May 25, 2011

Unusual Tales - The Hostile Planet

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"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Hostile Planet" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's SPACE ADVENTURES #27 [1959], detailing two visits of the peace loving people of Neptune to Earth, with similar but increasingly dangerous results.  I especially like the way Ditko draws the alien faces in this one.


But before the story, some links:
STATIC, MOCKER and MISSING MAN volumes available
New issue now available
Hulk/Torch team-up inches closer every day
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


May 21, 2011

Unusual Tales - Plague

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"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"Plague" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #6 [1957], featuring a scientist who comes up with a germ which he believes will freeze all of humanity for a year, then wake them up without all the "ugly emotions".  The story follows the release of the germ, with the obligatory twist ending.  About average for Ditko work of the era, nothing special but some nice examples of him drawing different types of people and settings.


But before the story, some links:
ACT 7 now available
New issue out now
Hulk/Torch team-up from 30 years ago coming soon
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


May 18, 2011

Unusual Tales - The Merciless Mesa

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"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Merciless Mesa" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's ROCKY LANE'S BLACK JACK #26 [1959]. A nice little story about an easterner from Vermont heading out to the wild west and learning some hard lessons about life in the frontier, with some help from Black Jack.  Unusual for Ditko's stories from this series, Black Jack's owner Rocky Lane actually appears in the story.

But before the story, some links:
ACT 8 out soon
#84 now available, with samples of as-yet unpublished Ditko Hulk/Torch team-up pencils
Aforementioned Hulk/Torch story coming soon
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


May 14, 2011

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #84

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DITKOMANIA #84 is now available.  This issue concentrates on Ditko's work at Marvel, to mark the upcoming publication of a Ditko Hulk/Torch team-up from the early 1980s.  Included are three pages of copies of the pencils to that story, so you can compare that to the inked version which will be out soon.  Also includes articles on the Mort Todd edited reprints in the 1990s (with nice copies of the new Ditko covers and illustrations done for Todd), Iron Man and the Peter Parker / Aunt May relationship.

Single issue and subscription information are over here, and the Ditkomania mailing list is down this way.

May 7, 2011

New Ditko - Letter re: Crandall

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The recently released April 2011 (Vol. 22 No. 4) issue of Robin Snyder's newsletter THE COMICS has a short letter by Steve Ditko, commenting on Reed Crandall and his work in TREASURE CHEST Vol. 16 No. 7 [1960] (available here) after Snyder ran the cover in the November 2010 issue (Vol. 21 No. 11) of the newsletter.

Information on ordering Snyder's newsletter over here.

May 4, 2011

Unusual Tales - Stranger In The House

Posted by bob 0 comments Labels:


"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"Stranger In The House" is a 3-page story first published in Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #5 [1957]. Amusing little story about a soldier who suddenly appears in the middle of a suburban family's home. Nothing too notable in the artwork, just a typically solid Ditko job from the era.


But before the story, some links:
160-page reprint of classic 1970s Charlton short stories still available
New issue out soon
New Pure Imagination reprint of 1960s Charlton work announced
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


May 3, 2011

Upcoming Ditko - New PI collection

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Pure Imagination has a 7th collection of Ditko stories on the schedule for this summer, this time STEVE DITKO - ANGRY APES 'N' LEAPIN' LIZARDS.  I didn't know Ditko ever drew Little Orphan Annie...




Steve Ditko's Angry Apes 'n' Leapin' Lizards collects the artwork produced by Steve Ditko for Charlton Comics during the time of his tenure on Amazing Spider-Man, including science-fiction and fantasy work, with guest appearances by Gorgo and Konga. Theakstonized for maximum reproduction.

Unusual Tales - Free

Posted by bob 0 comments Labels:


"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"Free" is a 3-page story first published in Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #35 [1957]. Brief little fantasy story about a man escaping jail but never quite getting free.  Some good artwork in this one, including one of the occasional uses of mechanical tones for the shading that Ditko did in the 1950s.


But before the story, some links:
Complete MISSING MAN book available
Ditko rarities and fan art and articles
Complete CREEPER hardcover available
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


May 1, 2011

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Disappeared

Posted by bob 1 comments Labels:


"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Man Who Disappeared" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #14 [1957].  Dr. Haunt regales us with the story of science student Lance Cabot, who in despair goes to the police to report on the reasons for him imminent disappearance.  The structure of the story is kind of strained, but Ditko's work is solid, with a few really nice moments.


But before the story, some links:
WHA..!?, new edition of classic 1970s comic now available
Ditko news and reviews bi-monthly
Unpublished c1981 Hulk/Torch story coming soon
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen


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