Ditko Comics

Unusual Tales - The Silver-Tip Outlaw

2012-01-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

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

"The Silver-Tip Outlaw" is a 7-page story from Charlton's ROCKY LANE'S BLACK JACK #27 [1959]. It's a human free story of the legendary horse, and not a great one. Pretty much just Black Jack protecting his herd from a bear. Some pretty drawings, though, one benefit of the lack of humans is that there's no dialogue, so you get some nice unobscured pictures.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

1970s Charlton reprints in STEVE DITKO'S 160-PAGE PACKAGE: FROM CHARLTON PRESS
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Lots of rare Ditko in the two DITKO OMNIBUS books
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Great Escape

2012-01-26T14:32:00.014-05:00

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

"The Great Escape" is a 5-page story from Charlton's SPACE ADVENTURES #27 [1959], wherein a man finds a small meteorite and it tells him the story of the destruction of the planet Bala and the escape plan of the Balarites. All this leads to him making a questionable decision. Some striking visuals on the flashback to doomed Bala by Ditko.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Classic MOCKER graphic novel available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Ditko's Legion of Super-Heroes stories in DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v2

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Vision Came

2012-01-25T14:33:00.011-05:00

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

"The Vision Came" is a 5-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #8 [1958], telling the story of a sad blind girl named Susi living in an orphanage in the Bavarian alps. Little sappy but entertaining, I especially liked the Traveler's background appearances on the bottom of page 4.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

1980s graphic novel STATIC available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Ditko/Levitz Starman and more in DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v2

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Greater Jovians

2012-01-24T14:32:00.003-05:00

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

"The Greater Jovians" is a 5-page story from Charlton's OUTER SPACE #20 [1958]. A very amusing little trifle about the inhabitants of Jupiter, the tiny Lesser Jovians and giant Greater Jovians, and how they work together to solve their food shortage. Ditko does a good job as usual with the designs, and pay particular note to page three, which nicely uses a large full-page panel with several inset images to give a feeling of scale while still moving the story along in the brief number of pages available.

Click Lesser Jovian images to embiggen to Greater Jovian size:

Now that you've enjoyed the story, some links you might want to check:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Various DC hardcovers include almost all of Ditko's work for DC, Tower and the Charlton "Action Heroes" line

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Unusual Tales - Failure

2012-01-23T14:33:00.000-05:00

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

"Failure" is a 5-page story from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #36 [1958]. An entertaining little science fiction parable about scientist Karl Phalen, who has been working on a device to see the future with the help of three wealthy backers, and the choice he has to make on the cusp of success. A few really good images by Ditko, especially in the glimpse of the near future.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Next new release A DITKO #16 coming soon
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Ditko's 1980s INDIANA JONES stories in print from Dark Horse

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Phantom Spring

2012-01-22T14:33:00.002-05:00

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

"The Phantom Spring" is a 5-page story from Charlton's ROCKY LANE'S BLACK JACK #26 [1959], another of just over two dozen western stories that Ditko illustrated. In this story, the famed ebony horse helps out an old prospector. Some decent art in here, always good to see a few silent panels, and the big action sequence on the last page is fun.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Most of Ditko's 1980s THUNDER AGENTS tales in DC's ARCHIVES v7
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Night Of The Red Snow

2012-01-21T15:48:00.001-05:00

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

"The Night Of The Red Snow" is the cover-featured 6-page story from Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #9 [1957]. The Mayor of Crestville narrates the story of a strange occurrence in his small mountain-top town, a strange red snow that fell shortly after a strange artist named Duval moved into town. Strange little story, with an unexpected ending (especially with what might have been a deliberate red herring in the name of the moving truck), it's a great example of Ditko's early work, especially the middle of page 2 and the close-ups on page 5.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Newest work, A DITKO #15, now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Almost complete DC Ditko available in three hardcovers (CREEPER, OMNIBUS v1, OMNIBUS v2)

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

New Ditko - DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v2

2012-01-17T11:51:00.000-05:00

Now available is DC's THE STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS v2, collecting Ditko's three 1960s stories featuring The Hawk And The Dove, plus almost (but not quite) everything else he ever drew for DC not included in the matching OMNIBUS v1 and CREEPER hardcovers published in the last two years.

Upcoming Ditko - #16 SIXTEEN

2011-12-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

Next new Steve Ditko comic on the schedule from Ditko and Robin Snyder is #16 SIXTEEN, with The Madman returning and various other regulars from the previous comics in the series.

As usual, updates and ordering information will be available over here, along with info on the many other Ditko books in print. Retailers should contact Robin Snyder for discounts on wholesale purchases of the whole line.

New Ditko - A DITKO #15

2011-12-22T23:09:00.000-05:00

Ditko's latest all-new 32-page comic, A DITKO #15, is now available. The !? returns, plus The Cape, The Distorter, E(e) and I(I) and various single page comics.

As usual, all the new books and various other Ditko publications are available directly from Robin Snyder, details here, and the new book should be available from retailers who order from Snyder now or in the near future (interested retailers should contact Snyder for terms, which are probably better than you get for similar comics from your main distributor). For those who usually buy from me, you can order the single comic with various shipping options from this page, or contact me (kirbyweblog at gmail dot com) if you want to order it with any of the other books.

Unusual Tales - The Strange Silence

2011-12-05T13:24:00.000-05:00

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

"The Strange Silence" is a 4-page story from St. John's DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957]. A fairly low-key crime drama morality play, a few good Ditko panels you might be able to make out through the horrid printing.

One of five Ditko stories in this unusual book, his only work published by St. John. Here are the other four:
"Nightmare"
"The Somnambulist"
"You Can Make Me Fly"
"The Man Who Crashed Into Another Era"

And the cover is among those posted here

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

CREEPER hardcover available from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Stowaway

2011-12-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

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

"Stowaway" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #5 [1957]. A short tale in the vein of many mid-century boys adventure science fiction short stories, with a young boy sneaking aboard a space ship and finding some adventure on the way. Couple of really good Ditko images of the boy floating in space, you can see the action anatomy that would become a signature of his super-hero storytelling in a few years.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Hundreds of pages of new Ditko in the last few years
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Most recent issue #86 available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Releases back to 2005 listed

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - A Dreamer's World

2011-12-04T22:08:00.000-05:00

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

"A Dreamer's World" is a 6-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #5 [1957]. An enjoyable little early space age story about some fanciful mysteries beyond the final frontier, I like the musical notes in one panel, and an evil space nazi getting clocked on the jaw is always worth reading.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

DITKO OMNIBUS v2 from DC featuring Starman out soon
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Scar

2011-12-04T12:49:00.000-05:00

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

"The Scar" is a 5-page story from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #34 [1957]. The story is a sort of Poe-inspired guilty conscience story, set in the business world, and there are a lot of clever visuals by Ditko to make it stand out, especially the splash panel and the one I've highlighted to the right.

And the name of the lead character is interesting, to say the least.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

New comic out soon
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

CREEPER hardcover available from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Crashed Into Another Era

2011-11-24T19:25:00.000-05:00

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

"The Man Who Crashed Into Another Era" is a quick 3-page story from St. John's DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957]. Not much to add to what you can read in the slight story, but you do get a few nice Ditko dinosaurs.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

CREEPER hardcover available from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Mirage

2011-11-22T16:57:00.000-05:00

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

"The Mirage" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #5 [1957]. A man breaks out from a prison but still has to cross a desert to complete his escape. Light story, but effectively told.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Hawk & Dove and other reprinted in upcoming DITKO OMNIBUS v2

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Upcoming Ditko - A DITKO #15

2011-11-22T02:32:00.000-05:00

Release is coming up for the next new Ditko, A DITKO #15, which will feature the return of The !?, plus more of E&I and more surprises.

As usual, updates and ordering information will be available over here, along with info on the many other Ditko books in print. Retailers should contact Robin Snyder for discounts on wholesale purchases of the whole line.

Unusual Tales - Nightmare

2011-11-22T01:34:00.000-05:00

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

"Nightmare" is a 7-page story from St. John's DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957]. Interesting little story about a woman who has a detailed prophetic dream of doom about her husband, a bit more intricate than average for these stories, thanks to the few extra pages, and some nice artwork.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Various 1960s and 1980s THUNDER AGENTS reprints from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Secret Room

2011-11-21T13:24:00.000-05:00

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

"The Secret Room" is a 5-page story from Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #6 [1957]. A quick little story about John and Mary Miller, and elderly couple who buy a rotting old house to spend their last years in, and as you often see in these stories find so much more than they expect. Nothing too special, but a couple of nice Ditkoisms in their early form.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

New work published on a regular basis
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Regular reviews of the new Ditko stuff and more

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Lots of old work coming back into print for the first time in decades

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Somnambulist

2011-11-21T08:24:00.009-05:00

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

The 6-page story "The Somnambulist" comes to us from St. John's DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957], one of five Ditko stories in that issue that make up his only work for published by the company. An entertaining little tale about a barker peddling the sideshow attraction of a man who never wakes but can make predictions about the future. Of course it's all an over-elaborate scheme, which eventually backfires.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

MOCKER graphic novel available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Art and articles on all aspects of Ditko's career

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Black and white reprint of Ditko inking Ayers on Sgt. Fury now available

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Changed Bodies

2011-11-20T17:56:00.000-05:00

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

"The Man Who Changed Bodies" is a 5-page story from Charlton's THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #13 [1957]. Pretty standard morality play about a man who learns that people control their own fortunes after he finds a way to switch bodies with a millionaire. A lot of nice Ditko images, including the body transfer scene and the panel showing off the extravagant lifestyle that squanders away the ill-gotten wealth.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Close to complete Ditko DC library soon to be available in three matching hardcovers

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - I Made A Volcano

2011-11-19T21:15:00.002-05:00

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

From Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #5 [1957] comes "I Made A Volcano", one of my favourite Ditko stories from the era. The story about a man in the jungles of South America obsessed with destruction, with a surprise ending (thus obscured in the thumbnails below). The writing is a cut above the norm for these comics, and Ditko does a great job with the lush jungle backgrounds and the body language reinforcing aspects of the story.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

A DITKO #15 up next
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

1980s Indiana Jones issues reprinted by Dark Horse
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Atomic Clerk

2011-11-19T15:46:00.001-05:00

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

"The Atomic Clerk" is a 5-page story published by Charlton in STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #34 [1957]. A quick little Cold War thriller about a minor Pentagon employee who finds himself caught in a web of intrigue. I especially like a lot of the panels on page 4, with a nice mix of drama and suspense.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Complete STATIC graphic novel available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Halloween 2011 issue out now

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Over 100 publications from the last 7 years listed
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Cover Gallery (2 of 3)

2011-11-18T14:12:00.001-05:00

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

As previously discussed, Ditko drew 20 covers for Charlton during his first stint there, published in 1954 and 1955. Ditko covers resumed in 1957, and he drew some great covers during the rest of the 1950s, mostly for Charlton (with three Marvel covers in early 1959 and one other one seen below). A dozen of them were previously posted here. Another dozen are printed in the recent Ditko/Snyder co-publication THE COVER SERIES. Everything else appears below.

My comments on the covers below, click on the thumbnails for larger scans.

Some links to check out:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

New material and classic reprints, including THE COVER SERIES

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue out now

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Lots of public domain Ditko from various publishers available

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957]
The only non-Charlton cover in this set to start us off, I discussed what little I know about this oddity in Ditko's late 1950s career in this post about one of the five Ditko stories. Very striking cover, unrelated to any of those interior stories, Ditko horses are always interesting to see, as are Ditko birds, so a winged horse by Ditko is doubly interesting.

CHEYENNE KID #10 [1957]
And another oddity, I think that this is the only western cover that Ditko drew, other than a few ink jobs over Kirby for Marvel. No Ditko interiors this issue, so we're left with this single rendition of Ditko's version of Custer's Last Stand. Not that the actual interior story on the theme is a let-down, being drawn by Al Williamson and Angelo Torres.

TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]
And something more typical, a Traveler cover with a large imposing figure of our host, along with teasers for three of the Ditko stories inside, "The Old Fool", "Tomorrow's Punishment" and "When Old Doc Died"

THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #14 [1957]
And the Traveler's less subtle companion Dr. Haunt teases another trio of Ditko tales. The blurb for "The Green Man" is kind of large and visually boring, unfortunately, but I do like the tattered posters on the ground for "The Second Self" and "From Out Of The Depths".

UNUSUAL TALES #10 [1958]
A great cover, completely unrelated to any of the stories in the issue, which only get text blurbs across the bottom. Intriguing looking figure, and I like the unusual shading method used to get the foggy look.

MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #10 [1958]
Also unrelated to any of the interior contents, I like the look of the water, and the shadowy alien figure in the ship, and that large tree in the foreground drawn in negative space.

MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #11 [1959]
This is one of those unusual pieces signed "J. Kodti" (sometimes "J. Kotdi"). Impressive cover, I always like the weird alien fish. No story to go with this cover, unfortunately.

STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #40 [1959]
Unrelated to the interiors, not really one of my favourites, though there are some interesting inking techniques.

TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #11 [1959]
I suppose a case could be made that this cover goes with the story "Inside The Crystal Globe", although the design of the villain of the piece is quite different. Still a very nice cover, whenever I see it I imagine it as a Doctor Strange cover, with Doc in place of the Traveler and a title like "The Menace Of The Other Ancient One".

UNUSUAL TALES #15 [1959]
For a few months in 1959 Charlton had their "Win 8000 Prizes" promotion, which unfortunately they chose to plug on the cover with that giant prize ribbon on every book. A trio of Ditko covers got that treatment, but they're still great covers, especially this one. Unrelated to any interiors, and interestingly with a visual theme Ditko would return to a few times in stories he wrote in the 1980s.

OUT OF THIS WORLD #12 [1959]
Unrelated to the interiors, though both the diving suit and the drilling machine resemble elements from stories in other books.

OUTER SPACE #21 [1959]
Again unrelated to the interiors, proud American astronauts captured by aliens. Very nice, though I question the design of a space suit with bare hands...

And four more...

In the late 1950s it became pretty common for Charlton not to run original artwork on the covers, but instead use interior artwork, often with modifications, for the cover. These are the first few examples of such covers by Ditko, there would be a lot more in the 1960s.

STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #37 [1958]
An image taken from the opening page of "The Dancing Cat", with some heaving reworking on the cat figure.

TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #10 [1958]
The Traveler headshot comes from "Little Boy Blue", with some modifications, and a panel from that story and from "The Statues That Came To Life" complete the image.

SPACE ADVENTURES #31 [1959]
A combination of two panels from "The Enchanted Planet".

OUT OF THIS WORLD #16 [1959]
A combination of several panels from "The Little Things".

Some excellent covers. I'd probably go with UNUSUAL TALES #15 as my favourite of those, but there are several strong contenders.

Unusual Tales - Escape [2]

2011-11-17T16:49:00.001-05:00

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

Wait, didn't I already post "Escape"? No, that was a different story with the same title published a few months earlier (and Ditko would draw another "Escape" published by Charlton in 1973). This "Escape" is a 4-page story first published in Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #9 [1957].

Very nice opening panel in this one, especially how the story title jumps right out the top into the normally inviolable book title area. Typical criminal on the run meeting justice from an unexpected corner story, with a lot of interesting Ditko visuals in the extreme close-ups and unusual angles that the story calls for.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

1970s "Escape" in the 160-PAGE CHARLTON PRESS book

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Hulk/Torch "Marvel Vault" story now in collected Vault softcover

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Mister Evriman

2011-11-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

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

"Mister Evriman" is a 6-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]. This has always been one of my favourite of these 1950s Charlton shorts. It starts with the Traveler musing about that impact of this new-fangled "television" thing on American society, note the nice symbolic urban background dominated by antennas on every building. A pollster doing some research finds some disturbing correlations about the negative impact of game shows, and how they're setting the world up for tyranny and destruction, until a game-show contestant named Homer Evriman shows up, setting the cosmic balance straight. Sure, it makes little sense, but it's a tale well told.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over two dozen publications in print

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Back issues and subscriptions available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

CREEPER hardcover available from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Tomorrow's Punishment

2011-11-16T17:43:00.000-05:00

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

"Tomorrow's Punishment" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]. A nice little tale of a magic mirror used in the service of crime told by the Traveler, I especially like the hint the Traveler gives in the beginning of a larger story about the origin of the mirror. Also a few nice visual bits in the curio shop and the texture of the visions in the mirror.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

A DITKO #15 coming soon

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

#86 now available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

DITKO OMNIBUS v2 coming soon from DC

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #86

2011-10-18T18:11:00.001-04:00

DITKOMANIA #86 is now available, the 2011 Halloween issue, with a very nice Spider-Man cover on that theme. Inside is a detailed look at the changes made (and variations on reprints) on Ditko's Spider-Man covers and the second part in a detailed article about Mort Todd's work with Ditko.

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

Unusual Tales - Little Girl Lost

2011-10-04T03:31:00.000-04:00

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

"Little Girl Lost" is a 4-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]. Strange little story about a couple worried about their missing child. Seems to be something missing in the script, but the art is nicely dramatic, especially the extreme close-ups.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

A DITKO #14 now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Great art and articles on all eras of Ditko

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v1 out now with Shade, Stalker and more

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

--Link-- Making of 1990 Ant-Man story

2011-10-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

Tony Isabella takes an in-depth look at the making of the 1990 Ant-Man story he wrote that was drawn by Steve Ditko, published in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #24, including his breakdown, plot and script, plus photocopies of the Ditko pencils.

Introduction
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5

New Ditko - A DITKO #14

2011-10-01T02:46:00.000-04:00

Now available, A DITKO #14, the latest Ditko solo release from Ditko and Robin Snyder.

As usual, all the new books and various other Ditko publications are available directly from Robin Snyder, details here, and the new book should be available from retailers who order from Snyder now or in the near future (interested retailers should contact Snyder for terms, which are probably better than you get for similar comics from your main distributor). For those who usually buy from me, you can order the single comic with various shipping options from this page, or contact me (kirbyweblog at gmail dot com) if you want to order it with any of the other books.

Non-Ditko - SUGAR & SPIKE ARCHIVES by Sheldon Mayer

2011-09-18T01:41:00.000-04:00

If you'll indulge me in a rare completely Ditko-free post on this weblog, if you like funny comics may I recommend the just-released SUGAR & SPIKE ARCHIVES VOL. 1, collecting the first 10 issues of the Sheldon Mayer series from 1956-1957. One of my favourite comics of all time, this is a long overdue collection, and I hope the first of many.

If you're unfamiliar with the series, you can see many, many posts about it over on my other site.

New Ditko - DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v1

2011-08-30T22:10:00.001-04:00

DC's THE STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS VOLUME ONE, featuring Shade, Stalker and various non-series short stories from 1966 to 1982, should be available in comic shops tomorrow. I'll have a copy soon, but anyone who gets one right away feel free to use the comment section here to discuss the contents and quality, including the obvious question regarding the last issue of Shade.

[update, confirmed that the unpublished story intended for Shade #9 is included, in black and white]

Upcoming Ditko - ESSENTIAL SGT. FURY v1

2011-08-27T16:40:00.000-04:00

Marvel has a big black&white collection of the first few years of SGT. FURY coming out in November. Lots of great artwork by creator Jack Kirby in the early issues, ably followed up by Dick Ayers, but for the purposes of this weblog the interesting thing is SGT. FURY #15 [1965], which has the 20-page story "Too Small To Fight, Too Young To Die", pencils by Dick Ayers and inks by Steve Ditko. Very attractive combination.

ESSENTIAL SGT. FURY VOL. 1 TPB

Penciled by JACK KIRBY & DICK AYERS
Stand at attention, soldier, and get ready for a super-size K-ration of the adventures of Sgt. Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos! Join Fury and his Howlers — with special guest-appearances by Captain America and Bucky! — as they battle Baron Strucker and his Ratzi hordes, bringing the action all the way to Hitler himself! This tank-size tome brings you such a heaping serving of WWII adventures that enough to whet even Dum Dum Dugan’s appetite! WA-HOOO!
Collecting SGT. FURY #1-23 and ANNUAL #1.
544 PGS. $19.99

Ghostly Tales #60 [1967]

2011-08-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Two 8-page Ditko stories in this issue, both inked by Rocke Mastroserio, who inked quite a few pages of Ditko's work at Charlton in the 1966/1967 era, mostly Captain Atom stories but also a handful of ghost stories like these.

The issue opens with "If I Had Three Wishes", written by Gary Friedrich, where an Egyptologist names Jason Partridge is rewarded for his interest in knowledge rather than riches with a golden scepter which grants wishes of riches, life and death. As in every story with such a plot, the wishes don't quite work as expected. Not too inspired a story, and most of the artwork is just adequate, but there are some absolutely wonderful bits when Ditko is drawing the Egyptian statues and artifacts. Host Mr. Dedd's reactions to the events are also pretty amusing.

Closing off the issue is "The Ghost Mover", the tale of Howard Croft, a man who makes home movies of himself doing various death-defying stunts. His latest plan is to set up some cameras in a house that's believed to be haunted. Again, not too inspired a story, and nothing quite as special in the art for Ditko/Mastroserio to show off their artistic chops at the Egyptian stuff in the first story. Mr. Dedd does seem to find it all quite amusing.

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #85

2011-08-20T11:12:00.000-04:00

DITKOMANIA #85 is now available. This issue concentrates on Ditko's work in black&white magazines, with well illustrated articles looking at all 16 of Ditko's 1960s Warren stories and all 5 of his 1980s stories for MONSTERS ATTACK (the latter article written by me). Also in this issue are reviews of the newest Ditko releases, ACT 8 and the Hulk/Torch "Marvel Vault" story, plus the usual fan art, letters and more.

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

Unusual Tales - Can This Be Real?

2011-08-09T17:06:00.001-04:00

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

"Can This Be Real?" is a 6-page story first published in Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #9 [1958]. A reporter named Eddie thinks he's got a big scoop when he snaps an infra-red photo of the FBI capturing a spy, but when he develops the picture he finds there's a bigger story in the two strange men in the background.

Clever little story, and a lot of great storytelling by Ditko. In particular take a look at the bottom of page 3, a nice example of Ditko's work from the era, and a perfect final panel. A lot of good uses of the tall shape you get from the 3x2 six-panel grid.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

New edition of classic MR. A available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue on Ditko's black&white work out soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Ditko/Wood STALKER in upcoming DC collection

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Heel And The Healer

2011-08-09T01:36:00.000-04:00

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

"The Heel And The Healer" is a 6-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #7 [1958]. The Traveler narrates a brief parable about a snake-oil salesman down in Mexico trying to sell his phony cures when he runs into a real healer.

Entertaining enough story, but like a lot of these stories with hosts the more interesting thing is the variety of ways Ditko would draw the host. I especially like the first image in this one, which has an interesting effect which I don't think Ditko used very often.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Read fascinating comic-book history in THE AVENGING MIND

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue coming soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Will the Shade reprint include the unpublished issue? Your guess is as good as mine...

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

--Link-- Marvel Mysteries and Comics Minutiae

2011-08-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

Nick Caputo, who attentive readers of this weblog will know is the one most likely to correct me in the comments when I make a mistake, has just started his own blog, Marvel Mysteries and Comics Minutiae, and as you'd expect one of his first posts is about Steve Ditko, as I'm sure many in the future will be. Go read and subscribe in your rss reader of choice.

Unusual Tales - The Wrong Planet

2011-08-07T14:28:00.000-04:00

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

"The Wrong Planet" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's SPACE ADVENTURES #27 [1959]. This is the story of Rogul, a strange colourfully dressed man who appears on a city street one day, speaking an unknown language and not knowing where he is. Fortunately one of the people on hand for his appearance is a linguistics professor, so we eventually get some answers, which only raise more questions.

Strange little story, Ditko does a good job with Rogul's attire, and we get one of those classic Ditko alien cityscapes on the final page.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

A DITKO #14 coming soon, Miss Eerie returns

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Lots of great back issues with great articles and art

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Almost every Ditko story for DC in print by year's end

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Live For Reunion

2011-08-07T14:11:00.000-04:00

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

"Live For Reunion" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #5 [1957]. It's about a boy named Hal, whose parents vanish when he's young due to the appearance of some mysterious "Green People" and his quest to find out what really happened.

An entertaining story with some great body language and facial expressions by Ditko. And check out the interesting bit on the middle tier of page 4, with a look at Hal's travels through the world in search of clues. Very cleverly done, and very evocative of some later Ditko work as well.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 8 now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue coming soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Several DC hardcovers coming soon, Stalker, Shade, Starman, Hawk & Dove among contents

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Upcoming Ditko - DC's DITKO OMNIBUS v2

2011-07-18T21:49:00.001-04:00

Official solicitation for the second DITKO OMNIBUS from DC, a companion to the imminent first volume which will include SHADE, STALKER and Ditko's short non-series bits.

THE STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC
Written by STEVE DITKO, LEN WEIN, PAUL LEVITZ, MARK MILLAR and others • Art by STEVE DITKO and others • Cover by STEVE DITKO
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 384 pg, FC, $59.99 US
Collecting tales by artist Steve Ditko from SHOWCASE #75, THE HAWK AND THE DOVE #1-2, MAN-BAT #1, DETECTIVE COMICS #483-485 and 487, ADVENTURE COMICS #467-468, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #267, 268, 274, 276 and 281, OUTSIDERS #13, LEGENDS OF THE DC UNIVERSE 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and the TALES OF THE NEW GODS TP.

The issues for ADVENTURE are obviously a typo, it should be #467-478 for the complete run of Starman. Two Legion stories are missing, #257 and #272, which would be an odd omission, since those are stand-alone stories while a few of the others are chapters of larger stories (and another features Doctor Mayavale). And not too surprising, but no mention of the Ditko pages from longer stories in DC SPECIAL SERIES #9 [1978] and ACTION COMICS #642 [1989]. And hopefully one or the other of the Omnibus volumes will include stray single pages like Ditko's Superman pin-up and his pages for WHO'S WHO.

Upcoming Ditko - A DITKO #14

2011-07-17T14:15:00.001-04:00

Ditko's next original publication looks like it does away with the "Act" numbering he's been using for the last few and just uses the total number since he began publishing in this format in 2008, therefore we get A DITKO #14. Returning characters are Miss Eerie and The Cape, plus a new feature The Distorter and more. Coming soon, ordering details over here for this and previous Ditko works in print.

New Ditko - ACT 8

2011-07-17T14:08:00.000-04:00

Now available, ACT 8, MAKING LUCKY 13, THIRTEEN DITKO'S 32s, the latest Ditko solo release from Ditko and Robin Snyder.

As usual, all the new books and various other Ditko publications are available directly from Robin Snyder, details here, and the new book should be available from retailers who order from Snyder now or in the near future (interested retailers should contact Snyder for terms, which are probably better than you get for similar comics from your main distributor). For those who usually buy from me, I'll have copies soon, and you'll get the usual e-mail when I do.

New Ditko - Hulk/Torch one-shot available

2011-07-02T22:15:00.000-04:00

Now in stores, The Incredible Hulk and The Human Torch From The Marvel Vault #1, the early 1980s inventory story for MARVEL TEAM-UP by Jack C. Harris and Steve Ditko, newly completed with script and inks from Karl Kesel. Click here to order, or just to see the cover you should look for.

If you're not into buying single issues these days, there's a collection that will include this one-shot and some other recently completed books from Marvel's inventory coming out in October.

--Link-- Ditko Hulk pages from upcoming book

2011-06-25T01:48:00.001-04:00

CBR has a preview of a few inked and coloured but unlettered pages featuring the Hulk from the upcoming Hulk/Torch special, which prints the Jack C. Harris story Ditko illustrated in the early 1980s, now inked and scripted by Karl Kesel.

Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

And here are those pages scripted, plus Karl Kesel's introduction.

Upcoming Ditko - Avengers Annual reprint

2011-06-25T00:50:00.000-04:00

Coming late this year is a reprint of a storyline from the mid-1980s West Coast Avengers, where some story elements carried on into AVENGERS ANNUAL #15 [1986], which featured a 40-page story drawn by Steve Ditko with inks by Klaus Janson. This will be the first time that story has been reprinted.

AVENGERS: WEST COAST AVENGERS — SINS OF THE PAST PREMIERE HC
Written by STEVE ENGLEHART, MARK BRIGHT & DANNY FINGEROTH
Penciled by AL MILGROM, MARK BRIGHT & STEVE DITKO
Covers by AL MILGROM & ALEX SAVIUK
It’s the greatest heroes of the left coast! Hawkeye! Mockingbird! Tigra! The Thing! Wonder Man! Iron Man! Hank Pym! Firebird! See these unlikely allies take on the quirky and deadly threats of Graviton, Headlok, the Griffin, Razorfist, Zzzax, Master Pandemonium, Whirlwind and more! Guest-starring Nick Fury and the Cat People!
Collecting WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #10-16 and ANNUAL #1, and AVENGERS ANNUAL #15.
248 PGS. $34.99

Unusual Tales - They Must Be Like Us

2011-06-12T19:58:00.000-04:00

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

"They Must Be Like Us" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #15 [1959]. Pretty pedestrian story without much of interest in the artwork. The ending seems to be setting up something, which is pretty unusual in these anthology books and I assume was never followed up on.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 8, the 13th in the modern series of Ditko one-shots, out soon, all previous issues available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Published bi-monthly, lots of little seen Ditko

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Two DC hardcovers coming out this year, including Ditko's SHADE, HAWK&DOVE, STALKER and more

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Fatal Rendezvous

2011-06-05T23:13:00.000-04:00

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

"Fatal Rendezvous" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's BLACK FURY #16 [1958]. It's a well drawn story about a man named Durkin who's out in the wild in the middle of a drought and his encounter with our equine hero. A nicely unusual story. I especially like the emphasis on the sun to show the heat of the story and the buffalo stampede on page four.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 8 out soon

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Published bi-monthly

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Lots of available reprints of material from this era

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - He Shall Have Vengeance

2011-06-02T16:40:00.000-04:00

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

"He Shall Have Vengeance" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #13 [1957]. Again a pretty predictable ending, but some really good bits by Ditko, especially in the faces showing desperation and fear, two Ditko specialties. And of course lots of good interstitial panels featuring the narrator Dr. Haunt.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

160 page book of classic 1970s Charlton available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Published bi-monthly, back issues available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Two Ditko Omnibus volumes from DC coming out this year

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - You Can Make Me Fly

2011-06-01T21:59:00.001-04:00

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

DO YOU BELIEVE IN NIGHTMARES #1 [1957] was a comic published by St. John, featuring Ditko's only work published by the company. It's a bit of an oddity in Ditko history, appearing in the middle of a two year period where his work otherwise only appeared in Charlton comics, and is the one of the rare comics with Ditko artwork outside of Charlton or Marvel from 1955 to 1965. Ditko draws the cover and five of the six stories for the comic, which are all pretty much indistinguishable from the contemporary Charlton work (except even Charlton never had the yellow plates that far out of register). "You Can Make Me Fly" is a 4-page story from that issue, about a criminal who breaks out of jail and confronts his scientist brother, who has an invention that would be useful in aiding an escape from the law. You'll figure out the twist halfway through the story. Visually a very nice story, from the reflected faces in the first panel to the flying bits on the last page.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Classic MR. A now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issues coming bi-monthly

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Hulk/Torch story coming closer

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Hostile Planet

2011-05-25T00:33:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

STATIC, MOCKER and MISSING MAN volumes available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue now available

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Hulk/Torch team-up inches closer every day

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Plague

2011-05-21T17:54:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 7 now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue out now

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Hulk/Torch team-up from 30 years ago coming soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Merciless Mesa

2011-05-18T23:04:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 8 out soon

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

#84 now available, with samples of as-yet unpublished Ditko Hulk/Torch team-up pencils

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Aforementioned Hulk/Torch story coming soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #84

2011-05-14T20:14:00.000-04:00

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.

New Ditko - Letter re: Crandall

2011-05-07T19:13:00.000-04:00

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.

Unusual Tales - Stranger In The House

2011-05-04T20:50:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

160-page reprint of classic 1970s Charlton short stories still available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue out soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

New Pure Imagination reprint of 1960s Charlton work announced

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Upcoming Ditko - New PI collection

2011-05-03T21:15:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Complete MISSING MAN book available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Ditko rarities and fan art and articles

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Complete CREEPER hardcover available

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Disappeared

2011-05-01T00:40:00.000-04:00

"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:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

WHA..!?, new edition of classic 1970s comic now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Ditko news and reviews bi-monthly

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Unpublished c1981 Hulk/Torch story coming soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Inside The Crystal Globe

2011-04-25T22:08:00.000-04:00

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

"Inside The Crystal Globe" is a 4-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #11 [1959]. This is one of a handful of stories and covers from the era that are signed "J. Kodti" (or sometimes "Kotdi"). Not sure why the pen-name was used, but there is a slightly different look to the inking on this story compared to most Ditko work of the era. A little sharper, less variation in line weight. Anyway, not too much of a story, as the Traveler mentions in his introduction it's one of the rare times he chooses to intervene rather than just narrate. The most interesting bit of art is the ghostly image of the Traveler in the crystal ball on the first page, that's really effective.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Complete MISSING MAN book available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue out soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Two big DC collections scheduled for 2011

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Most Terrible Fate

2011-04-23T01:58:00.000-04:00

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

"The Most Terrible Fate" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #7 [1958]. In a post-nuclear war world of a thousand years in the future, a young man finds out that his parents have been keeping a terrible secret from him. Kind of an over-wrought story with a twist you'll probably see coming, but the art is nice. Note especially the good panel progression across the top of the last page, ending with a classic Ditko extreme close-up of the eye.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Get the massive AVENGING WORLD collection, 240 pages of comics and essays, now

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue out soon

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Doctor Strange softcover MARVEL MASTERWORKS volume now available

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Thing From Below

2011-04-20T22:12:00.000-04:00

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

"The Thing From Below" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #5 [1957]. An excellent monster story about a professor who goes around the oceans using an ancient formula that he believes is bait for a sea monster. Apparently he didn't think too far ahead, as the emergence of an actual sea monster scares him spitless, leading to a very 1950s ending. Some great work by Ditko, especially on that first page.

Though there's probably no way to verify it one way or another at this date, I wonder if the gorgeous cover to UNUSUAL TALES #6 [1957], a few months prior to this issue, goes with this story. It certainly does fit, though the monster design is different, and there are more men on the boat, and they look more like recreational fishermen than researchers.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Classic MR. A comic reprint available now

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Chock full of fan art, article and Ditko rarities

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

1980s Deluxe THUNDER AGENTS reprint coming soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - All Those Eyes

2011-04-20T06:53:00.000-04:00

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

"All Those Eyes" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #6 [1957]. It's a brief humourous story about a master of disguise who works as a spy, and what leads to his downfall. Not a great story, but those familiar with Ditko's later work will see some visual themes that resonate, especially on the second page.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

DITKO PACKAGE featuring Shag still available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Subscribe and get back issues now

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Unpublished Hulk/Torch story from 1981 coming soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - When Old Doc Died

2011-04-19T13:45:00.000-04:00

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

"When Old Doc Died" is a 5-page story first published in Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]. Another favourite, this is pretty much the dictionary definition of what would now be called a "Twilight Zone story", but two years before the TV show even began. Very tight and compact story about a small-town Vermont doctor and his near-death experience, Ditko does a great job with it, especially the subtle changes in line weight for the different settings, and some especially good shots of ~~Rod Serling~~ the Traveler. Looks like there were a few lettering changes made prior to publication, I suspect to edit out the name of Doc's second destination. I'm kind of surprised that they even got away with the explicit mention of the Devil in those early Code days.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Full length STATIC and MOCKER graphic novels still available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Articles on all facets of Ditko's career

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Complete CREEPER hardcover now available

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - Manana

2011-04-18T21:39:00.000-04:00

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

"Manana" is a 2-page story first published in Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #9 [1958]. Just a quick little morality play more than a story, but very enjoyably brought to life by Ditko, it's always been among my favourite of his 1950s stories.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 8 coming soon

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

#84 coming even sooner

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Reprint of SHADE, STALKER and other DC rarities coming not quite as soon

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Stepped Out Of A Cloud

2011-04-17T13:40:00.001-04:00

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

"The Man Who Stepped Out Of A Cloud" is a 5-page story from Charlton's OUT OF THIS WORLD #5 [1957]. A gorgeous looking story, really showing off some of the best aspects of early Ditko, from the use of shadows to the expressive faces to the weird alien designs, and some really good Ditko hands and ties. The story itself, well, has kind of a creepy subtext read in modern times, which probably wasn't intended and wouldn't have been seen fifty years ago, but is pretty decent.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

ACT 7, the twelfth of Ditko's current series, now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

New issue immenent, subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

Potentially all of Ditko's DC work in-print by the end of 2011

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Upcoming Ditko - Act 8

2011-04-13T00:17:00.001-04:00

...or to give it what looks to be the full title, ACT 8 MAKING LUCKY 13, THIRTEEN, DITKO'S 32S. That's the next new Ditko in the series, and as you can see from the cover, we get some Grey Negotiator and some Madman, plus a classic Ditko visual motif in that close-up of the eyes. Coming soon, ordering details over here for this and previous Ditko works in print.

Upcoming Ditko - Strange Tales reprint and random Spider-Man

2011-04-12T15:41:00.000-04:00

Pair of reprints from Marvel. There's a Spider-Man reprint mini-series which apparently reprints some random selection of comics, with the fourth issue it has three issues of the Ditko run for a good price, if you're looking for a Ditko-era Spider-Man sampler. And for the first time the Marvel Masterworks line gets to one of Ditko's seventeen stories from his first run at Marvel, with the 4-page never reprinted "The Great Experiment" from STRANGE TALES #46 [1956]. Unfortunately Ditko's stories were so scattered that they'll be spread out among almost seventeen different books in this format.

SPIDER-MAN: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY #4 (of 7)
Written by STAN LEE
Pencils & Cover by STEVE DITKO
Silver Age Spidey classics! Spider-Man makes his crime-fighting debut as he tries to join the Fantastic Four — but will he survive his inaugural battle with the Chameleon? Then, Dr. Octopus returns, madder than ever — and Spider-Man must face the stinging wrath of the Scorpion! Relive the magical collaboration of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in this trio of masterworks from the Marvel Vault! Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #1 (from MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 1 TPB), #11 (from MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 2 TPB) and #20 (from MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 3 TPB).
72 PGS./$3.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA STRANGE TALES VOL. 5 HC
Written by VARIOUS
Penciled by VARIOUS
Cover by JOE MANEELY
From the dark heart of the Atlas Era comes another dose of bizarre and exciting STRANGE TALES! Crafted by a host of the most talented illustrators to ever grace the comic-book page — from early work by Steve Ditko to accomplished efforts by Bill Everett — each story is a page-turning pleasure from the days when comics were as frightful as they were delightful! A heaping helping of bug-eyed aliens, unexplored caves, time machines, mermaids and atomic bombs will prove to you there’s a taste of something for everyone with a penchant for the fearsome and the fantastic. And with an in-depth introduction by noted Atlas scholar Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, there’s no other place where comics’ most contentious era is presented and studied in such detail as here. So reserve your copy today, and march on with the MARVEL MASTERWORKS!
Collecting STRANGE TALES (1951) #40-48.
248 PGS./$64.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-5016-9

Upcoming Ditko - More on Hulk/Torch

2011-04-02T18:30:00.001-04:00

Couple of updates on the recently announced HUMAN TORCH & HULK: FROM THE MARVEL VAULT #1.

If you haven't followed the comments on the original post M. W. Gallaher posted a link to a 1981 fanzine news page that mentions the story, confirming it was intended for MARVEL TEAM-UP, and also mentioning a Moon Knight story by Jack C. Harris and Ditko that's also never been published.

And JCH himself popped in with a few details about the story.

And not confirmed, but I've been told Karl Kesel is indeed inking the story, in addition to scripting it.

Also, the original posted price of the special was incorrect. It'll be $2.99, not $3.99.

And it looks like the story will be included in the tradepaperback FROM THE MARVEL VAULT in the fall, along with the already published Stern/Vokes Doctor Strange story, a Thunderbolts story and maybe one or two other one-shots which haven't been announced yet, in case you want to wait a few months and get it in that format.

Upcoming Ditko - DC Omnibus v2

2011-03-30T21:35:00.000-04:00

DC's first DITKO OMNIBUS, including Shade, Stalker and various short anthology stories, is still a few months away and a second one is already on the horizon. Currently listed for December and at 384 pages and a cover price of $60, though all that is subject to change, of course. Hopefully that 384 pages isn't set in stone, since it's just a smidge lower than you'd need to include every published Ditko page for DC that's not included in either last year's CREEPER book or probable for the first Omnibus. And of course there are some unpublished pages I'm sure most of us would like to see if they're available...

In any case, the book will almost certainly include Ditko's three The Hawk and The Dove stories and his dozen Starman stories. Also likely are his seven Legion of Super-Heroes stories, and his three Demon stories. And MAN-BAT #1 is a pretty solid bet. There are also single stories for the Spectre, Black Lightning and New Gods, and some single page stuff like his gorgeous SUPERMAN #400 pin-up. The big question is if they'll include DC SPECIAL SERIES #9 and ACTION COMICS #642, since Ditko only drew a few pages for longer stories by other artists (featuring Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, respectively). Hopefully they'll include the Ditko pages with a note of explanation (I wouldn't mind seeing the full stories, actually, but that would add almost 100 pages to the book). It would be good if by the end of the year you could point to a selection of three matching hardcovers that contain every bit of Ditko art originally published by DC.

New Ditko - ACT 7 SEVEN

2011-03-28T18:10:00.001-04:00

Ditko's newest creator owned comic, ACT 7 SEVEN, is now available. As noted on the cover, this is #12 in the series of publications that began with THE AVENGING MIND in 2008.

As usual, all the new books and various other Ditko publications are available directly from Robin Snyder, details here, and the new book should be available from retailers who order from Snyder now or in the near future (interested retailers should contact Snyder for terms, which are probably better than you get for similar comics from your main distributor). For those who usually buy from me, I'll have copies soon, and you'll get the usual e-mail when I do.

Upcoming Ditko - Unpublished Hulk/Torch story

2011-03-22T00:03:00.003-04:00

Well, this one is out of nowhere. Harris did some work for Marvel in the early 1980s, and around 1990, so it could be from either of those eras [see comments, apparently it's from around 1981, intended for MARVEL TEAM-UP. And there's apparently a JCH/Ditko Moon Knight story from the same era that never saw print as well]. Presumably it was plotted and penciled a while back, and Kesel is doing a new script. Be interesting to see who the inker is. Kesel would be a good choice, don't think he ever inked Ditko and he's pretty good with a brush.

By the way, not Ditko, but another recent "Marvel Vault" special had a really entertaining Doctor Strange story by Roger Stern and Neil Vokes that was begun about a decade back for Stern's MARVEL UNIVERSE series.

HUMAN TORCH & HULK: FROM THE MARVEL VAULT #1

Written by JACK C. HARRIS & KARL KESEL
Penciled by STEVE DITKO
Cover by MARK BAGLEY

From the depths of the Marvel Vault comes a long-lost issue from Mighty Marvel mainstay Steve Ditko!

"Face front, fans! This is Johnny Storm–the high-flying HUMAN TORCH–with a tale so taut with tension and terror it couldn’t be told until today! When that twisted genius, the Wizard, gains the power of the moon’s magnetism, he becomes more dangerous than Magneto! Add in that bull-headed behemoth, the irrational HULK, and it’s up to Yours Truly to save the day! Again! Don’t miss this page-turning epic of betrayal, brute force, and blazing heroics as only mighty Marvel (and me!) can tell it!"

32 PGS. $2.99

On Sale June 29th

Unusual Tales - He's Coming For Me!

2011-03-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

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

"He's Coming For Me!" is a 5-page story from Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #9 [1957], about a businessman named Prentice who finds out that a man he framed has escaped from prison using an invisibility formula. A pretty clever little twist, and Ditko's art is really good, with some tight close-ups and dense storytelling really reinforcing the paranoia of the story.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Reprint of 1975 classic WHA now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Mailed out bi-monthly, subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

SHADE and other DC stories book on the way

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Enemy

2011-03-02T17:26:00.000-05:00

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

"The Enemy" is a 7-page story from Charlton's ROCKY LANE'S BLACK JACK #24 [1958], the first issue of Ditko's brief run on the series. Pretty typical western story with a group of roughnecks chasing a kindly couple off their land, and then trying to round up the wild horses in the valley, not counting on the fury of their ebony leader Black Jack.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Reprint of 1975 classic WHA now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Mailed out bi-monthly, subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

SHADE and other DC stories book on the way

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

Unusual Tales - The Enchanted Planet

2011-02-28T22:46:00.000-05:00

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

"The Enchanted Planet" is a 6-page story from Charlton's SPACE ADVENTURES #31 [1959]. Gorgeous artwork in this science fiction tale, some of Ditko's best of the 1950s, very detailed and imaginative. It features Bruce Colston, son of a rich businessman in the 26th century, who is completely lacking in drive and ambition until he happens upon a damsel in distress on an exotic alien planet. The action scenes in this story are especially nice, very much pointing the way to the type of thing that would be a Ditko staple in just a few more years.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Reprint of 1975 classic WHA now available

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Mailed out bi-monthly, subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

SHADE and other DC stories book on the way

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to biggy

Unusual Tales - The Strange Fate Of Captain Fenton

2011-02-20T22:16:00.000-05:00

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

"The Strange Fate Of Captain Fenton" is a 7-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #6 [1957], one of many nautical themed stories Ditko drew in the early days. This time around we have a cruel captain who forces a young sailor to toss a prized carving of his overboard. This turns out not to be a good idea, but in a very unexpected way.

Enjoyable story, with some really good artwork by Ditko, as usual in those nautical period pieces. I especially like that somewhat creepy carving.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work

Over 300 new pages from the past three years

Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Mailed out bi-monthly, subscribe today

Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications

SHADE and other DC stories book on the way

Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from

Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to biggy

Unusual Tales - Automata Ultima

2011-02-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

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

"Automata Ultima" is a 3-page science fiction story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #12 [1959], featuring scenes of a future world when automatic machines continue the production of weapons of war long after they're needed. More of a vignette than a story, playing on the doomsday fears of the early Cold War era, and perhaps more than a little inspired by the Ray Bradbury story "There Will Come Soft Rains".

A nice little story, with a really good opening page, and the snippets of the adventures the ship went through are well done.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Newest Ditko ACT 7 SEVEN out soon
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
For all your Ditko fanzine needs
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
SHADE and other DC stories book on the way
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to biggy

Unusual Tales - Adrift In Space

2011-02-19T19:19:00.000-05:00

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

"Adrift In Space" is a 5-page science fiction story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #8 [1958], wherein Captain Crewes is left adrift in space after a mutiny by his men and flashes back to the events that led him there, starting years ago when he first got the years-long mission to explore strange new wolds, through various adventures and onto his decision to extend the mission without telling his crew why.

A nice little story, with a really good opening page, and the snippets of the adventures the ship went through are well done.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Reprint of classic 1975 ..WHA..!? now available for $4
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
For all your Ditko fanzine needs
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
SHADE and other DC stories book on the way
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to biggy

New Ditko - ..WHA..!? reprint

2011-02-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

Now available, ..WHA..!? [2nd edition], a new printing of the 1975 comic book first published by Bruce Hershenson, numbered "D. #3" to indicate its place after MR. A [1973] (2010 reprint now available) and AVENGING WORLD [1973] (contents included in the 2002 AVENGING WORLD collection).

This comic features five black and white stories by Ditko, plus colour front and back covers, some of his best mid-1970s work (a period getting some attention now with recent and upcoming reprints of his DC work of the period).

"Case Of The Silent Voice" 8-pages
"Premise To Consequence" 4-pages
"The Void" 8-pages
"The Captive Spark" 4-pages
"Masquerade" 8-pages

Copies as always available from Robin Snyder, along with a wide selection of other recent and classic Ditko creator-owned works. Retailers interested in carrying the books should contact Snyder for terms and discounts, which probably exceed your discounts on similar books from your near-monopoly distributor. I'll also have copies available, see here, keep an eye on Ebay or e-mail me if you want to combine an order with some of the other available books.

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #83

2011-02-04T22:58:00.000-05:00

Rob Imes reports that DITKOMANIA #83, the 20th issues since the revival of the fanzine three years ago, is now on its way to subscribers from Ditkomania world headquarters in Michigan.

The new issue is 32 B&W pages long (counting the covers) and includes articles and art about CHARLTON COMICS including a listing of all of Ditko's late 1950s Charlton stories (in the order of their job numbers)! There's also an article about GORGO, a review of HAUNTED #1, a comparison of 1950s EC and Charlton, and a review of Ditko's newest comicbook ACT 6.

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

Unusual Tales - The Juggernauts Of Jupiter

2011-01-15T23:00:00.001-05:00

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

"The Juggernauts Of Jupiter" is a 5-page story from Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #15 [1959]. It's been reprinted a few times, but not in colour in quite a while.

An atypical space story, as humans aren't involved at all, except for one passing, and slightly insulting, reference. No, this time it's war between Neptune, led by the belligerent leader The Highest, and the newly discovered peace-loving people of Jupiter. A scientist from Neptune tries to warn the Jovians of the threat, but finds out that peace-loving doesn't always mean unprepared.

A nice little story, with the visual highlight being, as you can see to the right, the long panel on page four showing the glory of the Jovian city.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Reprint of 1975 ..WHA..!? DITKO'S H SERIES coming next
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
New issue out soon
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Softcover Doctor Strange Masterworks available
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click on images to enlarge

Upcoming Ditko - ..WHA..!? reprint

2011-01-12T09:46:00.000-05:00

Robin Snyder informs me that the next book he and Ditko will publish will be a reprint of the 1975 comic ..WHA..!?, which features five short stories. Most of these haven't been reprinted since THE DITKO COLLECTION #2 [1986].

Some really good stuff, I'll post a bit about it soon. This new edition will be $4, ordering details here. Retailers interested in carrying this and the other Snyder/Ditko publications should contact Snyder for details.

(cover shown from original edition, I'll post the new edition when I have it)

Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #34 [1972]

2011-01-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

"Ghostmaster" is the 8-page story cover-featured in Charlton's MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES #34 [1972]. Doctor Graves narrates the story of Leland Menn, a showman who convinces the owners of Funland to finance an elaborate effects-laden haunted house attraction.

The story seems a bit fragmented and ends abruptly, but it serves the purpose of giving Ditko some nice stuff to draw. Especially nice is that contrast in shading levels that Ditko uses when drawing spectral forms alongside the real world. The gag in the middle of page six (seen below) is pretty good, and well rendered by Ditko.

Ditko also draws the cover for the issue, which is a nice representation of the haunted house with its wacky layout and all the usual tropes of such an attraction that show up in the story.

Curse of the Weird #1 [1993]

2011-01-03T23:20:00.001-05:00

This is one of the reprint anthologies of Marvel science-fiction/fantasy/horror stories edited by Mort Todd in the early 1990s. Among other things, Todd hired Ditko to do some new illustrations for the books, including the cover to this issue, which is a nice image of people on the street in a story fleeing a man being struck by lightning. The image reminds me of the story "The Most Dangerous Man In The World" from WORLD OF MYSTERY #6 [1957], but that might be a coincidence.

The Ditko story reprinted in the issue is the 4-page "Do Not Panic" from STRANGE TALES #95 [1962]. A typical science-fiction parable of the era with the reaction of a city to the first landing of an alien craft. I do really like the space-suit that Ditko draws, though the colouring is a bit too modern for me.

ROM #69 [1985]

2011-01-03T00:45:00.000-05:00

ROM #69 [1985] is one of five issues of Ditko's run on the series inked by P. Craig Russell, with the 22-page story "This World Alive". The story is, as always, by Bill Mantlo.

This story features ROM, in the aftermath of the defeat of the Dire Wraiths, searching for others of his kind, humans from Galador who had been converted to robotic forms to fight the Wraiths. His search takes him to an odd world which... well, it's Ego the Living Planet. The cover gives that away, so does the story title to a lesser degree. A shame, as that's the kind of reveal that would have made a nice surprise. Anyway, Ego was a great concept introduced by Jack Kirby in the pages of THOR back in the 1960s, and by this point had returned a few times to encounter the Fantastic Four. ROM's quest for his comrades takes him deep into Ego's ecosystem, where he first encounters the Kirby-designed antibodies that are always on the attack against intruders, and then some half-digested Wraiths on his way to the brain of Ego.

Enjoyable stand-alone story mixing in one of the great cosmic concepts of the Marvel Universe. Ditko's art works well on the almost abstract enlarged organic designs needed for Ego, and Russell's inking is really sharp, and the printing shows it off better than some other issues in this run.

Scary Tales #12 [1978]

2011-01-01T20:13:00.000-05:00

SCARY TALES #12 [1978] from Charlton included the 10-page Ditko illustrated story "The Drowned Girl". This is one of the last Ditko stories from this run at Charlton, just a few more before the company would go all-reprint for several years. As you can probably tell by the scans, their printing presses were ready to give up long before the rest of the company was.

This story begins with Bently Cranford informing his summer fling Maryann that their relationship was finished, as he was returning home to marry his rich girlfriend. When Maryann doesn't take that well, Cranford strangles her and throws her overboard. That's never a good idea in a horror comic, and soon he finds himself haunted by Maryann's ghost when he returns home, straining his relationship with his fiancée until he's compelled to return to the scene of the crime.

If you can get past the printing, it's a pretty decent effort by Ditko, especially some of the slightly off-beat angles in the underwater scenes. I also really liked some of the effects of the boat in stormy seas towards the end of the story.

This story was reprinted a few years later in Charlton's HAUNTED #65 [1983].

New Ditko - Dracula and Thunder

2010-12-29T21:12:00.000-05:00

A pair of late entries to the Ditko in 2010 list.

Marvel's TOMB OF DRACULA OMNIBUS VOL. 3 should have a reprint of the 36-page black and white story "The Dimensional Man" from TOMB OF DRACULA #2 [1979].

And if you always wanted to sample some Tower Comics work, DC COMICS PRESENTS THE T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS #1 has about 100 pages of them from various issues, with the Ditko presumably being "A Matter Of Life And Death" from T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS #7 [1966].

Mad Monsters #1 [1961]

2010-12-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

In the early 1960s Charlton ran a pair of magazines devoted to movie monsters, MAD MONSTERS and HORROR MONSTERS, presumably spurred on by the success of magazines like FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. On a tangentially Ditko related note, the first issue of MAD MONSTERS featured an 8-page photo preview summarizing the story in KONGA. Ditko had, of course, done the comic book adaptation of the movie, and he'd go on to draw some 14 more issues of the series for Charlton in the next few years.

But much more interesting is the actual Ditko content in MAD MONSTERS #1, starting with a great lurid colour cover of a drooling wolfman. I'm not sure if Ditko did the colouring on this, but it's definitely a notch above Charlton standard.

Ditko also provides the only comics content of the issue, the 3-page story "K". Done in black-and-white tone, it's a bizarre story about a monster who creates man. Or something like that. Anyway, the art is very intricate, even with the fairly shoddy printing, making this a real highlight of Ditko's work from the period. The skeleton dog that "K" rides in the first page is just amazing, and middle panel of page 2, shown below, is just full of great stuff, from the scary tree to the walking eyeballs to the sexy four-armed woman to the house on the top of the impossible winding path.

Unusual Tales - The King Of Planetoid X

2010-12-25T12:24:00.002-05:00

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

"The King Of Planetoid X" is a 7-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #7 [1958]. It's been reprinted a few times, but not always successfully, as two of the reprints are missing a page (page 6 both time, oddly), so here are all the pages.

Kind of a convoluted story about the aftermath of interstellar war, when the king of a remote peaceful planetoid is tempted with the promise of great power, if he's willing to assume great responsibility. Nice story with some great art by Ditko, definitely one of the better stories from that era. Kind of an unusual layout on page 6, not something you see very often.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Classic 1980s STATIC graphic novel available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Many back issues available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Softcover Doctor Strange Masterworks available
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click on images to enlarge

Unusual Tales - Second Hand

2010-12-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

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

"Second Hand" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #7 [1958].

Strange little story about people vanishing and and then returning acting somewhat different, and the conspiracy theories that arise from that. Very odd ending. Ditko's art is pretty good, especially some of the close-up faces. I really like that reporter on page 2 panel 4.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Featuring new characters Miss Eerie, The !?, The Cape and more
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Many back issues available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Softcover Doctor Strange Masterworks available
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click on images to enlarge

Unusual Tales - The Angry Things

2010-12-23T10:48:00.000-05:00

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

"The Angry Things" is the 5-page opening story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #7 [1958], a comic which had four Ditko stories in all.

Cute little offbeat ghost story with some interesting art. One point of interesting, notice that on the last page the word "wrong" is very clearly a lettering replacement the two times it occurs. I guess the comic code so prominently mentioned on the first page didn't like the word originally used, which I think you can figure out. While they were at it they could at least have pointed out the superfluous apostrophe in "it's" on page 2.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New reprint of classic MR. A comic available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Bi-monthly, sometimes includes fan art from Dave Sim, Michael T. Gilbert, Steve Bissette and others
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Recent Spider-Man reprint includes samples of pencil art
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click on images to enlarge

Unusual Tales - The Cheapest Steak In Nome

2010-12-22T09:44:00.001-05:00

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

"The Cheapest Steak In Nome" is a quick little 2-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #7 [1958].

It's set during the gold rush up in Alaska, and a cook who found a way to supply the newly wealthy with what they needed, at a price. Although when you read it, you'll probably notice that he was probably missing a bigger money making opportunity.

As usual, some great faces from Ditko.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
ACT 7 SEVEN, the 12th of Ditko's current series, out soon
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
For all your Ditko fanzine needs
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
THUNDER AGENTS reprints on the way
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to biggy

Unusual Tales - The Last Waterhole

2010-12-21T02:40:00.000-05:00

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

"The Last Waterhole" is a 5-page story that appeared in Charlton's ROCKY LANE'S BLACK JACK #28 [1959], the last of five issues of the title to feature Ditko art, and hasn't been reprinted in the half-century since.

In this tale, Rocky Lane's faithful horse is on one of his trips out in the wild during a drought, and encounters two outlaws. Not much of a story, but I do like the faces of the two human characters, and the staging of the action of page four is really good.

But before the story, some links:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
ACT 6, featuring Miss Eerie, now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
In your mailbox bi-monthly
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
DITKO OMNIBUS featuring Shade, Stalker and more in 2011
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Clickening enables enbiggening

Ditko in 2010 wrapup

2010-12-18T18:22:00.004-05:00

There's a slim chance that one or two minor books with Ditko reprints will still show up this year, but otherwise, time for your year in Ditko summary.

As usual, new books are listed as they're announced and released over here. If you want details on the contents of any of these publications, I refer you to Brian Franczak's invaluable Ditko Fever site.

The Ditko/Snyder publishing venture continued at a bi-monthly pace, with a mix of new and classic material. What the six books for 2010 were depends on your definition, since MR. A came out in 2009 but was dated January 2010, while ACT 6 is out now but is dated January 2011.

Mr. A. [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
A Ditko Act Two [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
A Ditko Act 3 [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
Act 4 [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
The Cover Series [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
Ditko #5-Five Act [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]
Act 6 [Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko]

There was also some Ditko content in Robin Snyder's monthly newsletter, THE COMICS, with a 20th Anniversary drawing in the February issue and a page from an unpublished early 1980s Flash Gordon story (script by George Kashdan) in the October issue.

The Comics v21 #1 [Robin Snyder]
The Comics v21 #10 [Robin Snyder]

Rob Imes continued his fanzine DITKOMANIA this year, with six issues out and a lot of great reading about Ditko, plus some nice fan art (including some Dave Sim covers of a few of Ditko's most recent creations) and sometime rare Ditko art you probably haven't seen before. Subscriptions, back issues of most issues since the 2008 revival, and select reprints of earlier issues, also available.

Ditkomania #77 - #82 [Rob Imes]

DC only had one major Ditko reprint out, but it was a big one, probably my choice for book of the year (since I already had copies of the material in the MR. A reprint). The hardcover CREEPER BY STEVE DITKO collection had pretty much every page from Ditko's various stints on the character over the years, including the Showcase issue never really published except as a black&white photocopy.

Possibly out next week is a reprint of some 1960s Tower Comics stuff that may include one or more of Ditko's stories.

2011 should have some more interesting stuff, including reprints of Shade, Stalker and various short stories, and a reprint of the 1980s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents revival with a few Ditko stories.

Marvel wins the quantity award, as usual, mostly oft-reprinted stuff, but the hardcover Masterworks line had the third volumes of TALES TO ASTONISH and TALES OF SUSPENSE reprints, which included a few never-reprinted stories. The softcover Masterworks line had major Ditko work in the fourth and final Ditko SPIDER-MAN volume (including copies of some Ditko pencils for one issue), most of Ditko's DOCTOR STRANGE work in that first volume, some IRON MAN in that collection and some minor work on DAREDEVIL #1 reprinted there. Doesn't look like either hardcover or softcover series has any more Ditko in the near future.

A minor but previously un-reprinted Nighthawk short story in ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS v5, a Ditko reprint backing up some new material in the SPIDER-MAN: FEVER collection and some early Kraven stories mixed in with new pages in SPIDER-MAN: ORIGIN OF THE HUNTER wrap up Marvel's year to date, with a Dracula reprint in the overdue TOMB OF DRACULA OMNIBUS v3 still to come, maybe next week.

And from other publishers reprinting work they didn't publish originally, Titan's THE SIMON AND KIRBY SUPERHEROES includes a reprint of the 1953 CAPTAIN 3-D #1 (in colour, not 3-D), to which Ditko contributed some amount of inking or backgrounds. Dark Horse included the balance of Ditko's 1980s Indiana Jones stories in one book, and had some redundant reprints of reprints in their collections of old Warren comics. IDW had Ditko's 1990s Big Boy story in a collection of children's comics. Abrams had some Ditko covers and a story in their entry in the pre-code horror reprints derby, and Pure Imagination and Fantagraphics both had public domain Ditko reprint collections.

Jungle Jim #22 [1969]

2010-12-12T02:14:00.000-05:00

Jungle Jim was an adventure comic strip that began in 1934, illustrated by Alex Raymond and running with Raymond's more famous Flash Gordon. It lasted under various artists until 1954, and also had a comic book series from Dell in the 1950s. In the late 1960s Charlton briefly published the various King Features comic strips, including a seven issue run of Jungle Jim. Some of the work was done by Wallace Wood, who hired various other artists to help out, including Steve Ditko.

In this first issue of the run, Ditko pencils the final story, the 7-page "The Wizard Of Dark Mountain". Bhob Stewart wrote and did layouts, which he talks about briefly over here, and Wood (probably with input from whoever else was in the studio at the time) did the inks.

A serviceable story, as Stewart notes inspired more by Dr. No than the original Jungle Jim comics, where Jim and his sidekick Kolu bail out when their plane malfunctions over an unexplored region. They find a village of tiny people, whose Princess has been captured by a "dark wizard" who turns out to be a renegade Chinese communist scientist looking to launch a missile at New York as part of his plan to rule the world.

Very attractive art, as you'd expect from Ditko and Wood at an especially creatively fertile period for both of them. Strong heroes, attractive women, nefarious villains and a lot of fisticuffs.

The cover was taken from a blown-up, cropped and re-touched panel from page 5.

New Ditko - UNEXPLORED WORLDS

2010-12-12T02:13:00.000-05:00

UNEXPLORED WORLDS: THE STEVE DITKO ARCHIVES VOL. 2, the latest Ditko reprint book, is now available from Fantagraphics. Ditko Fever has a full run-down of the contents. Mostly Charlton 1957-1958, but also a pair of Marvel stories from 1956.

Upcoming Ditko - DITKO OMNIBUS v1 from DC

2010-12-10T09:40:00.001-05:00

This popped up on Amazon recently, but now there are some details:

THE STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS VOL. 1 STARRING SHADE THE CHANGING MAN HC

Writers: Steve Ditko, Michael Fleisher, Paul Levitz, Otto Binder, Jack Oleck, Coram Nobis, Jack C. Harris, Robert M. Ingersoll, Len Wein, Mike Barr, Robert Kanigher, Steve Utley, George Kashdan, Joey Cavalieri, Stan Timmons, Sheldon Mayer, J.M. DeMatteis, Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn and David Allikas

Artists: Steve Ditko, Wallace Wood, Sal Trapani, Mike Royer, Vince Colletta, Wayne Howard, Ernie Chan and Gary Martin

Collects: SHADE THE CHANGING MAN #1-8, STALKER #1-4 and stories from STRANGE ADVENTURES, PLOP, HOUSE OF MYSTERY, HOUSE OF SECRETS, WEIRD WAR TALES, SECRETS OF HAUNTED HOUSE, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, TIME WARP, GHOSTS and MYSTERY IN SPACE

$59.99 US, 456 pg, on sale August 2011

Looks like the intention is to include all of Shade and Stalker and every non-series short Ditko ever drew for DC. If so, I hope someone reminds DC about the stories intended for SHADE #9, including an Odd Man back-up, that appeared in CANCELLED COMIC CAVALCADE #2 (the Creeper story in the same "book" wasn't mentioned in the early promotional material for the recent Creeper collection but appeared in the final book, albeit in black and white). Might also want to remind them about the story intended for PLOP which appeared in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #13 [1976], which is probably by far the most difficult and expensive 1970s Ditko work for DC to acquire a copy of.

And if that someone could also remind them that Ditko drew entries for Shade and Stalker in DC's first WHO'S WHO series (the latter inked by Joe Orlando), it would be a bonus to have those included.

And hopefully they remember to include oddities like Ditko's only cover to the DC mystery books, and this thing.

Also, I think "Coram Nobis" was a pseudonym (for David Vern, according to Jerry Bails's site), so they might want to verify that before publication so he can be properly credited.

Anyway, sounds like a good collection. For the record, if they include all the appropriate stuff mentioned above, that'll leave just over 400 pages of unreprinted Ditko work for DC, a lot of The Hawk & The Dove and Starman, plus various other things. A few of them might be awkward to reprint just the Ditko pages, especially the Wonder Woman story (11 pages of Ditko spread throughout a 64 page story) and the Green Lantern story that's one chapter of a long story, so if there is a volume 2 it'll be interesting to see how they handle it.

Upcoming Ditko - ACT 7 SEVEN

2010-12-03T21:50:00.000-05:00

Coming soon from Ditko, making an even dozen in this series that began with THE AVENGING MIND in 2008. The return of The !?, obviously. More of Grey Negotiator. Possibly the hint of a further installment of The P Masks that began in ACT 6. Here as always for more details on the available Snyder/Ditko publications.

New Ditko - ACT 6 and more

2010-12-02T16:09:00.001-05:00

Now available, ACT 6, the latest in Ditko's series of brand new 32-page comics, featuring the return of Miss Eerie, The Cape, The Outline, The Grey Negotiator and an intriguing new feature called The P Masks. Details on it and other Snyder/Ditko publications over here, as always.

Look for a preview of the cover to the next book tomorrow.

Also released recently, the October issue (v21#10) of Robin Snyder's fanzine THE COMICS features an unpublished page from the Flash Gordon story "Web of Treachery", written by George Kashdan and drawn by Ditko, intended for issue #40 of the series back in 1982 (if you're going to be in Harrisburg, PA, go here for more). Subscription details for THE COMICS also here.

And last week saw the softcover edition of the MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE v1, which comes a few issues short of Ditko's full run on the character.