Amazing World Of DC Comics #13 [1976]

Steve Ditko drew one story published in DC's humour anthology PLOP, but there was another story intended for it, done with the same writer (Steve Skeates) and inker (Wallace Wood). "The Gnark Is Coming! The Gnark Is Coming!" instead appeared in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #13 [1976]. It's one of the few Ditko stories for DC never to be reprinted.

The 4-page story is set in medieval times and features a would-be squire named Bruce who gets conned by a bunch of frightened knights into dealing with the mysterious "Gnark" that, as the title says, is coming. Cute little story, the artwork shows some pretty heavy inkwork typical of Wood in this period, but still pretty clearly Ditko underneath.

Monsters Attack #5 [1990]

From MONSTERS ATTACK #5 [1990]  is Ditko's "The Creator", a 6-page story, the final issue of the series which had a Ditko written and drawn story in every issue.

This is Ditko’s take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story, with a scientist (in the classic mountain-top castle overlooking a small village location) managing to create life in his lab, only needing the a sample of brain blood to finish the job and infuse the creation with a personality.  He heads into town to find the right donor, encountering a variety of personalities among the townspeople, and also revealing a few secrets about his own past.

An interesting story with a somewhat enigmatic ending, this is the story in this set most similar to the work that Ditko has done since, right up to his latest on-going self-published stories.  There are several very strong bits of imagery playing on the story’s themes of creation and personality.

This story is reprinted in the recent  TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #16 from Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko in its original form and in colour in STEVE DITKO'S WEIRD COMICS #1 from Charlton Neo.

Monsters Attack #4 [1990]

MONSTERS ATTACK #4 [1990] features the 5-page Ditko written, drawn and lettered story "Illusion".

Some wild transformations in this story about Count Kcraz, a greedy man who uses powers of illusion to force people to sell him their land. The illusions are very well rendered, especially the fingers turning into snakes. Eventually Kcraz’s land-grab takes him to the home of the witch Zona, who scares off his underlings with ease. But Zona wisely realizes that she’ll need something more subtle to stop Kcraz, who won’t scare very easily.

An enjoyable little story with an unexpected ending and some very strong storytelling, always a pleasure to see Ditko’s renderings of magics and Eastern European locations.

This story is newly rendered in colour as the cover feature in the recent STEVE DITKO'S WEIRD COMICS #1.

New Ditko - STEVE DITKO'S WEIRD COMICS #1

Now available from Mort Todd's "Charlton Neo" imprint is STEVE DITKO'S WEIRD COMICS #1, a colour collection of the five short stories that Steve Ditko created for the Todd-edited MONSTERS ATTACK (see here for posts on some of those stories in their original black and white incarnation). A total of 27 pages of Ditko written and drawn stories (one inked by Mort Todd), reprinted and coloured with Ditko's permission. It's available as a print-on-demand comic from Amazon or a digital edition for the Kindle.

Note that if you prefer the stories in black and white the story "The Creator" is available in the recent TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #16 from Snyder/Ditko and Todd has announced plans for a more comprehensive collection of MONSTERS ATTACK stories (including work by John Severin, Gene Colan, Alex Toth, Pat Boyette and others) sometime in the future which will have the stories in their original form.

--Link-- Ditko MR. A. "#4" Kickstarter

Haven't been keeping up lately, so I almost missed plugging the latest Kickstarter from Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko, for a reprint of the 1975 MR. A. comic, featuring two 16-page Ditko stories, originally published by Bruce Hershenson. Just a day left to back it.

--Link-- Ditko #2oww3oww & Out Of This World Kickstarter

Now available for backing the next Snyder/Ditko Kickstarter, again for two books. The usual new issue is #2OWW3OWW, featuring Miss Eerie and The Cape, and there's also OUT OF THIS WORLD, a science fiction anthology with a mix of new and reprint material. The cover is the classic Ditko image first used in the 1965 fanzine ALL STARS #1 (as seen below), presumably in pure black and white. Don't know about the other material, but there's a lot of Ditko work that would fit the theme, like the QUESTAR stories.

Kickstarter open for pledges until April 2, 2015.

Upcoming Ditko - #23

Next up from Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko is #23 (or possibly #oww2oww3), featuring Miss Eerie, The Cape and others (including what seem to be Ditko Value Stamps on the cover). Presumably there'll be a Kickstarter page for it soon, I'll post the link when it starts or you can keep an eye on this page.

Other upcoming releases listed in the latest book are THE ALIEN, something about Blue Beetle in THE COMICS newsletter and the essay "Why I Quit" in the FOUR-PAGE SERIES. I'm not completely certain all of those are Ditko related, more info as I get it.

New Ditko - #22 and Traveler #16

 

Now available, Ditko's all new #22, featuring new stories about The Madman, The Outline and others, and TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #16, featuring a variety of reprints from the 1950s Charlton comics, MONSTERS ATTACK, WITZEND, MURDER and DITKO'S WORLD under an unused cover from the 1980s revival of the title.

Retailers that carry the books should have copies now or soon, or you can order direct from Robin Snyder, details here.