko and writer Gerry Conway produced the first issue of a two issue Man Bat series 95 He also revived the Creeper 96 and did such various other jobs as a short Demon backup series in 1979 created The Odd Man and stories in DC s horror and science fiction anthologies Editor Jack C Harris hired Ditko as guest artist on several issues of The Legion of Super Heroes a decision which garnered a mixed reaction from the title s readership 97 Ditko also drew the Prince Gavyn version of Starman in Adventure Comics 467 478 1980 87 98 He then decamped to do work for a variety of publishers briefly contributing to DC again in the mid 1980s with four pinups of his characters for Who s Who The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe and a pinup for Superman 400 Oct 1984 99 100 and its companion portfolio 101 Ditko returned to Marvel in 1979 taking over Jack Kirby s Machine Man 102 drawing The Micronauts 103 and Captain Universe and continuing to freelance for the company into the late 1990s Starting in 1984 he penciled the last two years of the space robot series Rom A Godzilla story by Ditko and Marv Wolfman was changed into a Dragon Lord story published in Marvel Spotlight 104 105 Ditko and writer Tom DeFalco introduced the Speedball character in The Amazing Spider Man Annual 22 1988 106 and Ditko drew a ten issue series based on the character 107 In 1982 he also began freelancing for the early independent comics label Pacific Comics beginning with Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers 6 Sept 1982 in which he introduced the superhero Missing Man with Mark Evanier scripting to Ditko s plot and art Subsequent Missing Man stories appeared in Pacific Presents 1 3 Oct 1982 March 1984 with Ditko scripting the former and collaborating with longtime friend Robin Snyder on the script for the latter two Ditko also created The Mocker for Pacific in Silver Star 2 April 1983 87 For Eclipse Comics he contributed a story featuring his character Static no relation to the later Milestone Comics character in Eclipse Monthly 1 3 Aug Oct 1983 introducing supervillain the Exploder in 2 With writer Jack C Harris Ditko drew the backup feature The Faceless Ones in First Comics Warp 2 4 April June 1983 Working with that same writer and others Ditko drew a handful of the Fly Flygirl and Jaguar stories for The Fly 2 8 July 1983 Aug 1984 for Archie Comics short lived 1980s superhero line in a rare latter day instance of Ditko inking another artist he inked penciler Dick Ayers on the Jaguar story in The Fly 9 Oct 1984 87 Western Publishing in 1982 announced a series by Ditko and Harris would appear in a new science fiction comic Astral Frontiers but that title never materialized 108 Ditko and Harris created 3 D Substance a character with the power to turn invisible in a 3 D comic in 1990 Substance also had the ability to project his voice away from himself which Ditko demonstrated through the placement of word balloons 109 In the early 1990s Ditko worked for Jim Shooter s newly founded company Valiant Comics drawing among others issues of Magnus Robot Fighter Solar Man of the Atom and X O Manowar In 1992 Ditko worked with writer Will Murray to produce one of his last original characters for Marvel Comics the superheroine Squirrel Girl who debuted in Marvel Super Heroes vol 2 8 a k a Marvel Super Heroes Winter Special Jan 1992 110 In 1993 he did the Dark Horse Comics one shot The Safest Place in the World For the Defiant Comics series Dark Dominion he drew issue 0 which was released as a set of trading cards In 1995 he pencilled a four issue series for Marvel based on the Phantom 2040 animated TV series This included a poster that was inked by John Romita Sr Steve Ditko s Strange Avenging Tales was announced as a quarterly series from Fantagraphics Books although it only ran one issue Feb 1997 due to publicly unspecified disagreements between Ditko and the publisher 111 The New York Times assessed in 2008 that By the 70s he was regarded as a slightly old fashioned odd ball by the 80s he was a commercial has been picking up wretched work for hire gigs following the example of Ayn Rand s John Galt Ditko hacked out moneymaking work saving his care for the crabbed Objectivist screeds he published with tiny presses And boy could Ditko hack seeing samples of his Transformers coloring book and his Big Boy comic is like hearing Orson Welles sell frozen peas 112 Ditko retired from mainstream comics in 1998 113 His later work for Marvel and DC included such established superheroes as the Sub Mariner in Marvel Comics Presents and newer licensed characters such as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The last mainstream character he created was Marvel s Longarm in Shadows amp Light 1 Feb 1998 in a self inked 12 page Iron Man story A Man s Reach scripted by Len Wein His final mainstream work was a five page New Gods story for DC Comics Infinitely Gentle Infinitely Suffering inked by Mick Gray and believed to be intended for the 2000 2002 Orion series 114 but not published until the 2008 trade paperback Tales of the New Gods 114 Thereafter Ditko s solo work was published intermittently by Robin Snyder who was his editor at Charlton Archie Comics and Renegade Press in the 1980s The Snyder publications have included a number of original books as well as reprints such as Static The Missing Man The Mocker and in 2002 Avenging World a collection of stories and essays spanning 30 years 87 In 2008 Ditko and Snyder released The Avenging Mind a 32 page essay publication featuring several pages of new artwork and Ditko Etc a 32 page comic book composed of brief vignettes and editorial cartoons Releases have continued in that format with stories introducing such characters as the Hero Miss Eerie the Cape the Madman the Grey Negotiator the and the Outline 115 He said in 2012 of his self published efforts I do those because that s all they ll let me do 116 In addition to the new material Ditko and Snyder reprinted earlier Ditko material In 2010 they published a new edition of the 1973 Mr A comic and a selection of Ditko covers in The Cover Series In 2011 they published a new edition of the 1975 comic Wha Ditko s H Series 87 Two lost stories drawn by Ditko in 1978 have been published by DC in hardcover collections of the artist s work A Creeper story scheduled for the never published Showcase 106 appears in The Creeper by Steve Ditko 2010 117 and an unpublished Shade the Changing Man story appears in The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol 1 2011 118 A Hulk and the Human Torch story written by Jack C Harris and drawn by Ditko in the 1980s was published by Marvel as Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch From the Marvel Vault 1 in August 2011 119 Personal life EditAs of 2012 Ditko continued to work in Manhattan s Midtown West neighborhood 116 120 He mostly declined to give interviews or make public appearances explaining in 1969 that When I do a job it s not my personality that I m offering the readers but my artwork It s not what I m like that counts it s what I did and how well it was done I produce a product a comic art story Steve Ditko is the brand name 121 However he did contribute numerous essays to Robin Snyder s fanzine The Comics 122 He had a nephew who became an artist also named Steve Ditko 69 As far as it is known he never married and had no surviving children at the time of his death 116 123 Will Eisner stated that Ditko had a son out of wedlock 124 but this may have been a confused reference to the nephew 116 Politically Ditko supported a constitutional republic and individual and property rights describing them as inalienable He supported neither George W Bush nor John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election due to believing neither would prioritize them 125 Ditko said in 2012 that he had made no income on the four Spider Man films released to that time 116 However a neighbor of Ditko stated that Ditko received royalty checks 126 Those involved with creating the 2016 film Doctor Strange purposely declined to contact him during production believing they would not be welcome 123 Objectivism Edit Ditko was an ardent supporter of Objectivism 127 128 The philosophy of Ayn Rand had forever changed Ditko s outlook on morality finances and his mission as a comic book creator 129 After Ditko had received greater control of the plotting he began revering the role of policemen in his Spider Man work Ditko had once told his Charlton co worker Pete Morisi a policeman who moonlighted as a comic book artist that he envied Morisi for being able to arrest criminals 130 Randian philosophy had influenced Ditko to demand being credited and compensated as both the plotter and artist for Spider Man beginning in issue 25 which Stan Lee now credited as scripter allowed though their working relationship would begin deteriorating 131 Other ways Ditko incorporated Randian views into Spider Man were by having Peter Parker become more aggressive demand better pay for his Spider Man photos and show contempt for student protestors 132 Marvel publisher Martin Goodman had been worried that Parker s hard right wing politics would distance the character from most left leaning countercultural university students 133 and disputes with Goodman over royalties had led to Ditko leaving Marvel 134 Ditko later expressed his Objectivist views even further with the Question who criticized the apathy of the public toward right and wrong and Mr A who refused to save villains from death 135 He also described himself as an Aristotelian 125 Death EditDitko was found unresponsive in his apartment in New York City on June 29 2018 Police said he had died within the previous two days He was pronounced dead at the age of 90 with the cause of death initially deemed as a result of a myocardial infarction brought on by arteriosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease 123 The final words of Ditko s last essay published posthumously in Down Memory Lane in February 2019 quoted an old toast Here s to those who wish me well and those that don t can go to hell 136 In June 2021 Ditko s nephew Mark Ditko was interviewed and discussed his history with his uncle and his legacy dispelling myths about him while also discussing his work with the Bottleworks Exhibition which houses a Steve Ditko Exhibition He also shared rare photos among many other facts 137 138 Artistic style EditDitko preferred to introduce characters before giving them a proper origin story which he called legends believing that a character should first be proven worthy of having their origins told For example Doctor Strange first appeared abruptly in Strange Tales 110 before his origin was revealed in issue 115 which Stan Lee attributed to the pair forgetting to tell but was in fact intentional 139 Awards and honors Edit1962 Alley Award for Best Short Story Origin of Spider Man by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Amazing Fantasy 15 Marvel Comics 140 1963 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book The Amazing Spider Man 141 1963 Alley Award for Top Hero Spider Man 141 1964 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book The Amazing Spider Man 142 1964 Alley Award for Best Giant Comic The Amazing Spider Man Annual 1 142 1964 Alley Award for Best Hero Spider Man 142 1965 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book The Amazing Spider Man 143 1965 Alley Award for Best Hero Spider Man 143 1985 Eagle Award Roll of Honour 144 In 1987 Ditko was presented a Comic Con International Inkpot Award in absentia accepted on his behalf by Renegade Press publisher Deni Loubert who had published Ditko s World the previous year Ditko refused the award and returned it to Loubert after having phoned her to say Awards bleed the artist and make us compete against each other They are the most horrible things in the world How dare you accept this on my behalf At his behest Loubert returned the award to the convention organizers 145 1991 UK Comic Art Award Career Achievement Award 146 Ditko was inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994 147 2015 Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award 148 BBC documentary EditIn September 2007 presenter Jonathan Ross hosted a one hour documentary for BBC Four titled In Search of Steve Ditko The program covers Ditko s work at Marvel DC and Charlton Comics and at Wally Wood s witzend as well as his following of Objectivism It includes testimonials by writers and artists Alan Moore Mark Millar Jerry Robinson and Stan Lee among others Ross accompanied by writer Neil Gaiman met Ditko briefly at his New York office but he declined to be filmed interviewed or photographed He did however give the two a selection of some comic books At the end of the show Ross said he had since spoken to Ditko on the telephone and as a joke that he was now on first name terms with him 70 Bibliography EditAs penciler generally but not exclusively self inked unless otherwise notedFarrell Publications Strange Fantasy 2 14 1952 1954 Fantastic Fears 5 1954 Harvey Comics Captain 3 D 1 inks assist to Mort Meskin 1953 Key Publications Daring Love 1 1953 Blazing Western 1 1954 Prize Comics Black Magic 27 29 47 1953 1961 Charlton Comics The Thing 12 15 17 1954 This Magazine is Haunted 16 19 21 1954 Crime and Justice 18 1954 Racket Squad in Action 11 12 1954 Strange Suspense Stories 18 22 31 37 39 41 45 47 48 50 53 1954 1961 Space Adventures 10 12 24 27 31 40 42 33 debut Captain Atom 1954 1961 From Here to Insanity 10 1955 Tales of the Mysterious Traveler 2 11 1957 1959 Out of this World 3 12 16 1957 1959 Cheyenne Kid 10 1957 This Magazine is Haunted vol 2 12 14 16 1957 1958 From Here to Insanity vol 3 10 1957 Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds 3 12 19 21 24 26 1957 1961 Texas Rangers in Action 8 77 1957 1970 Unusual Tales 6 12 14 15 22 23 25 27 29 1957 1961 Fightin Army 20 89 90 92 1957 1970 Outer Space 18 21 1958 Robin Hood and his Merry Men 38 1958 Rocky Lane s Black Jack 24 28 1958 1959 Black Fury 16 18 1958 1959 Outlaws of the West 18 80 81 1959 1970 Gorgo 1 4 11 13 16 The Return of Gorgo 2 3 1960 1964 Konga 1 3 15 Konga s Revenge 2 1960 1963 Space War 4 6 8 10 1960 1961 Mad Monsters 1 1961 Captain Atom 78 89 1965 1967 Fantastic Giants 64 1966 Shadows from Beyond 50 1966 Ghostly Tales 55 58 60 61 67 69 73 75 90 92 97 99 123 125 126 1966 1977 The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves 1 7 9 11 13 15 18 20 22 24 26 35 37 38 40 43 47 48 51 56 58 60 62 1967 1977 Blue Beetle 1 5 1967 1968 Mysterious Suspense 1 The Question 1968 Outer Space vol 2 1 1968 Strange Suspense Stories vol 2 2 1968 Charlton Premiere 4 1968 Time for Love 13 1969 Space Adventures vol 3 2 5 6 8 1968 1969 Jungle Jim 22 27 28 1969 1970 Ghost Manor 13 16 18 19 1970 1971 Phantom 36 39 1970 Romantic Story 107 1970 Just Married 79 1971 I Love You 91 1971 Haunted 1 8 11 16 18 23 25 28 30 1971 1976 Ghost Manor vol 2 1 18 20 22 24 26 28 31 37 1971 1978 Ghostly Haunts 22 34 36 40 43 48 50 52 54 1972 1977 Haunted Love 4 5 1973 E Man 2 4 Killjoy 5 intro Liberty Belle II 1973 1974 Midnight Tales 12 1975 Scary Tales 3 5 7 8 11 12 14 15 1975 1978 Beyond the Grave 1 6 1975 1976 Monster Hunters 2 4 6 8 10 1975 1977 Creepy Things 3 5 1975 1976 Doomsday 1 5 1976 Marvel Comics 2 Gun Western 4 1956 Amazing Adventures 1 6 1961 becomesAmazing Adult Fantasy 7 14 1961 1962 becomesAmazing Fantasy 15 debut Spider Man 1962 dd dd Amazing Spider Man 1 38 Annual 1 2 1963 1966 Amazing Spider Man Annual 22 debut Speedball 24 25 1988 1991 Astonishing 53 1956 Avengers Annual 13 15 1984 1986 Battle 63 68 70 1958 1960 Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos 1 3 1987 Crazy Magazine 68 1980 Daredevil 162 234 235 264 1980 1989 Destroyer The 4 1990 Destroyer The vol 2 1 1991 The Fantastic Four 13 inking Jack Kirby 1963 Fantastic Four Annual 16 1981 Gunsmoke Western 56 66 1960 1961 Heroes amp Legends 1 1997 The Incredible Hulk 2 inking Jack Kirby 6 1962 1963 The Incredible Hulk 249 Annual 9 1980 Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch From the Marvel Vault 1 story created in the 1980s 2011 The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 21 25 28 32 34 1984 1986 Iron Man 160 1982 Iron Man Annual 11 1990 Journey into Mystery 33 38 50 96 1956 1963 Machine Man 10 19 1979 1981 Journey Into Unknown Worlds 45 51 1956 Marvel Age Annual 4 Speedball 1988 Marvel Comics Presents 7 10 14 54 56 58 80 81 83 1988 1991 Marvel Legacy Doctor Strange 381 Marvel Preview 21 Shroud 1980 Marvel Spotlight vol 2 4 Captain Marvel 5 Dragon Lord 9 11 Captain Universe 1980 1981 Marvel Super Heroes vol 2 1 3 5 8 8 debut Squirrel Girl 1990 1992 Marvel Tales 147 1956 Marvel Team Up 101 1981 Micronauts 39 Annual 1 2 1979 1982 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2 4 1995 1996 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Ninja Rangers VR Troopers 4 5 1996 Mystery Tales 40 45 47 1956 Phantom 2040 1 4 1995 Speedball 1 10 1988 1989 Rom Spaceknight 59 75 Annual 4 1984 1986 Spellbound 29 1956 Sgt Fury and his Howling Commandos 15 inking Dick Ayers 1965 Strange Tales 46 50 67 146 Doctor Strange in 110 111 114 146 Annual 2 inking Jack Kirby 1956 1966 Shadows amp Light 1 Iron Man 1998 Strange Tales of the Unusual 5 1956 Strange Worlds 1 5 1958 1959 Tales to Astonish 1 48 60 67 The Hulk in 60 67 Giant Man in 61 1959 1965 Tales of Suspense 1 49 Iron Man in 47 49 1959 1964 Tomb of Dracula magazine 2 1979 Tower of Shadows 6 8 9 1970 1971 U S 1 12 1984 Web of Spider Man Annual 5 Captain Universe 1989 What If 35 Tigra 1982 What If Special 1 Iron Man 1988 What The 1 1988 World of Fantasy 16 19 1959 World of Mystery 3 6 1956 1957 St John Publications Do You Believe in Nightmares 1 1957 DC Comics Strange Adventures 188 189 1966 Showcase 73 debut the Creeper 75 debut The Hawk and the Dove 1968 Beware the Creeper 1 6 1968 1969 The Hawk and the Dove 1 2 1968 Stalker 1 4 1975 1976 House of Mystery 236 247 1975 1976 1st Issue Special 7 Creeper 1975 Man Bat 1 1975 Plop 16 1975 House of Secrets 139 1976 Weird War Tales 46 49 95 99 104 106 1976 1981 Amazing World of DC Comics 13 1976 Shade the Changing Man 1 8 1977 1978 Secrets of Haunted House 9 12 41 45 1977 1982 DC Special Series 9 Wonder Woman Spectacular 1978 World s Finest Comics 249 255 Creeper 1978 1979 Cancelled Comic Cavalcade 2 two stories planned for Shade the Changing Man 9 1978 Ghosts 77 111 1979 1982 Time Warp 1 4 1979 1980 Detective Comics 483 485 The Demon 487 Odd Man debut revised story originally planned for Shade the Changing Man 9 149 1979 Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes 257 1979 Unexpected 189 190 221 1979 1982 Legion of Super Heroes vol 2 267 268 272 274 276 281 1980 1981 Adventure Comics 467 478 Starman 1980 Mystery in Space 111 114 16 1980 1981 The Outsiders 13 1986 Who s Who The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe 19 22 1986 Action Comics Weekly 642 among other artists 1989 Legends of the DC Universe 80 Page Giant 1 1998 Tales of the New Gods TPB story originally planned for the Orion series 2008 The Creeper by Steve Ditko HC includes 25 page Creeper story originally planned for Showcase 106 2010 The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol 1 HC includes story originally planned for Shade the Changing Man 9 2011 ACG Adventures into the Unknown 168 1966 Forbidden Worlds 137 138 140 1966 Unknown Worlds 49 50 54 1966 1967 Dell Publishing Nukla 4 1966 Get Smart 2 3 1966 Hogan s Heroes 3 1966 Warren Publishing Eerie 3 10 1966 1967 Creepy 9 16 1966 1967 Tower Comics T H U N D E R Agents 6 7 12 14 16 18 1966 1968 Dynamo 1 4 1966 1967 Independent Witzend 3 4 6 7 Wallace Wood 1967 1969 Heroes Inc 1 Wallace Wood 1969 Mr A Comic Art Publishers 1973 Avenging World Bruce Hershenson 1973 Note that the 2002 Avenging World is a collection of Ditko works including the 1973 comic Wha Bruce Hershenson 1975 Mr A Bruce Hershenson 1975 Atlas Seaboard The Destructor 1 4 1975 Morlock 2001 3 1975 Tiger Man 2 3 1975 CPL Gang Charlton Bullseye 1 2 1975 Star Reach Productions Imagine 4 1978 M W Communications Questar 1 5 1978 1979 Pacific Comics Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers 6 Missing Man 1981 Pacific Presents 1 3 Missing Man 1982 1984 Silver Star 2 The Mocker 1983 New Media Publishing Fantasy Illustrated 1 1982 First Comics Warp 2 4 1983 Eclipse Comics Eclipse Monthly 1 3 Static 1983 Epic Comics Coyote 7 10 The Djinn 1984 1985 Archie Comics The Fly 2 4 5 8 9 inking Dick Ayers 1983 1986 Blue Ribbon Comics 12 1984 Deluxe Comics Wally Wood s T H U N D E R Agents 3 4 1985 1986 Renegade Press Revolver 1 5 Annual Frisky Frolics 1 1985 1986 Ditko s World featuring Static 1 3 1986 Murder 1 3 1986 Globe Communications Cracked 218 223 225 227 231 1986 1987 Monsters Attack 1 5 1989 1990 Cracked Collector s Edition 86 1991 Ace Comics What Is the Face 1 3 1986 1987 Return of the Skyman 1 1987 3 D Zone 3 D Substance 1 2 1990 Valiant Comics World Wrestling Federation Lifestyles of the Brutal and Infamous 1991 World Wrestling Federation Out of the Ring Challenges 1991 World Wrestling Federation When I Get My Hands 1991 WWF Battlemania 5 1991 X O Manowar 6 1992 Shadowman 6 1992 Solar Man of the Atom 14 15 1992 Magnus Robot Fighter 18 19 1992 Marvel UK Tiny Toon Adventures 4 1992 Dark Horse Comics The Safest Place 1993 Defiant Comics Dark Dominion 0 1993 Topps Comics Captain Glory 1 1993 Satan s Six 1 inking Batton Lash 1993 Jack Kirby s Secret City Saga 1 4 1993 Yoe Studio Big Boy Magazine 470 promo 1997 Fantagraphics Books Steve Ditko s Strange Avenging Tales 1 1997 AC Comics AC Retro Comics 5 1998 Robin Snyder Ditko Package 1989 The Mocker 1990 Ditko Public Service Package 1991 The Ditko Package series Steve Ditko s 160 Page Package 1999 Steve Ditko s 80 Page Package The Missing Man 1999 Steve Ditko s 160 Page Package From Charlton Press 1999 Steve Ditko s 176 Page Package Heroes 2000 Steve Ditko s 32 Page Package Tsk Tsk 2000 Steve Ditko s Static Chapters 1 to 14 plus 2000 Avenging World 2002 240 page expanded version of 1973 edition Mr A 2010 Revised and reformatted reprint of the 1973 edition Mr A 15 2014 Contains two stories originally intended for the first issue of a Mr A series solicited but unpublished by AAA circa 1990 The Four Page Series essays 1 9 2012 2015 The 32 page Series The Avenging Mind 2008 Ditko etc 2008 Ditko Continued 2008 Oh No Not Again Ditko 2009 Ditko Once More 2009 Ditko Presents 2009 A Ditko Act Two 2010 A Ditko Act 3 2010 Act 4 2010 Act 5 2010 Act 6 2011 Act 7 Seven Making 12 2011 Act 8 Making Lucky 13 2011 A Ditko 14 2011 A Ditko 15 2011 16 Sixteen 2012 17 Seventeen 2012 Ate Tea N 18 2013 9 Teen 2014 20 2014 2oww1 2014 22 2015 23 2015 24 2016 25 2016 26 2018 Down Memory Lane 2019 The 32 Series by Ditko each collecting 5 6 issues from the 32 page series Vol I Overture 2019 collecting 5 issues Avenging Mind through Ditko Once More Vol II Opening Acts 2019 collecting 5 issues Ditko Presents through Act 5 Vol III Character Twists 2019 collecting 5 issues Act 6 through A Ditko 15 Vol IV Postshadowing 2019 collecting 6 issues 16 Sixteen through 2oww1 Vol V Curtain 2019 collecting 6 issues 22 through Down Memory LaneReferences Edit a b c Obituary for Stephen John Ditko Moskal Reid Funeral Home Retrieved September 13 2022 a b Bell 2008 p 14 Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists Stephen Ditko A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists Stephen J Ditko under extracurricular activities Vocational Course Ambition Undecided Bell pp 14 15 Comics Buyer s Guide 1636 December 2007 p 135 Anderson Jon March 7 2019 The beautiful witness of the Eastern Catholic Churches Catholic Herald Retrieved January 3 2022 a b c For information on the Ditkos s origins and Steve s siblings see Bell Strange and Stranger Endnotes p 1 citing 1920 and 1930 United States Census data Ditko s grandparents were of Austrian descent the paternal grandfather having landed in l900 and paternal grandmother in 190l even though Ditko s parents on the 1930 Census list their parents as Czechoslovakian Czechoslovakia coming into creation in 1918 owing to the dissolution of the Austro Hungarian Empire after WWI and the parents mother tongue being Slovak For parents and grandparents place of birth see United States Census 1930 United States census 1930 Johnstown Cambria Pennsylvania roll 2012 page 7A line 39 40 enumeration district 70 Family History film 2 41746 National Archives film number T626 Retrieved on 2021 10 29 For Rusyn history of St Mary s Byzantine Catholic Church Custer Richard D Summer 2016 Old Countrymen New Neighbors Early Carpatho Rusyn and Slovak Immigrant Relations in the United States Slovo National Czech amp Slovak Museum amp Library p 3 Archived PDF from the original on April 23 2021 Retrieved October 29 2021 a b c d e Bell 2008 p 15 Pennsylvania Center for the Book Bell 2008 p 16 a b Jerry Robinson interview Alter Ego 38 Aug 2004 p 9 Bell 2008 p 19 a b Robinson Jerry Student and Teacher in Yoe Craig ed The Art of Ditko IDW Publishing January 2010 ISBN 978 1 60010 542 5 p 54 Bell 2008 p 20 Fantastic Fears 5 Grand Comics Database Daring Love 1 at the Grand Comics Database Webster Andy July 7 2018 Steve Ditko Influential Comic Book Artist Who Helped Create Spider Man Dies at 90 The New York Times Retrieved July 7 2018 Theakston Steve Ditko Reader p 3 unnumbered Captain 3 D 1 Dec 1953 at the Grand Comics Database Black Magic vol 4 3 27 Dec 1953 at the Grand Comics Database McAvennie Michael 2010 1960s In Dolan Hannah ed DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle London United Kingdom Dorling Kindersley p 99 ISBN 978 0 7566 6742 9 Captain Atom was born in a tale by artist Steve Ditko and writer Joe Gill Bell 2008 pp 24 27 a b Bell Blake ed 2009 Strange Suspense The Steve Ditko Archives Vol 1 Seattle Washington Fantagraphics Books p 10 ISBN 978 1 60699 289 0 a b Bell 2008 p 32 Cronin Brian August 27 2018 The Marvel Monsters of Steve Ditko Comic Book Resources Retrieved August 27 2018 Jones Gerard Men of Tomorrow Geeks Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book Basic Books 2004 Bell 2008 p 34 Bell 2008 pp 37 40 Bell 2008 p 40 Brevoort Tom 2008 1950s In Gilbert Laura ed Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History London Dorling Kindersley p 73 ISBN 978 0756641238 Lee Stan Introduction in Yoe p 9 Lee Stan and Mair George Excelsior The Amazing Life of Stan Lee Fireside 2002 p 130 ISBN 0 684 87305 2 Theakston Greg The Steve Ditko Reader Pure Imagination Brooklyn New York 2002 ISBN 1 56685 011 8 p 12 unnumbered DeFalco Tom 1960s in Gilbert 2008 p 87 Deciding that his new character would have spider like powers Stan Lee commissioned Jack Kirby to work on the first story Unfortunately Kirby s version of Spider Man s alter ego Peter Parker proved too heroic handsome and muscular for Lee s everyman hero Lee turned to Steve Ditko the regular artist on Amazing Adult Fantasy who designed a skinny awkward teenager with glasses Theakston Steve Ditko Reader p 13 Ditko Steve Jack Kirby s Spider Man Robin Snyder s History of Comics 5 May 1990 Reprinted in Thomas Roy ed Alter Ego The Comic Book Artist Collection Raleigh North Carolina TwoMorrows Publishing 2001 p 56 ISBN 978 1 893905 06 1 Ditko interview Summer 1965 Steve Ditko A Portrait of the Master Comic Fan 2 Larry Herndon pub via Ditko Comics org Blake Bell ed Archived from the original on April 30 2008 Retrieved April 3 2008 Additional February 28 2012 Ditko Steve April 1965 Editor s Mailbox Voice of Comicdom 4 Bob Metz ed via Ditko Comics org Blake Bell ed Archived from the original on December 27 2007 Punctuation verbatim Additional September 23 2010 Perez Seves Eric Stanton amp the History of the Bizarre Underground p 213 a b Bell Blake Ditko amp Stanton Ditko Looked Up Archived from the original on May 1 2008 Additional Theakston The Steve Ditko Reader pp 13 15 unnumbered pp 14 15 misordered as pp 16 amp 14 Riemschneider Burkhard 1997 Eric Stanton For the Man Who Knows His Place Cologne Germany Benedikt Taschen Verlag p 4 unnumbered ISBN 978 3 8228 8169 9 Theakston Steve Ditko Reader p 14 unnumbered misordered as page 16 Rhoades Shirrel 2008 A Complete History of American Comic Books Pieterlen and Bern Switzerland Peter Lang Publishing p 81 ISBN 978 1 4331 0107 6 DeFalco 1960s in Gilbert 2008 p 91 Thanks to a flood of fan mail Spider Man was awarded his own title six months after his first appearance Amazing Spider Man began as a bimonthly title but was quickly promoted to a monthly DeFalco 1960s in Gilbert 2008 p 93 Dr Octopus shared many traits with Peter Parker They were both shy both interested in science and both had trouble relating to women Otto Octavius even looked like a grown up Peter Parker Lee and Ditko intended Otto to be the man Peter might have become if he hadn t been raised with a sense of responsibility Manning Matthew K 2012 1960s In Gilbert Laura ed Spider Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web Slinging London Dorling Kindersley p 20 ISBN 978 0756692360 In this installment Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced Sandman a super villain who could turn his entire body into sand with a single thought Manning 1960s in Gilbert 2012 p 20 The Amazing Spider Mans sixth issue introduced the Lizard Manning 1960s in Gilbert 2012 p 24 Electro charged into Spider Man s life for the first time in another Stan Lee and Steve Ditko effort that saw Peter Parker using his brilliant mind to outwit a foe Manning 1960s in Gilbert 2012 p 26 Spider Man s arch nemesis the Green Goblin as introduced to readers as the most dangerous foe Spidey s ever fought Writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko had no way of knowing how true that statement would prove to be in the coming years Kraft David Anthony Slifer Roger April 1983 Mark Evanier Comics Interview No 2 Fictioneer Books pp 23 34 Daniels Les 1991 Marvel Five Fabulous Decades of the World s Greatest Comics New York New York Harry N Abrams p 129 ISBN 9780810938212 David Peter Greenberger Robert 2010 The Spider Man Vault A Museum in a Book with Rare Collectibles Spun from Marvel s Web Philadelphia Pennsylvania Running Press p 29 ISBN 978 0762437726 Saffel Steve 2007 A Legend Is Born Spider Man the Icon The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon London United Kingdom Titan Books p 22 ISBN 978 1 84576 324 4 Manning 1960s in Gilbert 2012 p 34 Greenberger Robert ed December 2001 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time Marvel Comics p 67 Branding Failure The Rise and Fall of Marvel s Corner Box Art YouTube ComicTropes Archived from the original on December 11 2021 Retrieved September 13 2021 Ditko Steve w Toyland Martin Goodman Stan Lee The Avenging Mind April 2008 Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko In a 1963 letter to Jerry Bails Marvel writer editor Stan Lee called the character Ditko s idea saying The first story is nothing great but perhaps we can make something of him twas Steve s idea and I figured we d give it a chance although again we had to rush the first one too much Little sidelight Originally decided to call him Mr Strange but thought the Mr bit too similar to Mr Fantastic The Marvel Age of Comics A letter written by Stan Lee to super fan Dr April 9 2014 Archived from the original on April 9 2014 Retrieved January 23 2017 DeFalco 1960s in Gilbert 2008 p 93 When Dr Strange first appeared in Strange Tales 110 it was only clear that he dabbled in black magic and had the ability to project his consciousness into an astral form that could leave his physical body Maheras Russ March 16 2019 Steve Ditko Inside His Studio Sanctum Sanctorum Pop Culture Squad Archived from the original on August 21 2019 Retrieved October 16 2019 Green Robin September 16 1971 Face Front Clap Your Hands You re on the Winning Team Rolling Stone No 91 via fan site Green Skin s Grab Bag p 31 Archived from the original on October 7 2010 Retrieved September 14 2011 Bell 2008 p 78 Strange Tales 134 at the Grand Comics Database Indexer Notes Part 5 of 17 First mention of Eternity Strange would finally find it in Strange Tales 138 November 1965 Wright Bradford W Comic Book Nation Transformation of a Youth Culture Baltimore Maryland Johns Hopkins University Press 2001 ISBN 0 8018 7450 5 p 213 Heer Jeet Steve Ditko The National Post May 3 2003 via JeetHeer com WebCitation archive DeFalco Tom Sanderson Peter Brevoort Tom Teitelbaum Michael Wallace Daniel Darling Andrew Forbeck Matt Cowsill Alan Bray Adam 2019 The Marvel Encyclopedia DK Publishing p 211 ISBN 978 1 4654 7890 0 Daniels 1991 p 99 DeFalco 1960s in Gilbert 2008 p 117 To this day no one really knows why Ditko quit Bullpen sources reported he was unhappy with the way Lee scripted some of his plots using a tongue in cheek approach to stories Ditko wanted handled seriously a b c Sinclair Tom June 20 2003 Still a Marvel Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on October 7 2012 a b Ross Jonathan In Search of Steve Ditko BBC Four Lawrence Christopher Who Is Steve Ditko Wizard 124 Jan 2002 Confidential Videotaped Deposition of John V Romita Garden City New York United States District Court Southern District of New York Marvel Worldwide Inc et al vs Lisa R Kirby et al October 21 2010 p 45 Bullpen Bulletins Fantastic Four 52 July 1966 Marvel Comics Excelsior Stan Lee speaks CraveOnline com July 31 2007 Archived from the original on August 7 2009 McAvennie 1960s in Dolan p 123 After Ted Kord assumed the scarab as Blue Beetle in a back up feature of Captain Atom 83 writer artist Steve Ditko and co writer D C Glanzman who was actually Ditko launched the Blue Beetle into his own series Cowsill Alan Irvine Alex Korte Steve Manning Matt Wiacek Win Wilson Sven 2016 The DC Comics Encyclopedia The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe DK Publishing p 241 ISBN 978 1 4654 5357 0 Spurlock J David 2011 How to Draw Chiller Monsters Werewolves Vampires and Zombies New York New York Watson Guptill p 32 ISBN 978 0 8230 9532 2 Retrieved October 29 2011 The tonal ink wash drawings he did for Creepy and Eerie magazines afforded him unique opportunities to exercise his mysterious prowess Comic Books Underground Comix Essay eNotes com Bell 2008 p 110 Cronin Brian November 15 2019 The Strange Background Behind the Creation of the Question Comic Book Resources Retrieved November 15 2019 Bell 2008 p 136 Steve Ditko s 176 Page Heroes Package Robin Snyder amp Steve Ditko 2000 Ditko Continued Robin Snyder amp Steve Ditko 2009 and Oh No Not Again Ditko Robin Snyder amp Steve Ditko 2009 McAvennie 1960s in Dolan p 129 Writer artist Steve Ditko and co scripter Don Segall gave character Jack Ryder more than the last laugh as the garishly garbed Creeper one of DC s quirkiest protagonists Levitz Paul 2010 The Silver Age 1956 1970 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking Cologne Germany Taschen p 268 ISBN 9783836519816 McAvennie 1960s in Dolan p 130 Brothers Hank and Don Hall were complete opposites yet writer artist Steve Ditko with scripter Steve Skeates made sure the siblings shared a desire to battle injustice as Hawk and Dove a b c d e f g h Steve Ditko at the Grand Comics Database Evanier Mark September 11 2007 Ditko Doc P O V Online column Archived from the original on December 13 2010 Retrieved April 27 2010 Jack Adler Retires Dick Giordano Promoted The Comics Journal Fantagraphics Books 67 15 October 1981 Cooke Jon B amp Christopher Irving The Charlton Empire A Brief History of the Derby Connecticut Publisher Comic Book Artist 9 August 2000 Access date April 27 2010 WebCitation archive Sinkovac Jerome ed November 1973 Charlton News The Comic Reader Brooklyn New York United States TCR Publications 101 McAvennie 1970s in Dolan p 174 Steve Ditko returned to mainstream comics with Shade the Changing Man Joined by writer Michael Fleisher Ditko unveiled the story of Rac Shade a secret agent turned fugitive from the extra dimensional world of Meta Stalker at the Grand Comics Database McAvennie 1970s in Dolan p 164 This sword and sorcery title by scripter Paul Levitz and artist Steve Ditko epitomized the credo Be careful what you wish for The series anti hero was a nameless wanderer whose dreams of becoming a warrior brought him first slavery then worse McAvennie 1970s in Dolan p 168 Thanks to his appearances in Detective Comics and Batman Man Bat s popularity soared to the point where writer Gerry Conway and artist Steve Ditko launched the character into his own series Manning Matthew K 2014 1970s In Dougall Alastair ed Batman A Visual History London Dorling Kindersley p 119 ISBN 978 1465424563 Daudt Ron E 2010 Jack C Harris Interview Pt 2 TheSilverLantern com Archived from the original on September 1 2012 Retrieved March 20 2011 Some of the fans loved it and some hated it Nobody was lukewarm about it It was a very Ditko type of feeling You hated it or you loved it and there was nothing in between Manning Matthew K 1980s in Dolan p 186 The second feature in Adventure Comics 467 debuted a new version of Starman by writer Paul Levitz and illustrator Steve Ditko Superman 400 at the Grand Comics Database Addiego Frankie December 2013 Superman 400 Back Issue Raleigh North Carolina TwoMorrows Publishing 69 68 70 Giordano Dick Meanwhile column Jemm Son of Saturn 2 Oct 1984 We have another goodie for you Also on this year s October schedule is the Superman 400 portfolio The portfolio will have a full color painted cover by Howard Chaykin and will contain 15 black and white plates by artists including Steve Ditko Sanderson Peter 1970s in Gilbert 2008 p 185 Jack Kirby wrote and drew the initial nine issues of Machine Man In August 1979 the series was revived by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Ditko Lantz James Heath October 2014 Inner Space Opera A Look at Marvel s Micronauts Comics Back Issue Raleigh North Carolina TwoMorrows Publishing 76 46 48 DeFalco 1980s in Gilbert 2008 p 197 Tako Shamara became the Dragon Lord in Marvel Spotlight 5 by writer editor Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Ditko Cronin Brian December 24 2009 Comic Book Legends Revealed 239 Comic Book Resources Archived from the original on July 31 2013 Retrieved January 13 2013 The Godzilla fill in by Marv Wolfman and Steve Ditko ended up appearing in the pages of the re launched Marvel Spotlight in 1980 as Dragon Lord about a fellow who can control dragons DeFalco 1980s in Gilbert 2008 p 238 Editor in Chief Tom DeFalco thought Marvel should publish more titles starring teenagers He wrote the basic scenario and character descriptions for a new series and hired Steve Ditko to design it Lute Ed February 2019 Speedball The Silver Age Superhero from the Copper Age Back Issue Raleigh North Carolina TwoMorrows Publishing 110 62 News from Hither and Yon Ditko at Western The Comics Journal Seattle Washington Fantagraphics Books 71 16 April 1982 Archived from the original on August 14 2012 Retrieved August 19 2012 Harris 2023 p 99 Marvel Super Heroes Marvel 1990 series at the Grand Comics Database Reynolds Eric 2008 How I pissed off Steve Ditko Seattle Washington Fantagraphics Books Archived from the original on September 28 2016 About ten years ago we had the great fortune of publishing a new series by Mr Ditko Steve Ditko s Strange Avenging Tales Ditko quit the series over other disagreements with Gary Groth and only the first issue was published Wolk Douglas August 15 2008 From Spider Man to Ayn Rand The New York Times Book Review Archived from the original on September 12 2012 Bell Blake Archive of Ditko News December 6 1998 Archived from the original on June 11 2008 Retrieved January 3 2009 requires scrolling down Ditko Looked Up Entry refers to Ditko s final mainstream comics work a New Gods story that would remain unpublished for 10 years a b Franczak B Tales of the New Gods Ditko Fever com Archived from the original on December 26 2009 Retrieved April 27 2010 Additional WebCitation archive of main page McCulloch Joe July 10 2013 Steve DItko Doesn t Stop A Guide To 18 Secret Comics By Spider Man s Co Creator ComicsAlliance Archived from the original on April 13 2015 a b c d e The secret hero of Spider Man New York Post July 5 2012 Archived from the original on October 3 2013 Retrieved July 5 2012 Ditko Steve 2010 The Creeper by Steve Ditko DC Comics ISBN 978 1 4012 2591 9 Ditko Steve 2011 The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol 1 DC Comics ISBN 978 1 4012 3111 8 Armitage Hugh April 22 2011 Lost Steve Ditko Comic Unveiled Digital Spy Archived from the original on April 25 2011 Retrieved March 26 2012 Ross Jonathan September 13 2007 The Unsung Hero Behind Spider Man The Guardian London United Kingdom Archived from the original on August 22 2008 Retrieved October 23 2011 An Interview With The Man of Mystery Marvel Main No 4 Reprinted at Vicsage com October 1968 Archived from the original on June 2 2014 Also reprinted in Benton Mike 1994 Masters of Imagination The Comic Book Artists Hall of Fame Attleboro Massachusetts Taylor Publishing ISBN 978 0 87833 859 7 Sodaro Robert March 27 2014 The Return of Steve Ditko and Robin Snyder Comics Bulletin Archived from the original on January 25 2016 We have been hard at work Steve Ditko and I together have published more than 30 books hundreds of articles and essays the first person history The Comics and our new publication The Four Page Series from 1988 to date a b c Lewis Andy July 6 2018 Steve Ditko Spider Man Co Creator and Legendary Comics Artist Dies at 90 The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on August 17 2018 Retrieved July 6 2018 The New York Police Department confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter No cause of death was announced Ditko was found dead in his apartment on June 29 and it is believed he died about two days earlier Eisner in Brownstein Charles 2005 Eisner Miller Milwaukie Oregon Dark Horse Books p 128 ISBN 978 1569717554 a b Celebrating Steve Ditko with Mark Ditko Youtube com June 13 2021 Reisman Abraham November 16 2016 The Creator of Doctor Strange Will Not See You Now Marvel Comics legend Steve Ditko wants his work to stand for itself If only it were that easy Vulture com Archived from the original on November 15 2016 One time about ten years ago I accidentally got a piece of his mail she said her eyebrows rising scandalously I opened it and then realized it wasn t mine because that check had too many zeroes My body jerked up with shock that contradicted Ditko s claim that he doesn t get a cut I asked for more details She said it was from a movie studio and that when she gave it back to him he just took it and said nothing That s probably why he can work in that little office she said and laughed He s doing all right Wolk Douglas June 3 2005 The Amazing Steve Ditko Salon com p 2 Archived from the original on October 26 2010 Young Thom September 10 2007 Ditko Shrugged Part 1 Ayn Rand s Influence on Steve Ditko s Craft Commerce and Creeper Silver Soapbox column Comics Bulletin Archived from the original on January 25 2011 September 10 2007 Archived from the original on April 5 2010 Part 3 Did Neal Adams Work on Beware the Creeper 5 at the Wayback Machine archived May 31 2009 September 14 2007 Archived from the original on May 31 2009 and Part 4 After Ditko the Drought at the Wayback Machine archived January 14 2009 September 22 2007 Archived from the original Archived October 12 2007 at the Wayback Machine on January 14 2009 Bell 2008 p 83 Bell 2008 p 84 Bell 2008 p 89 Bell 2008 p 93 Bell 2008 pp 93 94 Bell 2008 p 95 Bell 2008 pp 110 111 Image of posthumous words Who is Steve Ditko with Mark Ditko amp Alex Grand Comic Book Historians Youtube com June 16 2021 Celebrating Steve Ditko with Mark Ditko Youtube com June 13 2021 Harris 2023 p 23 1962 Alley Awards Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac Archived from the original on April 24 2012 Retrieved July 7 2018 a b 1963 Alley Awards Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac Archived from the original on August 7 2011 Retrieved July 7 2018 a b c 1964 Alley Awards Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac Archived from the original on August 7 2011 Retrieved July 7 2018 a b 1965 Alley Awards Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac Archived from the original on August 7 2011 Retrieved July 7 2018 Bails Jerry Ware Hames eds Ditko Steve entry Who s Who of American Comics Books 1928 1999 BailsProjects com Archived from the original on February 19 2012 Retrieved April 27 2010 Bell 2008 pp 165 166 British Awards Announced The Comics Journal 142 June 1991 p 17 1990s San Diego Comic Con December 2 2012 Retrieved July 7 2018 2015 Winners Inkwell Awards Retrieved July 7 2018 Cowsill et al 2016 p 352 Sources EditBell Blake 2008 Strange and Stranger The World of Steve Ditko Seattle Washington Fantagraphics ISBN 978 1 56097 921 0 Harris Jack C 2023 Working With Ditko Raleigh North Carolina TwoMorrows Publishing ISBN 978 1 60549 122 6 External links EditSteve Ditko at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Data from Wikidata Steve Ditko at the Comic Book DB archived from the original Steve Ditko Ditko Looked Up archived website Steve Ditko at IMDb Hart Hugh Strange and Stranger Salutes Spider Man Artist Steve Ditko Wired August 21 2008 WebCitation archive Steve Ditko interviewed in Bubnis Bernie 1964 Spotlight on the Pros 5 This Issue Steve Ditko PDF Rocket s Blast Comicollector No 31 Reprinted in Ditkomania 45 May 1995 Archived PDF from the original on November 1 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Steve Ditko amp oldid 1177312790, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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