Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko
Ditko, a Marvel Comics' mainstay in the early 1960s, helped create a line of superheroes that endures to this day. Not the slickest or most dynamic artist, he was indisputably the most individualistic. Whereas Jack Kirby's characters were handsome and larger-than-life, Ditko's awkward, angular figures were decidedly antiheroic. This deluxe, full-color collection showcases Ditko's Marvel work in 27 well-chosen stories. His most famous creation, Spider-Man, dominates in six selections that laid the groundwork for the dozens of artists who have subsequently depicted his exploits. Other tales feature Ditko's next-best-known Marvel creations: Dr. Strange, whose sorcerous exploits gave the swinging sixties their most psychedelic comic-book moments, and the Incredible Hulk. Ditko abruptly left Marvel in 1966, three years after creating Spidey, but later returned to work there intermittently; the volume contains four stories from the 1980s and 1990s. By then the magic was largely gone, yet Ditko's distinctive style remained. Much admired by today's comics artists, Ditko is seldom recognizable as an influence because his approach can't easily be copied or assimilated.Gordon FlaggCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved