Regular readers of this blog and listeners of the podcast are aware that every year I adopt a character (or creator). This entails me researching and reading a superhero from many different incarnations throughout the entire lifespan. For 2010 I chose Spider-Man with a special focus on the work of Steve Ditko. Sure I’ve read this work in bits and pieces before, but I have never looked at it with the maturity that I have now as an adult. Since starting, I have been drawn into Ditko’s world like no other creator has done to me before. I want to share my experience with you and with that in mind I’m focusing on the complete body of work from Steve Ditko for the entire month of February.
I begin the series of podcasts (one per week) with Ditko’s time at Marvel Comics from 1956 to his departure in July 1966. I go over all of his work in this time period and where you can find it in collected edition form and I also have an interesting email question regarding Marvel Masterworks Dr. Strange Volume 3 – you don’t want to miss it.
In upcoming shows I’ll discuss his first professional work and his long tenure with Charlton, his time at DC Comics, his return to Marvel and various independent works even up until today, where he is still working on Mr. A. I plan on this being a very informative and fun series and I hope to also include a few interviews with industry professionals along the way.
Nice to hear a tribue to Steve Ditko, one of my favorite creators in the medium. I would like to point out one error that has become an urban myth, the idea that Ditko and Lee argued over the identity of the Green Goblin. Ditko has stated in essays over the past few years published by Robin Snyder in his newsletter, “The Comics” that he never had a disagreement over the ID of the Green Goblin. Ditko stated that Lee chose to stop speaking to him around the time of Amazing Spider-Man # 25, so there could have been no disagreement over the Goblin. Also, Ditko makes the case that he planted the character who would become the Goblin in the background and in scenes throughout his run. Toward the end of his run this character apeared in stories, as did his son. Lee likely named him Norman Osborn, but there is no doubt that Ditko had planned for him to be the Goblin from early on.
Ditko likely left Marvel for other reasons, including his need to produce stories without what he felt was editorial interference, and he also wanted proper credit for the work he did.
Chris,
Nice to hear a tribue to Steve Ditko, one of my favorite creators in the medium. I would like to point out one error that has become an urban myth, the idea that Ditko and Lee argued over the identity of the Green Goblin. Ditko has stated in essays over the past few years published by Robin Snyder in his newsletter, “The Comics” that he never had a disagreement over the ID of the Green Goblin. Ditko stated that Lee chose to stop speaking to him around the time of Amazing Spider-Man # 25, so there could have been no disagreement over the Goblin. Also, Ditko makes the case that he planted the character who would become the Goblin in the background and in scenes throughout his run. Toward the end of his run this character apeared in stories, as did his son. Lee likely named him Norman Osborn, but there is no doubt that Ditko had planned for him to be the Goblin from early on.
Ditko likely left Marvel for other reasons, including his need to produce stories without what he felt was editorial interference, and he also wanted proper credit for the work he did.
Nick Caputo