I am starting to feel the love for Romita Spidey

[Point Five]

I deem my 9000th post as worthy in putting my undying devotion to Mr. Ditko as my favorite Spidey author/storyteller and one of my top 2 favorite artists of all time...what can I say, I'm a lifelong Ditko/Kirby fan!

 

ASM 33 artwork being the culmination for me of sublime Ditko greatness!

 

I do appreciate Romita's Spidey, especially the earliest issues...but while Ditko's uniqueness and at times strangeness doesn't work for others, it's a major part of what I like about his definitively distinct artwork...

 

 

[sassemble]

 

As a kid reading both ASM and Marvel Tales in the early 70s, I liked Romita better and considered the early ASMs to be "old." Then I started collecting ASMs into the Ditko era as an adult and my opinion changed. I still believe Romita is THE Spidey artist but I got a new appreciation for Ditko as an adult. And I agree ASM #33 is a masterpiece.

IMHO, Ditko was at his best doing abstract, ie Dr. Strange. Romita's romantic style just fit Spidey better IMHO.

Another Spidey artist that I believe is underrated is Mark Bagley, particularly on Ultimate Spider-Man. He probably invokes the romantic aspect of Romita's art the best of the modern artists.

 

 

[Jeffro.]

Another Spidey artist that I believe is underrated is Mark Bagley, particularly on Ultimate Spider-Man. He probably invokes the romantic aspect of Romita's art the best of the modern artists.

 

I will never understand the appeal of Bagley's work. I find it boring and uninspired and visually unappealing.

[mysterio]

Another Spidey artist that I believe is underrated is Mark Bagley, particularly on Ultimate Spider-Man. He probably invokes the romantic aspect of Romita's art the best of the modern artists.

 

I will never understand the appeal of Bagley's work. I find it boring and uninspired and visually unappealing.

 

I have to disagree. I really liked Bagley's ASM and Ultimate work, and feel that it really conveyed a nice sense of action and movement. I think he belongs in the top 10 Spidey artists (maybe even the top 5), with his longevity on the character helping. I liked his interiors a WHOLE lot better than McFarlane, and his covers were generally decent as well.

[fantastic_four]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

[mysterio]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

 

I'll definitely agree that the coloring in Ultimate is better than his old ASM days.

[fantastic_four]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

 

I'll definitely agree that the coloring in Ultimate is better than his old ASM days.

 

The coloring is why I generally prefer modern artwork. Computer-controlled coloring is ten times better than what a human used to be able to do.

[supapimp]

I deem my 9000th post as worthy in putting my undying devotion to Mr. Ditko as my favorite Spidey author/storyteller and one of my top 2 favorite artists of all time...what can I say, I'm a lifelong Ditko/Kirby fan!

 

ASM 33 artwork being the culmination for me of sublime Ditko greatness!

 

I do appreciate Romita's Spidey, especially the earliest issues...but while Ditko's uniqueness and at times strangeness doesn't work for others, it's a major part of what I like about his definitively distinct artwork...

 

 

i think ASM annual 1 is ditko's best spidey work.

[Peter Loves Gwen]

Good thought. I like a bunch of the art work, it's just that some are more realistic or less exaggerated in the figures.

 

[Jeffro.]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

 

I'll definitely agree that the coloring in Ultimate is better than his old ASM days.

 

The coloring is why I generally prefer modern artwork. Computer-controlled coloring is ten times better than what a human used to be able to do.

 

It does look slick and fresh. A little too slick and fresh for my tastes.

[Fedoraman]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

 

I'll definitely agree that the coloring in Ultimate is better than his old ASM days.

 

The coloring is why I generally prefer modern artwork. Computer-controlled coloring is ten times better than what a human used to be able to do.

 

It does look slick and fresh. A little too slick and fresh for my tastes.

 

+1 - I have noticed ALOT of cut and paste art in Marvel books these days - several shots of the same person or setting used over and over in sequential panels.

 

I like getting books like ASM nearly every week, but if the quality of the artwork suffers - it isn't worth it. Seems like they don't have their "A" team drawing this book anymore (but I digress, this is the Silver forum afterall )

[fantastic_four]

The coloring is why I generally prefer modern artwork. Computer-controlled coloring is ten times better than what a human used to be able to do.

 

It does look slick and fresh. A little too slick and fresh for my tastes.

 

Alrightee then...all you're missing in that observation is a well-placed "BAH!" or, if you prefer, perhaps a "Poppycock!"

[Jeffro.]

Bagley has a distinctive style that's decent, doesn't greatly appeal to me like McFarlane's did though. I love the art in Ultimate Spider-Man but that's probably more due to the computer coloring these days, Bagley's art in USM looks tons better to me with that great coloring than it did in ASM in the 1990s.

 

I'll definitely agree that the coloring in Ultimate is better than his old ASM days.

 

The coloring is why I generally prefer modern artwork. Computer-controlled coloring is ten times better than what a human used to be able to do.

 

BAH! HUMBUG! It does look slick and fresh. A little too slick and fresh for my tastes.

 

Better?

[Jeffro.]

The thing that struck me back when Image started up was how pretty the comics looked. Slick paper, vibrant computer coloring.

 

Of course, when you got past that, most of those comics were just pin up pages with cr@p writing, all prettied up with spiffy coloring.

 

Ooooh look. The new shiny *drool*

 

 

 

[Fedoraman]

I agree with the above guy saying, off topic, that McFarlane's Hulk was really refreshing. His pre 340 Hulk stuff was not that great, but with 340 the age of him inking his own work was apon us. Hulk 340 really changed the game artistically (well Arthur Adam's was doing very similar stuff during this time).

 

Ditko's covers were nothing compared to Romita's and I don't think that can be argued at all. Romita was a perfectionist (he says so himself), where as Ditko spent ALOT less time thinking and redrawing.

 

I would agree on the whole - with one exception in the case of ASM #28.

 

How many times have we seen this one copied?

[mysterio]

Ditko had some cool covers- #8 being one of my favorites.

 

I've always loved the cover to ASM #20. #2 and #5 would also make my list of great Ditko Spidey covers. It is almost easier to name the so-so Ditko covers IMHO (#7, 19, 22, 36, to name some of the less impressive). This may border on sacrilege, but the cover to #1 isn't one of his better covers. If that cover were on any other book than the #1 it would be much less highly regarded.

[mysterio]

I thought Kirby penciled the #1 cover and Ditko only inked it?

 

Actually, I thought #19 was one of his better covers. Agree on #36, but I dig the other 2 mentioned.

 

According to Overstreet Kirby did assist on the cover to #1, but on my CGC label it gives Ditko sole credit. I'm inclined to side with Overstreet on this one, as I seem to remember that Kirby collaborated on it now that you mention it.

 

And I don't hate #19 or the other covers I mentioned, I just think they are among Ditko's weaker efforts when compared to some other covers. Personally I don't look at the cover to #19 and think "wow, that is a great cover and I can't wait to read the book" like I do with #2 or #20. There are some covers that really grab your attention and stand out, and others that don't, and for me #19 wouldn't make my list of top Ditko covers. #7 bugs me a bit because Spidey's two legs look very two-dimensional and somehow the anatomy is a bit off. I do like the Vulture on #7 and love the blue background color.

[SilvrSpidey]

Ditko had some cool covers- #8 being one of my favorites.

 

I've always loved the cover to ASM #20. #2 and #5 would also make my list of great Ditko Spidey covers. It is almost easier to name the so-so Ditko covers IMHO (#7, 19, 22, 36, to name some of the less impressive). This may border on sacrilege, but the cover to #1 isn't one of his better covers. If that cover were on any other book than the #1 it would be much less highly regarded.

 

I feel the same way about these covers. I'd add that I really like #23 for the dynamic scene, and one reason I've always liked #11 is how it shows Doc Ock somewhat suspended by his arms (very similar to a spider). When I first read through those early Spidey's, I always thought it was cool how he used his arms to maneuver/climb/etc. vs just to grab/fight . . . makes those arms seem a bit creepier.

[mysterio]

Ditko had some cool covers- #8 being one of my favorites.

 

I've always loved the cover to ASM #20. #2 and #5 would also make my list of great Ditko Spidey covers. It is almost easier to name the so-so Ditko covers IMHO (#7, 19, 22, 36, to name some of the less impressive). This may border on sacrilege, but the cover to #1 isn't one of his better covers. If that cover were on any other book than the #1 it would be much less highly regarded.

 

I feel the same way about these covers. I'd add that I really like #23 for the dynamic scene, and one reason I've always liked #11 is how it shows Doc Ock somewhat suspended by his arms (very similar to a spider). When I first read through those early Spidey's, I always thought it was cool how he used his arms to maneuver/climb/etc. vs just to grab/fight . . . makes those arms seem a bit creepier.

 

I should have added #23 to my original list, because it is a great cover. I also like #11 for the same reason, and I don't know that anyone ever drew Doc Ock better than Ditko. Romita's Ock is good, but a very different villain than Ditko's.

[jimjum12]

I don't think any run has more disagreement over favorite covers than the Ditko ASM run. My favorites, for example, are # 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 34. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u