Steve Ditko

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Steve Ditko bigraphy, stories - American comic book artist

Steve Ditko : biography

November 2, 1927 –

Stephen J. "Steve" DitkoBell, Blake. Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko (Fantagraphics Books, Seattle, Washington, 2008), p.14. ISBN 1-56097-921-6 (born November 2, 1927)Comics Buyer’s Guide #1636 (December 2007) p. 135 is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist and co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange.

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.

Ditko then drew for Atlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics. He went on to contribute much significant work to Marvel, including co-creating Spider-Man, who would become the company’s flagship character. Additionally, he created the supernatural hero Doctor Strange and made important contributions to the Hulk and Iron Man. In 1966, after being the exclusive artist on The Amazing Spider-Man and the "Doctor Strange" feature in Strange Tales, Ditko left Marvel for reasons never specified.

Ditko then worked for Charlton and DC Comics, making major contributions, including a revamp of long-running character 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. Since the 1960s, Ditko has declined most interviews, stating that it is his work he offers readers, and not his personality.

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.

Career

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 No. 5 (cover-dated Feb. 1954).Bell, Strange and Stranger, p. 20 at the Grand Comics Database Ditko’s first published work was his second professional story, the six-page "Paper Romance" in Daring Love No. 1 (Oct. 1953), published by the Key imprint Gillmor Magazines. at the Grand Comics Database

Shortly afterward, Ditko found work at the studio of celebrated writer-artists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, who had created Captain America and other characters and had instituted numerous industry innovations. 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".Theakston, Steve Ditko Reader, p. 3 (unnumbered) Ditko’s known assistant work includes aiding inker Meskin on the Jack Kirby pencil work of Harvey Comics’ Captain 3-D No. 1 (Dec. 1953). at the Grand Comics Database For his own third published story, Ditko penciled and inked the six-page "A Hole in His Head" in Black Magic vol. 4, No. 3 (Dec. 1953), published by Simon & Kirby’s Crestwood Publications imprint Prize Comics. (Dec. 1953)] at the Grand Comics Database

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 No. 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 No. 33 (March 1960). 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.Bell, Blake, ed. Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1 (Fantagraphics Books, 2009), p. 10. ISBN 978-1-60699-289-0