Steve Ditko legendary Comic Book artist and creator has passed away. His credits include: Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Squirrel Girl, The Question, Hawk and Dove & The Creeper among others.
Born in 1927 Stephen J. Ditko went on to change the landscape of comic books. In 1953 he received a job at a studio owned by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. His association with Charlton Comics also began around the same time creating work in a variety of genres spanning from Horror, Mystery and Science Fiction.
It wasn’t until 1960 where he designed his first character in the guise of Captain Atom, along with its creator Joe Gill. Captain Atom now belongs to DC Comics, a company Ditko wasn’t a stranger to over the next few decades.
Contracting Tuberculosis in mid-1952 he temporary left Charlton Comics and returned to his parent’s home town until he improved.
Moving back to New York in late 1955 he wrote for Atlas Comics meeting the then writer-editor Stan Lee.
Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 brought to life by Steve Ditko. Ditko recalled “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….”
While Stan Lee thought up the name it was Steve Ditko who gave the character his famous costume, his web shooters and the spider signal (recently seen in Captain America: Civil War).
When Spider-Man received his own series, Ditko worked with Stan Lee to create Doctor Octopus, the Sandman, the Lizard, Electro and Green Goblin.
July 1963 saw Steve Ditko create the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange for Strange Tales #110 and relaunched a Hulk series in Tales to Astonish anthology designing one of the Hulk’s most infamous foes, The Leader.
Unfortunately after four years on the Spider-Man title Steve Ditko left Marvel with rumours suggesting there were problems between him and Stan Lee, including them not being on speaking terms while creating the comics.
Leaving Marvel he returned to Charlton Comics, revamping the Blue Beetle series and creating the character The Question, who would both come under DC Comics in the coming years.
In 1968 Ditko moved to DC Comics, co-creating the Superhero the Creeper and the Superhero Duo Hawk and Dove but only lasts a year with the company.
Under a decade later he returned to DC and created Shade the Changing Man in a short lived series, along with providing work on an issue of a two-issue Mat-Bat series written by Gerry Conway.
After he left DC he drew for independently owned Comic companies until 1979 when he returned home to Marvel Comics, co-creating the superhero Superball. In 1992 he created one of his last characters in the form of Squirrel Girl, debuting in Marvel Super-Heroes Vol 2 #8.
Unfortunately Steve Ditko retired from mainstream Comic Books in 1998 turning in his final series for DC Comics with Infinitely Gently Infinitely Suffering, a five-part series based around the New Gods.
As the years progress interviews and public appearances are rare. He’s on record explaining his reasons why: “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.”
Up until his death Steve Ditko was still publishing work through Robin Snyder who was his editor at Charlton, Archie Comics and Renegade Press. On the 29th June 2018 he was found unresponsive in his apartment. His cause of death is thought to be a heart attack.
To say the work of Steve Ditko is timeless and will continue on long after his death is not hyperbole. As Spider-Man: Far from Home and Avengers 4 release next year thoughts will be with the man who gave us the title character in the former and a couple of the characters in the latter. He may be gone but his work will never die.
Rest in Peace Steve Ditko, thank you for your creations and influence.
What was your favorite Steve Ditko character? Let us know in the comments below!
