Steve Ditko-The Enigma

Steve Ditko sadly passed away on the 29th June 2018, an event that didn't make the general news for over a week later, which was strange but not unbelievable for Steve shunned the spotlight, even though he had created some of the most iconic comic books he preferred to let his simple artwork take all the glory. He never give interviews, wouldn't appear on video or have his picture taken, he give off a persona of a recluse. However there are confirmed stories that when fans arrived asking to see Ditko at his home he would invite them in to chat and sign comics but only after he had made it clear that they weren't reporters and that no pictures of him would be taken.  To most of us he would remain a mystery.

We all know for a fact that he created some of the most amazing and strange characters, comics and stories of all time. Can you imagine a world without Spider-man? I can't! There's so much beauty in his simple but stunningly sophisticated work. Would he be in my top ten artists of all time? Possibly not but his stories would be in my top ten. As a British reader of comics my first encounter of Ditko art came with Spider-man in with the wonderfully clear black and white pages of Spider-man Comics Weekly and later came his psychedelic Doctor Strange as backup in the Avenger weekly. MarvelUKwould frequently use his weird fantasy short stories from Tales of Suspence and Tales to Astonish to fill gaps in their weekly comics, they became regulars in Star Wars Weekly and Doctor Who weekly.  He was truly the master of mystery, his tales always had a twist. He knew how to tell a story, I  personally believe he was responsible for more of that than Stan Lee in their partnership. He created   easy but stunning story board like artwork like the Spider-man trapped under fallen masonry while water floods in after a battle with Doctor Octopus from Amazing Spider-man #33. 

  

I love reading his stories in different formats, one story that I never get tired of reading is The Sinister Six. I treasure this MarvelUK copy of Spider-man Summer Special from 1980. Ditko really know how to create villains. He is responsible for some of Marvel's iconic bad guys, I adore how in this story each villian gets a glorious splash page in battle with our webbed hero.

   

 

Of course Ditko did more than just Spider-man, the Doctor Stange vs Loki is anther of my favourites, which inspired the scenes in Thor Ragnarok between the Thunder God, his brother and the Doctor. 

 

Ditko work was of its time, sometimes his figures would look a little doll like. I never fully loved his later work, even though it was readable. He would return to Marvel in the 80's and work on their toy tie in sci-fi books Rom and the Micronauts. It actually worked well Ditko was master of Sci-Fi as well as mystical,mystery and crime. I do have a soft spot for the Micronauts as the appeared in multiple MarvelUK mags like Star Wars Weekly, Star Heroes Pocket book and Future Tense. 

 

 

Steve Ditko wasn't to everyone tastes but that doesn't change the fact that he was a strangely amazing artist and will be missed but never forgotten because of his gigantic body of work. 

Rest in peace Steve.

Make Mine Marvel.