Upcoming Ditko - DITKO ACT 5

The next new Ditko publication will be... well, I'm not completely sure what to call it from the cover, but I guess DITKO ACT 5 will do for now.  Mad Man returns, more of The Cape, The Outline and The Grey Negotiator and some debut features.  Updated details will be over here as I have them.

New Ditko - ACT 4

Just released, ACT 4, the newest Steve Ditko comic published by Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko. As usual 32 interior pages, plus covers by Ditko, this time featuring the return of The !? (8-pages), The Cape (7-pages), The Outline (4-pages) and an untitled 13-page allegorical story about the spread of corruption and how some people enable it and what can defeat it (spoiler alert: A is A).

As usual, available direct from Robin Snyder along with many other Ditko publications, order details over here, retailers interested in carrying the line of books should contact Snyder for terms and discounts.

If you want to pay with Paypal, you can order the new book direct from me over here or contact me if you want to combine it with other books.  Copies can also be found on Ebay.

Unusual Tales - Assignment Treason

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

"Assignment Treason" is a 5-page story from Charlton's OUTER SPACE #18 [1958].

An entertaining bit of space opera, starring Major John Allard.  As far as I know this is the only story with the character, although this could easily be an adventure of an ongoing character.  Anyway, Allard is suspected of selling out Earth to the forces of the dictator Aaakus of Darius, and doesn't put up much of a defense, making even the beautiful and elaborately coiffed Elena suspicious.

A really nice story, visually, in particular look at the bottom of page 2 and the middle of page 5.  I really like Ditko's work from this era when he uses this more tight and detailed style.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Boy, wouldn't it be great to see a collection of some of the late 1970s work similar to this story that Ditko did for QUESTAR and other places reprinted?
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
And for that matter, how about a Starman reprint, DC?
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA

Read about those kinds of comics and more in the bi-monthly fanzine
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 Colt Born To Trouble

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

"The Colt Born To Trouble" is a 5-page story from Charlton's BLACK FURY #17 [1959].  Strictly animals in this particular story from Ditko's brief run on the series, as Black Fury rescues a young orphan colt who turns out to be quite a handful.

An entertaining enough diversion, with some nice art, although obviously not a subject that really plays to Ditko's strengths.

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 - A World Where I Was King

"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 #3 [1957] comes the 5-page "A World Where I Was King".

It's an odd little bit of comedic fantasy about a clumsy young man named Jonesy who trips and finds himself in a fairy tale world with a beautiful queen named Mmmmm.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if you just let it roll over you it's an enjoyable tale, and Ditko sells both the fantasy and the humour nicely.

The fight scenes in particular are worth paying attention to, as you can clearly see the roots of the acrobatic action so familiar from his later work on Spider-Man, the Creeper and others.

By the way, I don't really focus a lot on them in these posts, but a lot of these stories have some very nice lettering in the story titles.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
And for that action in Killjoy and Shag, too, see DITKO PACKAGE
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Great fan art and articles in every issue
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Spider-Man available in various formats
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

As this story appears in the Snyder/Ditko OUT OF THIS WORLD #20, I'm only showing the first page below.

Click images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - A World Where I Was King

"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 #3 [1957] comes the 5-page "A World Where I Was King".

It's an odd little bit of comedic fantasy about a clumsy young man named Jonesy who trips and finds himself in a fairy tale world with a beautiful queen named Mmmmm.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if you just let it roll over you it's an enjoyable tale, and Ditko sells both the fantasy and the humour nicely.

The fight scenes in particular are worth paying attention to, as you can clearly see the roots of the acrobatic action so familiar from his later work on Spider-Man, the Creeper and others.

By the way, I don't really focus a lot on them in these posts, but a lot of these stories have some very nice lettering in the story titles.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
And for that action in Killjoy and Shag, too, see DITKO PACKAGE
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Great fan art and articles in every issue
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Spider-Man available in various formats
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

As this story appears in the Snyder/Ditko OUT OF THIS WORLD #20, I'm only showing the first page below.

Click images to big-up.

Unusual Tales - The Edge Of Fear

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

"The Edge Of Fear" is a 5-page story from Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES #10 [1958], a short science fiction drama about a father/son inventor team who experiment to tap into the power of the unused portion of the human mind.  After some preliminary success, they invite some of the top minds in the world for a secret demonstration that  goes awry.

Several strong images by Ditko in this one, I especially like the top of the last page.  Check out that tie, a Ditko trademark.

Click images to big-up.

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)

Upcoming Ditko - Dracula and Nighthawk reprints

Pair of Ditko reprints coming up. The ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS has a previously unreprinted 5-page Nighthawk story written by Mike Barr. And the big TOMB OF DRACULA OMNIBUS includes a 36-page story in greywash written by Marv Wolfman, previously reprinted in the ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA v4.

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ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS VOL. 5 TPB
Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS & MIKE W. BARR
Penciled by DON PERLIN, MIKE ZECK, JERRY BINGHAM, STEVE DITKO & HERB TRIMPE
Cover by AL MILGROM
The further adventures of the team that’s not a team! Hulk! Dr. Strange! Namor! Silver Surfer! Hellcat, Valkyrie, and Nighthawk! Son of Satan, Devil-Slayer, Clea, Gargoyle, and the Beast! As several Defenders struggle to manage the mistakes of their pasts, the team must face their deadliest threat, the demonic cabal, the Six-Fingered Hand! Guest-starring Dracula, Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Spider-Man, Mr. Fantastic, Daredevil, Thor, Captain America, and Wonder Man! Versus the threats of the Nebulon the Celestial Man, Secret Empire, Null the Living Darkness, the Serpent-Men, and more! Collecting DEFENDERS (1972) #92-106; MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #101, #111, #116 and CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #268.
448 PGS./All Ages …$19.99

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TOMB OF DRACULA OMNIBUS VOL. 3 HC

Written by MARV WOLFMAN, ROGER MCKENZIE, RALPH MACCHIO, LYNN GRAEME, PETER GILLIS, JIM SHOOTER, GARY FRIEDRICH, GERRY CONWAY, ROY THOMAS, STEVE GERBER, TONY ISABELLA, GARDNER FOX, MIKE FRIEDRICH, DOUG MOENCH, LEN WEIN & RICH MARGOPOLOUS
Penciled by GENE COLAN, STEVE DITKO, FRANK ROBBINS, JOHN BUSCEMA, BILL SIENKIEWICZ, ALAN WEISS, RICH BUCKLER, NEAL ADAMS, JIM STARLIN, SYD SHORES, ALFONSO FONT, MIKE PLOOG, DICK AYERS, VICENTE ALCAZAR, DICK GIORDANO, FRANK SPRINGER, GEORGE EVANS, TONY DEZUNIGA, ERNIE CHAN, PAUL GULACY, ALFREDO ALCALA, SONNY TRINIDAD, BOB BROWN, WIN MORTIMER, YONG MONTANO, STEVE GAN, TOM SUTTON & GEORGE TUSKA
Covers by ARTHUR ADAMS & GENE COLAN
The Salem Witch Trials, the French Revolution, the Civil War—only a few of the world-shaking events during which Dracula stalked the centuries! Now, learn the secrets of Dracula’s diary, and witness the Lord of Darkness’s first trip to America and a confrontation with Death Itself! Featuring Cagliostro, “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, Marie LaVeau and more of history’s heroes and horrors—including the Frankenstein Monster! Collecting TOMB OF DRACULA MAGAZINE #1-6, FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER #7-9 and DRACULA LIVES! #1-13.
736 PGS./Parental Advisory …$99.99

Unusual Tales - Never Again

"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] comes the 5-page "Never Again", a story that plays to the nuclear fears of the age very effectively.  The script is much more flowery and poetic than is standard for these stories, including the line:

The great cities on the surface became maimed and battered skeletons, reaching crippled fingers of steel to the dreadful sky as if in supplication

Yeah, I know!  Where did that come from? Anyway, the science is questionable, but the story is good, and the art is nothing short of spectacular.  In the top tier of Ditko's 1950s work, just look at those scenes of nuclear destruction in progress, and the aftermath.  Throw in some dinosaurs and a descent into barbarism and you've got a classic.

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 - Look Deep Into My Eyes

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

"Look Deep Into My Eyes" is a 5-page story from Charlton's MYSTERIES OF UNEXPLORED WORLDS #6 [1957].

A bit of a creepy little story about a man who is haunted by whispers that compel him to try his hand at hypnotism despite no talent for it.  Really strange and interesting story.

And just check out that art.  That opening is just beautiful, setting the mood nicely for what's to come, and the faces and body language are just top notch.  Plus, check out that recurring Ditko visual of the floating laughing mouths on page 2. 

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 Tenderfoot And The Outlaw

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

From Charlton's BLACK FURY #17 [1959] comes the 5-page "The Tenderfoot And The Outlaw".

Kind of a convoluted little western story, and it seems that a few times the wrong choice is made about what to show, like page 2 panel 4, where the caption describes the outlaw punching the tenderfoot, which is probably something you'd like to show in a comic book story instead of another tight close-up.  Ditko usually makes better choices than that, but maybe the script didn't allow for it in this case.

Some unusual inking technique a few times in this one, looks like a flatter pen line than Ditko usually had around this time.

Some links to check out:
Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Over a thousand pages of material available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Occasionally featuring some intriguing unpublished Ditko work
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Early Ditko doing background assists on Captain 3-D to be reprinted 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 big-up.