Unusual Tales - Lure Of The Maiden

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

"Lure Of The Maiden" is a 5-page story from Charlton's ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRY MEN #38 [1958], the final issue of the series and the only story Steve Ditko drew for it.

Nothing really notable in the story, but Ditko's art looks really good, very much suitable for the characters and subject matter, and a good looking precursor to his later work on more modern day action heroes.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Killjoy had some Robin Hood type stuff in there ("Robber Hood"), and you can read it in DITKO PACKAGE
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Coming out bi-monthly straight to your door
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
CREEPER out today
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 - CREEPER and others

DC's reprint of Ditko's various stints on his creation The Creeper is out today, the hardcover THE CREEPER BY STEVE DITKO.

Also out recently, various reprints from Marvel in their Masterworks lines, hardcover and softcover, and some reprints from Dark Horse bringing all of his 1980s INDIANA JONES stories into print, and some redundant reprints of some Warren stories.

As usual, details on recently published and upcoming stuff over here.

Unusual Tales - The Repair Man From Nowhere

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

From Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #10 [1958] is the 6-page "The Repair Man From Nowhere".

A clever little story about a couple being celebrated for their role in the prosperity of the world, with a flashback explaining what their role was.  A nice juxtaposition of standard suburban life i the 1950s with some odd other-dimensional science fiction images seen on the screen.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Check out STATIC, one of Ditko's longest and most detailed stories
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
New issue out soon, focus on women in Ditko's work
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Indiana Jones reprints 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 images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - Casy's Kiss

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

"Casy's Kiss" is a 2-page short from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #40 [1959].

A nice little fantasy vignette about diving and mermaids, I think the first page is really strong with the texture for the underwater effect.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Try THE MOCKER, an excellent 100 page crime drama
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
New issues coming out bi-monthly or quicker
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Creeper 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 images to savour the details

Unusual Tales - They Say It's Haunted

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

"They Say It's Haunted" is a 5-page story from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #39 [1958].  It's one of those stories that doesn't so much end as it does stop, if there weren't an "End" banner in the last panel I'd think there had to be another page.

Not too bad visually on Ditko's end.  There's not much in the settings for him to work with, but he does a good job in the few places where there's a chance, and he does a good job with the characters throughout.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Check out THE LONELY ONE book of Konga reprints if you like old Charlton comics
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
#78 now available, article by me inside
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Bunch of Marvel reprints lately
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 - Off Limits

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

"Off Limits" is an odd little 2-page quickie from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #41 [1959].  Saying too much would give away the surprise ending, such as it is, so just enjoy.  The expressions on the characters are pretty neat.


First the usual links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
If you're not sure where to start, I recommend the 80-page DITKO PACKAGE for just $7
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Many back issues available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Looks like just one more week 'til Creeper
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 - Secret Mission

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

From the pages of TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #3 [1957] comes the 5-page Cold War drama "Secret Mission", as our fedora-clad host tells the story of a man who sneaks back into Czechoslovakia in order to gain some valuable intelligence for the west using his artistic skills.

While I sometimes feel that the "never reprinted" status of these stories is deserved, that's not the case with this one.  It's a well written story, with some clever twists, and Ditko just absolutely knocks it out of the park visually.  Every page has some strong work, starting with that great splash panel, with the shading on the dark clouds contrasted with the Traveler's face and the great foreground figure. One of my favourites from this era.

This story appears in TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #32 [2020] from SD Publishings, so only the first page is previewed below.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Over a thousand pages of material available in crisp black and white
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Next issue, Ditko's Women
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
 All of Ditko's work for Warren available, spread out in five 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 images to exercise the freedoms that men like Jon Krakma risked their lives for:

Unusual Tales - Orgo Serves

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

From Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #39 [1958] comes the 5-page "Orgo Serves!".  Odd little story about a scientist who has a robot servant that he uses in his experiments, which involve repetitive experiments with high explosives in order to build a powerful bomb.  And also apparently a lot of typing.  The explosives part doesn't end well, so he probably should have stuck with the typing.  Then there's a bit of an odd twist ending.


Ditko's art is a bit sparse in this period, but I think page three, with the explosion, has some really nice elements.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
ACT 3 now, ACT 4 soon
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
#78 now available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
CREEPER collection ever 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 images to explode

 

Brief mercantile note

For those interested, I've got all of the available Ditko/Snyder publications on hand right now. This will take you to them listed on the Ebay, or just contact me directly with what you're interested in and I'll hold them for you and give you a shipping price.

New Ditko - DITKOMANIA #78

Available for ordering right now from editor/publisher Rob Imes is DITKOMANIA #78.  Included this issue are reviews of some of the major recent Ditko releases, both new (A DITKO ACT TWO) and reprint (STRANGE SUSPENSE and THE ART OF DITKO).  There's also a long 9-page article by me in this issue, looking at the work that Ditko drew for DC's various anthology comics, including these:

Strange Adventures #188 [1966]
Plop #16 [1975]
The Unexpected #190 [1979]
Time Warp #2 [1979]
House of Mystery #277 [1980]
Time Warp #3 [1980]
Mystery In Space #111 [1980]
Weird War Tales #99 [1981]
Secrets of Haunted House #45 [1982]
Ghosts #111 [1982]

...and a whole lot more.  More importantly, Rob managed to find a copy of the first page of an unpublished DC story titled "The Robot and... The Ghost".

New Ditko - A DITKO ACT 3

The newest release from Steve Ditko and Robin Snyder, A DITKO ACT 3, is now available.  32-pages, again with the nicer white paper used in the most recent releases and featuring Miss Eerie, The Grey Negotiator and The Cape in long stories, plus various other short bits.

Ordering info direct from Snyder over here, as usual, along with all the previous books still available (18 different books in all).  Retailers interested should contact Snyder for discounts and terms.

I've got a few copies available, too.  See here for the easiest way to get just ACT 3, contact me if you want to combine it with any earlier books, or check out Ebay later today.

Upcoming Ditko - ACT 3 on the way

Robin Snyder reports that copies of A DITKO ACT 3 are printed and on the way.  Direct ordering information for the book, alone or in combination with the many other in-print Ditko books, is over here as usual.  Retailers interested in carrying the book should contact Snyder for terms and discounts.  I'll also have copies available soon.

Unusual Tales - Help Wanted

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

From Charlton's OUTLAWS OF THE WEST #18 [1959] comes one of the non-horse starring westerns from Ditko in that era, the 7-page "Help Wanted".

Pretty much a routine story about U.S. Marshal who rides into Dogtown, finding it without law and under the thumb of badman Moose Keppler and his men.

A couple of good action scenes in here, and a couple of neat characters, especially Moose's right-hand man Skull.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
ACT 3 release imminent, lots more available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
New issue out soon
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Big book of Indiana Jones 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 images to big-up.