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Ditko's early AMAZING SPIDER-MAN covers were largely functional more than uniquely designed. However, he hit his stride after about twenty issues, and produced a handful of covers that nearly matched the work he was doing inside.

#steve ditko #marvel comics #spider man

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As throughout his career, Ditko's Charlton covers could be slapdash or feature awkward, unbalanced composition, or reflect real effort in design or rendering.

These are some of his more engaging covers, from THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES.

#steve ditko #comic covers #charlton comics #horror comics

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Ditko's two RACKET SQUAD IN ACTION covers.

Issue 11 is a hodgepodge of barely connected images, but the 12th issue features a still startling depiction of the immediate impact of a bomb exploding, as clothes are torn apart and the concussion sends bodies flying. A classic Ditko image.

#steve ditko #comics #covers

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Four Ditko covers from Charlton's UNUSUAL TALES. 1957-1959.

Excellent examples of Ditko's singular early approach to monsters, his ability to create a unique and atmospheric street scene, and his odd but darkly effective character designs. One wonders what Ditko thought (if he ever saw it) about the published version of the last cover, his bizarre and frightening sidewalk monster all but obscured by a giant, ugly promo blast advertising 8000 PRIZES.

#steve ditko #charlton comics #comic covers #comics #50s

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SPACE ADVENTURES #10 (1954)

Ditko using multiple planes of action again.

#ditko #steve ditko #comic book art

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Ditko’s first three Marvel covers. A trio of deuces. STRANGE WORLDS #2 (February, 1959), TALES OF SUSPENSE #2 (March, 1959) and TALES TO ASTONISH #2 (March, 1959).

#Steve Ditko #Marvel Comics #comic books #covers #comic book art #sci-fi

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Although Ditko did a number of Western stories (particularly for Charlton in the fifties), the genre was rarely represented in his cover work. This cover for CHEYENNE KID #10 (1957) being the rare exception.

Obviously Charlton editorial (such as it was) thought promoting Custer might sell copies, but the garish blue blurb mainly serves to obscure Ditko’s rush of braves, swarming the doomed Union soldiers, standing tall in the face of eternity. 

#Steve Ditko #Cheyenne Kid #Charlton Comics #Comics #Comic books #covers #westerns

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MR. A #24 (2017). Perhaps Ditko’s last original published cover, evidently originally drawn for a Mr. A series from the nineties, published in 2017.

#mr. a #Steve Ditko #Comics

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Considering how many monster stories he drew for Marvel/Atlas in the early sixties, it’s surprising how few covers Ditko did (Jack Kirby did a ton). 

Ironically, one of the titles he did a lot of cover work for was AMAZING ADULT FANTASY...the title that transformed into AMAZING FANTASY with issue fifteen, featuring the debut of Ditko’s most famous character (Spider-Man)...with a cover by Kirby. Yep, the world’s first peek at Ditko’s most iconic creation was drawn by Jack Kirby (albeit inked by Ditko).

(Included here is Ditko’s original, unused cover)

#Steve Ditko #Spider-Man #Amazing Fantasy #Amazing Adult Fantasy #marvel comics #stan legends #Jack Kirby #comics #comic book art #1962

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Ditko produced a handful of annuals for Marvel in the early eighties, right down to the covers. He seemed especially engaged by the Micronauts material. 

INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #7 (1980), FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #16 (1981), MICRONAUTS ANNUAL #1 (1980), MICRONAUTS ANNUAL #2 (1981)

#Marvel Comics #Steve Ditko #1980 #1981 #comics #Comic book Covers #micronauts #incredible hulk #fantastic four

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The one Ditko FLY cover not inked by Rudy Nebres. But Ditko, it should be noted, inked the hell out of it himself. 

THE FLY #8 (August, 1984. Archie Comics)

#Steve Ditko #The Fly #Archie Comics #Comic book art #comics #comic book covers #1984

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Ditko’s MACHINE MAN run (with Marv Wolfman scripting) followed Jack Kirby’s original run, picking up a year or so after Kirby’s nine issues wrapped up.

Interesting to think that Kirby and Ditko combined to draw all nineteen issues. Nine for Kirby, Ten for Ditko. If you throw in the three issues of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, which introduced Machine Man (as “Mister Machine”), it’s twelve for Kirby and ten for Ditko.

MACHINE MAN #10, 15 and 16 (August, 1979; June, 1980; August, 1980)

#Steve Ditko #Machine Man #Marvel Comics #COmics #comic book covers #comic book art #1979 #1980

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Another inventive, evocative Charlton horror cover by Ditko. 

I’m not sure there’s any way to tell exactly what’s going on, but it’s certainly eye-grabbing. Ghostly Haunts #25 (July, 1972)

#Steve Ditko #Ghostly Haunts #Charlton Comics #Comic books #comic book art #comic book covers #comics #1972

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One of Ditko’s last creations for DC was this...well...one of several Starman characters DC has featured over the years.

Ditko only handled the cover appearances of Starman once (here split with a Dave Cockrum Plastic Man image), but some of the guys who drew him on ADVENTURE covers were definitely paying homage to Ditko while doing so. The second cover here is by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano, but pretty clearly mimicking a Ditko-esque pose.

#Steve Ditko #Starman #Adventure Comics #Ross Andru #DC Comics #Comic book covers #Comic book art #Comics

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Along with Spider-Man, the Blue Beetle might stand as Ditko’s greatest costume (re)design. Timeless appeal, while any attempted updates immediately root themselves in the eras from which they sprang.

The Madmen are pretty trippy, too.

BLUE BEETLE #3 (October, 1967. Charlton Comics)

#Steve Ditko #Blue Beetle #Charlton Comics #Comic book art #Comic book covers #1967 #comics

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GHOST MANOR #15 (October, 1973. Charlton Comics). 

One suspects Ditko did so much work for Charlton because they left him relatively alone. Nowhere is this reflected more than in his cover designs, which were often way more inventive than almost anything he did for Marvel or DC.  

#Steve Ditko #Charlton Comics #Ghost Manor #comics #comic book art #comic book covers #1973

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Ditko inked (and overwhelmed) by Rudy Nebres, for one of countless Fly revivals. THE FLY #5. (February, 1983. Archie Comics). 

It’s always interesting to see how others chose to ink Ditko. Nebres, a hugely talented artist, rendered Ditko without any concessions to his own style, but the figures are unmistakably Ditko. Especially the creature in the doorway, with very Ditko lines radiating from his head/helmet/whatever. The hand emerging from off panel is another fairly common Ditko trope. 

#Steve Ditko #Rudy Nebres #The fly #Archie Comics #Comics #comic book covers #comic book art #1983