Unusual Tales - A Lost Dimension

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

From Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #12 [1959] comes the 5-page "A Lost Dimension".

A bit of a morally questionable story about the reckless experiments of a not-very-good scientist.  At least, that's my reading, see what you think.  A few really good bits by Ditko in the first half of the story.

Some links to check out:Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.

Upcoming Ditko - BIG BOOK O' DITKO

Coming soon, Pure Imagination has its sixth collection of Ditko stories, this time under the title BIG BOOK O' DITKO (previously published were three volumes of THE STEVE DITKO READER, STEVE DITKO'S THE THING AND OTHER STORIES and STEVE DITKO: EDGE OF GENIUS). I'll update when I have full details on the contents, for now it'll have "some of his best and little-known work collected here. Charlton art, Konga, Gorgo, Nukla, and other stories not previously reprinted. Theakstonized for maximum reproduction".  The cover's from STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #35.  Page 302 of the June 2010 Previews, JUN101077.

Unusual Tales - Forbidden Planet

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

"Forbidden Planet" is a 2-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #10 [1958].

Not much to say about this one that you can't get just from reading the brief story, but I do like that first page, with the full page space shot and two inset panels, which nicely contrast in the level of detail they show.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - The Joke

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

"The Joke" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #10 [1958]. It combines the twin cold-war era fears of the dangers of radiation and infiltration by foreign spies.  The script is a bit too wordy, but a fairly clever concept, and Ditko's art nicely matches the cramped mood.


Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.

New Ditko - Spider-Man reprint with pencils

Marvel's softcover Masterworks line gets up to The Amazing Spider-Man v4 this week, collecting the last 8 of Ditko's stories of his co-creation, and the first few post-Ditko issues. For the first time, this version also apparently has reproductions of copies of Ditko's pencils for #31. Feel free to comment on that if you get a copy.

Unusual Tales - Doorway Into Tomorrow

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

"Doorway Into Tomorrow" is a 5-page story from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #39 [1958].

Time travel again, as yet another small minded criminal attempts to use what should be technology worth millions for some petty crime.  And still screws up.  They never learn.

Nothing really exceptional in Ditko's art for this one, just the usual solid storytelling and a few nice bits in the faces.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - The House That Cheered Up

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

"The House That Cheered Up" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #12 [1959].  It's about a wheelchair bound writer and his wife buying an old crumbling house and find that the condition of the house, his health and his writing ability are are all linked in some odd way.  A bit too sentimental for my taste.

The art is in the sparser style often used at this time, and there's nothing too exciting to draw, but clearly tells the story.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - The Time Chamber

"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 #11 [1959] comes the 5-page "The Time Chamber".

Obviously another variation on time travel, this time an assistant of a scientist continuing the experiments after the scientist dies, but using the machine for his own selfish reasons before working out all the problems.

A few decent bits of storytelling, but overall not one of Ditko's best from the era.  Something looks really different about the inking in several parts of the story.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
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 images to big-up.