Russo, Lou :: L. Russo Comic Book artwork

Steve Ditko tribute w/ Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Lizard, Betty Brant and more by Lou Russo

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Artwork Details

Title:	Steve Ditko tribute w/ Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Lizard, Betty Brant and more by Lou Russo
Artist:	None Specified
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Interior Page
For Sale Status:	$150
Views:	1,444
Likes on CAF:	2 3
Comments:	0
Added to Site:	5/22/2021
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Steve Ditko, co-creator of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Doctor Strange died in 2018 at age 90! Ditko lived a true artist’s life, like a modern-day Vincent Van Gogh. Many have described Ditko as reclusive, cantankerous, and a curmudgeon in his later years. He never married, never had children, and almost never gave a face-to-face interviews. Similar in that respect to children’s author and adult cartoonist Shel Silverstein, Ditko let his work talk for him. After Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko is arguably one of the most influential talents in comics. He is certainly in my top three, along with Wallace Wood. Ditko was a veteran, who served in the military during World War II where he drew comics for the army newspaper. His initial work at Marvel Comics included short stories of horror, mystery, sci-fi, and suspense that often contained self-reflective or twist endings reminiscent of an episode of The Twilight Zone. When Stan Lee approached him to create a teenage superhero, that was more realistic and “ordinary” with all the fears and anxieties of postpubescent, the result was high schooler Peter Parker and his alter ego Spider-Man. Spider-Man would prove to be a hit with readers and for over 4 years, Ditko would illustrate and co-plot 38 issues and two annuals of the amazing web-slinger. While working on Spider-Man, Ditko co-created perhaps the greatest rogues gallery of super-villains which included the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture, Scorpion, Sandman, Molten Man, Chameleon, Lizard, and Electro. In my opinion, only Batman has as great a group of villains as Spidey. During this time, Ditko also co-created the character of Doctor Strange, master of the mystic arts, who’s adventures were part comic book action and part Salvador Dali surrealism. Despite these successes, Ditko left Marvel to work at Charlton Comics and later DC Comics. At Charlton, he created or co-created the Blue Beetle II, Captain Atom, and the Question. At DC Comics, Ditko created or co-created the Creeper, Hawk and Dove, Stalker, Odd Man, Shade the Changing Man, and Starman II. But perhaps his most unusual character was the vigilante hero called Mr. A. Ditko was a follower of author Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, described by Rand as "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute". Rand first expressed Objectivism in her novels “The Fountainhead” (1943) and “Atlas Shrugged” (1957). Considered Ditko’s most personal creation, Mr. A personified this philosophy that clearly defines good and evil, with no gray area in-between. However, Ditko would eventually return to Marvel to work on characters like Captain Universe, Machine Man, and the Micronauts. In 1992, he co-created the now popular Squirrel Girl. Sadly, like Kirby, Wood, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Joe Simon, Bill Finger and many others, Ditko saw almost no royalties or wealth from his creations and often received little credit, because such characters were deemed “work for hire.” Ditko was found unresponsive in his New York City apartment in June of 2018. Ditko’s last published essay quoted an old toast he recalled: "Here's to those who wish me well, and those that don't, can go to hell." So those are some of my thoughts on Steve Ditko. This piece is based on the pin-up he did of Spidey for Amazing Spider-Man #3. It features Betty Brant, his love interest during this period from Amazing Spider-Man #7. Other characters are listed below. Enjoy!

Burglar
Chameleon
Vulture
Tinkerer
Alien
Doctor Octopus
Sandman
Dr. Doom
Lizard
Living Brain
Electro
Big Man
Enforcers
Mysterio
Green Goblin
Kraven
Ringmaster
Circus of Crime
Scorpion
Beetle
Spider-Slayer/J. Jonah Jameson
Crime Master
Molten Man
Cat (Burglar)
Master Planner/Doc Ock henchmen
Meteor Man

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About the Owner

	L. Russo
Joined:	November 2009
Last Login:	August 2025
Ebay Id:	lrusso3472
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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