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Why is Steve Ditko in Hiding???

Started by Yannis,

121 posts in this topic

rodan57

rodan57

Posted
Posted
It was on youtube in portions but apparently most of it got taken down. It was very interesting, but the Stan Lee interview is probably the best part of it. Otherwise it's lots of Jonathan Ross yammering on about how much he loved Ditko. lol

 

Here's another one of the other more interesting parts, Alan Moore talking about Ditko's Mr. A

 

I am not sure where to buy it. It was a BBC documentary, but I'm not sure if they sell copies of their programs somewhere. Didn't find it on their web site.

 

Here's a good piece by Ross that leads up to his documentary:

Link-o-rama

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on the BBC Canada TV listings in case it ever gets re-aired. Unfortunately, it looks like both the BBC Canada and main BBC websites don't sell the documentary yet, so that's about my only hope...

 

You're welcome. Maybe some of our European forumites know if BBC sells DVDs of its programs anywhere other than the BBC site. Buehler? Anyone?

 

I should clarify my statement about the documentary -- it did include a lot of Ross yammering about his love for Ditko, but it also had a lot of good stuff in it, including interviews with many comic legends talking about Ditko. Unfortunately, the "search" for Ditko concludes a little anticlimactically, and I really did not agree with or like what Ross did in the end. The documentary is clearly a vehicle for Ross to realize a life-long dream to meet Ditko, and the viewers are left with a Geraldo-like "What's in Al Capone's Vault" steaming heap of disappointment. :signrant:

 

I felt the same way. Don't make a video with a stated goal and then sidestep it.

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Aman619

Aman619

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actually, while I was disappointed he didnt "get" Ditko in the video, I wasnt too upset. Sure it would have ben great - -- but cmon, Ditko wouldnt be Ditko if he suddenly granted the interview, would he?

 

In a similar vein, when I watch the science and nature docs on TV, where they follow a scientist to some forsaken spot on the globe looking for something, they try to make it so dramatic.. highlighting the dedication, the life's work, and the risks as well as the daunting ods, And they usually are shown failing time after time with the clock running out! But after see

 

So, NOT getting Ditko was truer to life. and more honest. Sure they played up the chase, but, the show WAS the chase.

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Sharkey

Sharkey

Posted
Posted
actually, while I was disappointed he didnt "get" Ditko in the video, I wasnt too upset. Sure it would have ben great - -- but cmon, Ditko wouldnt be Ditko if he suddenly granted the interview, would he?

 

In a similar vein, when I watch the science and nature docs on TV, where they follow a scientist to some forsaken spot on the globe looking for something, they try to make it so dramatic.. highlighting the dedication, the life's work, and the risks as well as the daunting ods, And they usually are shown failing time after time with the clock running out! But after see

 

So, NOT getting Ditko was truer to life. and more honest. Sure they played up the chase, but, the show WAS the chase.

 

A good portion of my disappointment and unhappiness with Ross was due to the fact that he called Ditko and asked if he could come by, and Ditko clearly and flat-out said, "No." But Ross went and bothered him anyway, and Ditko, being a better sport than I would have been, allowed him in, and even gave him some copies of his more recent comics. Ross comes away grinning like the Cheshire cat, basically telling the audience Wow, you won't believe what we talked about, but then saying he can't tell because he promised Ditko that he wouldn't disclose it. So not only does he come across as a shallow, selfish arse for bothering Ditko against his wishes, he comes across equally selfish for basically throwing it in the face of the audience that he got to meet Ditko off-camera. Probably the most frustrating and disappointing ending to a documentary ever. If not for the decent interviews with other creators and the nice retrospective and bio of Ditko, the show would be worthless. In the end it really proved that Ross did it all for his own purposes of trying to meet Ditko, not for the fans or his audience.

 

I also felt bad for Ditko, who in the end was quite gracious and accommodating to Ross, because the take-away message from Ross was "go ahead and bother the guy anyway even if he doesn't want to be bothered -- he might let you in and give you free comics!"

 

But hey, what does it matter, Ross got what HE wanted. meh

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Aman619

Aman619

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yeah, I remember that now.. pretty cheeky, wot? Overall, Im torn between apreciating it as a welcome effort on a subject we are all interested in thats pretty rare,,,, and the distaste left by the host's "look at me" attitude.

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Sharkey

Sharkey

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Posted
yeah, I remember that now.. pretty cheeky, wot? Overall, Im torn between apreciating it as a welcome effort on a subject we are all interested in thats pretty rare,,,, and the distaste left by the host's "look at me" attitude.

 

If you haven't done it yet, I recommend you pick up Blake Bell's new book on Ditko. (thumbs u

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trmoore54

trmoore54

Posted
Posted
 Originally Posted By: aman619
yeah, I remember that now.. pretty cheeky, wot? Overall, Im torn between apreciating it as a welcome effort on a subject we are all interested in thats pretty rare,,,, and the distaste left by the host's "look at me" attitude.

 

If you haven't done it yet, I recommend you pick up Blake Bell's new book on Ditko. \(thumbs u

Just got my copy yesterday...AWESOME! A MUST-HAVE for the Ditko-file... :headbang:
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Sharkey

Sharkey

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There are two interesting reviews of this new book at 20th Century Danny Boy.

 

Be sure to read both the August 3rd and 6th entries.

Got to love it, two diametrically opposed viewpoints. That's why the Internets are so great! I haven't finished the book yet, so I'm not prepared to comment in depth; but both reviewers make salient points.
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Sharkey

Sharkey

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Got to love it, two diametrically opposed viewpoints. That's why the Internets are so great!

I haven't finished the book yet, so I'm not prepared to comment in depth; but both reviewers make salient points.

 

I also want to say that regardless of the weaknesses in the book, so far it's a very interesting read. And I'm SO happy to see the focus on Ditko as a person and a creator beyond Spider-Man. Bell may be a little over the top sometimes but it's clear he genuinely, almost stalkingly so, appreciates Ditko's work and wants to understand Ditko and share that with the world. I hope that through this book people will now better understand Ditko's motivations. Athough, the only person who can tell you why Ditko does certain things is Ditko, and he ain't talkin'. Except when his work speaks for itself.

 

(thumbs u

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trmoore54

trmoore54

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I read both the reviews and I'm about halfway through the text, all the way through the artwork of the book and I really like it...I'm an ASM nut so much of this was relatively familiar to me, but plugging back into the Doc Strange history was very cool! I wanna ST 110 now!!! :sumo:

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Sharkey

Sharkey

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Posted
I read both the reviews and I'm about halfway through the text, all the way through the artwork of the book and I really like it...I'm an ASM nut so much of this was relatively familiar to me, but plugging back into the Doc Strange history was very cool! I wanna ST 110 now!!! :sumo:

 

(thumbs u

 

For sure. Ditko's brilliance on Dr. Strange is often overshadowed by the focus on Spider-Man. In fact, i need to go read me some Doc Strange Masterworks!!! :grin:

 

I also like to see him get kudos for his work on Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and the Question for Charlton. Those are great books and were way too short-lived, as was much of his material once he left Marvel. :censored:

 

 

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Sharkey

Sharkey

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I just finished it as well. It's extremely well done. Sure, there are some generalizations that Bell makes that I am not sure are 100% correct, but I thought it was a great effort to provide insight into Ditko's life. Great biographical and professional history, and it's very well illustrated with examples of Ditko's work from his start decades ago to near present day. Bell analyzes his art intelligently and doesn't pull any punches regarding the criticisms of Ditko's modern works and his move to highly preachy objectivist material rather than traditional funny book fare.

 

I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this for anyone who wants a great coffee table book and some insight into a very unique and talented comics innovator who has chosen to pursue his personal philosophies of life rather than monetary gain or public acclaim.

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trmoore54

trmoore54

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I just finished it as well. It's extremely well done. Sure, there are some generalizations that Bell makes that I am not sure are 100% correct, but I thought it was a great effort to provide insight into Ditko's life. Great biographical and professional history, and it's very well illustrated with examples of Ditko's work from his start decades ago to near present day. Bell analyzes his art intelligently and doesn't pull any punches regarding the criticisms of Ditko's modern works and his move to highly preachy objectivist material rather than traditional funny book fare.

 

I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this for anyone who wants a great coffee table book and some insight into a very unique and talented comics innovator who has chosen to pursue his personal philosophies of life rather than monetary gain or public acclaim.

 

Great review/synopsis Rhino...I think when I left mine I was pressed for time...

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