Comic-Con: Stan Lee Abruptly Cancels Appearance

[Boba]

Yeah he drew nice goils

[MedicAR]

Has anyone read that stuff though? I'm not psychotic, right? Everything I've ever read on Ditko is he's angry and anti social

I would be too if I had to deal with a fraction of the entitled fans who think creators owe them the world because they bought a copy of their comic. I would have the worst reputation as a comics professional if I were one.

From what I've read about Ditko (most recently in Sean Howe's book), he was sort of a jerk even before he had any fans. Apparently there was no love loss between him and the other creators and editors at Marvel. He is, or was, a huge fan of Ayn Rand, sociopath extraordinaire, so that makes me think he really is anti-social himself. I doubt he'd have any fans if he hadn't been lucky enough to be assigned to Spider-Man, which was a great comic in the early days in spite of his participation, not because of it. Even his artwork seems a little cold and sterile to me, something akin to the way I'd describe the man himself.

 

So how much have you interacted with him? You must have interacted some, how else could you know how to describe him? How much have you read from Ayn Rand?

 

Let's say you make hamburgers and I come in and eat one of your hamburgers and I love it. I come in every chance I get to have one of your burgers. I pay my money every time, just like anyone else. Does that make it okay for me to come to your hose and demand a free burger? Is it okay that I stalk you in hopes of maybe getting a little more than everyone else? I mean you would owe it to me, right? I pay your salary, after all, I bought your burgers. How about if all of your customers did this? Don't you believe that you might get tired of it quickly? To Mr. Ditko, it is no different. He created comics and got paid. People buy them and are entertained. End of transaction. He doesn't expect more from the public and doesn't want to give more, either. You feel differently and are entitled to do so, but it is ridiculous and childish to vilify him for not living up to your expectations.

 

Comics in the 50s and 60s were a totally different animal than they are today. No one cared who wrote or drew anything. They wanted their characters every month. That's it. No one got famous or rich, it was mostly anonymous work and that appealed to Mr. Ditko. No one anticipated the way Marvel would take off, how Stan Lee would work to make fans feel included, or that fans would develop an affinity for specific creators. Mr. Ditko only carried Spider-Man for three years, with a hand in creating all of the major elements of the title, so I would say you owe him as many thanks as you do Stan Lee. You may not like him or his art but there wouldn't be Spider-Man as we know him without Mr. Ditko.

 

Simply put, Ditko believes that he and his work are separate and that liking his work is not the same as liking him. He doesn't create limited edition prints or do commissions because he prefers to tell a story, not just make pictures. Based on my dealings with him, I would say he considers himself a storyteller rather than an artist.

 

 

[MedicAR]

That's the type stuff I've read about him....and yeah without his work on ASM he might have had a small following for Dr Strange but he'd be about as popular as don Heck in the overall scheme of things.

Don't understand people who hate the thing that made them famous…..hell if I was famous for Woodgod I'd love the mess outta Woodgod....

 

Again, he doesn't hate any of it. He did his job on it and moved on. He is not interested in doing it again as he feels he has done all that he wanted to do and is focused more on his next project as opposed to what he did 50 years ago.

[MedicAR]

Has anyone read that stuff though? I'm not psychotic, right? Everything I've ever read on Ditko is he's angry and anti social

I would be too if I had to deal with a fraction of the entitled fans who think creators owe them the world because they bought a copy of their comic. I would have the worst reputation as a comics professional if I were one.

From what I've read about Ditko (most recently in Sean Howe's book), he was sort of a jerk even before he had any fans. Apparently there was no love loss between him and the other creators and editors at Marvel. He is, or was, a huge fan of Ayn Rand, sociopath extraordinaire, so that makes me think he really is anti-social himself. I doubt he'd have any fans if he hadn't been lucky enough to be assigned to Spider-Man, which was a great comic in the early days in spite of his participation, not because of it. Even his artwork seems a little cold and sterile to me, something akin to the way I'd describe the man himself.

That's the type stuff I've read about him....and yeah without his work on ASM he might have had a small following for Dr Strange but he'd be about as popular as don Heck in the overall scheme of things.

Don't understand people who hate the thing that made them famous.....hell if I was famous for Woodgod I'd love the mess outta Woodgod....

 

This is a silly statement. Spider-Man was not great in spite of his participation. I am a huge Stan Lee fan, but almost everything to do with Spider-Man came from Ditko.

You apparently don't like the same things about the title that I do. I like the frame concept of hero with spider-like powers, which I think preceded Ditko. I don't care for the artwork of the early issues, which is all Ditko. I will give him credit for the costume. I'd wager that whatever humor there is comes from Lee; Ditko strikes me as positively humorless. Even Peter Parker's mannerisms and facial expressions in the early issues are depressing.

 

So, Mr. Ditko was humorless when you had drinks last time? You are making a bold assumption.

[MedicAR]

His figures were pretty lively though as opposed to Kirby's dynamic figures-you gotta credit him for that.

 

This is true, I like the quirky art style and while it was okay on Captain Atom, it fit Spidey perfectly.

[MedicAR]

I'm no Ayn Rand fan, but I think the distance Steve Ditko keeps is part of the philosophy of Objectivism. Something about letting one's work speak for itself. I think that's why he simply wants to be left alone, which is his choice.

 

I could be way off about that, so correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I don't think many folks know Ditko well enough to know if he's a jerk or not...

 

And yeah, AF15 notwithstanding, one of Stan's best ideas was to keep Kirby off of Spiderman. It just looks....clunky. His Spiderman on the cover of Strange Tales Annual 2 looks like a some sort of illegal foreign bootleg action figure skirting around copyright infringement.

 

This guy gets it. (thumbs u

 

His work is one thing. He is another. He is, by his own account, happy with what he has done and is doing. He doesn't hate his fans, he just doesn't feel like it is his responsibility to jump when they ask him to. I cannot find the source of the story, but he reportedly turned down some incredible Hollywood money prior to the release of the first Spider-Man movie based on the reason that what was on screen was not what he created. It was similar, but it was not his and he did not believe it was right to take money for something that he did not do.

[porcupine48]

Paging Steve Ditko-this is your chance to step in and rehabilitate your image.

 

What is wrong with his image?

 

A reclusive person talking about a (famous) reclusive artist needing to change his image?

I dont have fans

And I still do free drawings whenever asked

Kav,I'd like a free drawing please.

[porcupine48]

I am going to take a walk. Kav you watch the internet while I am gone. It's your responsibility now.

[kav]

PM me your info Porc!

[porcupine48]

Will it be Woodgod!?

[southerncross]

Down in Sydney where Stan was signing just a couple moths ago, I think he was going to only do one more show. then he was going to call it quits. At his age he has done well to fly a long flight down to Australia.

But a very amazing guy. one collector had an Avengers 1 Australia reprint from the 70,s, Stan looked at it and replied a bootleg copy. then proceed to sign it. A great guy (thumbs u

[Unca Ben]

From what I've read about Ditko (most recently in Sean Howe's book), he was sort of a jerk even before he had any fans. Apparently there was no love loss between him and the other creators and editors at Marvel. He is, or was, a huge fan of Ayn Rand, sociopath extraordinaire, so that makes me think he really is anti-social himself. I doubt he'd have any fans if he hadn't been lucky enough to be assigned to Spider-Man, which was a great comic in the early days in spite of his participation, not because of it. Even his artwork seems a little cold and sterile to me, something akin to the way I'd describe the man himself.

 

So how much have you interacted with him? You must have interacted some, how else could you know how to describe him? How much have you read from Ayn Rand?

 

~edited~

 

To Mr. Ditko, it is no different. He created comics and got paid. People buy them and are entertained. End of transaction. He doesn't expect more from the public and doesn't want to give more, either. You feel differently and are entitled to do so, but it is ridiculous and childish to vilify him for not living up to your expectations.

 

Comics in the 50s and 60s were a totally different animal than they are today. No one cared who wrote or drew anything. They wanted their characters every month. That's it. No one got famous or rich, it was mostly anonymous work and that appealed to Mr. Ditko. No one anticipated the way Marvel would take off, how Stan Lee would work to make fans feel included, or that fans would develop an affinity for specific creators. Mr. Ditko only carried Spider-Man for three years, with a hand in creating all of the major elements of the title, so I would say you owe him as many thanks as you do Stan Lee. You may not like him or his art but there wouldn't be Spider-Man as we know him without Mr. Ditko.

 

Simply put, Ditko believes that he and his work are separate and that liking his work is not the same as liking him. He doesn't create limited edition prints or do commissions because he prefers to tell a story, not just make pictures. Based on my dealings with him, I would say he considers himself a storyteller rather than an artist.

 

Yup.

 

In this age of "selfies", self-promotion, and narcissistic self-aggrandizement, Steve Ditko is somewhat an anomaly.

It's easy to see where those influenced by these modern norms have trouble grasping, much less appreciating, the principles Mr. Ditko lives by - his Randian beliefs notwithstanding.

 

Personally, I can't imagine the first 41 Spider-Man stories done by anyone other than Steve Ditko.

The tone of his work on ASM - incorporating drama, mystery, shadow, and humor (yes, humor!) is what made the fledgling title popular among kids, teenagers, college students, and young adults at the time.

It was the only title to rival the FF in those early days.

 

John Romita is a fine artist, a great artist; but had he done those first issues I suspect Peter Parker would have been another handsome hero, cut from the same cloth as a dozen other characters before him, with nothing of distinction.

 

It was Peter that made those stories fascinating. And Peter was Ditko.

 

In studying those first hundred ASMs it's easy to see the transition of Peter Parker when Lee and Romita took over from Ditko.

I'm talking personality, not the smooth attractive Romita line used in drawing.

 

Ditko's Master Planner trilogy is considered one of the best, if not the best, stories of the silver age, on peer with Kirby and Lee's Galactus triolgy.

Some (myself included) consider ASM #33 to be the greatest single issue of the silver age.

Heck, just ask Mike Burkey - and he's Romitaman!

 

In my opinion there is a better than average chance that without Ditko, the big three today would be Batman, Superman, and someone else - but not Spider-Man.

 

 

 

 

 

[porcupine48]

Spidey is the man.Oops.STAN is the man.....Okay,both.

[Illustrious]

Did Steve sign any comics or related items back in the day when he was regularly doing comic work? If so, has anyone ever seen a early ASM signed by him?

[Unca Ben]

Did Steve sign any comics or related items back in the day when he was regularly doing comic work? If so, has anyone ever seen a early ASM signed by him?

 

IIRC, I've seen an ASM signed on pg 1 by Ditko. Maybe from that one convention he attended (?)

Don't think there's that many signed items, though. And I'm sure those that are, are buried in collections, given their rarity.

[Psithyrus]

I can't believe he has the stamina to do all that he does. I hope he gets well soon.

 

I can't either. Even if you're not a fan, make it a point to try to see him at a show. And I do mean see him, just lay eyes on him and see how he is and how he interacts. He has incredible stores of energy for a man a third of his age, but to still have that at 91!?!?! Wow…it's just amazing.

 

Agreed. I saw him on consecutive weekends. . . his lines were crazy.

[jimbo_707]

Has anyone read that stuff though? I'm not psychotic, right? Everything I've ever read on Ditko is he's angry and anti social

I would be too if I had to deal with a fraction of the entitled fans who think creators owe them the world because they bought a copy of their comic. I would have the worst reputation as a comics professional if I were one.

From what I've read about Ditko (most recently in Sean Howe's book), he was sort of a jerk even before he had any fans. Apparently there was no love loss between him and the other creators and editors at Marvel. He is, or was, a huge fan of Ayn Rand, sociopath extraordinaire, so that makes me think he really is anti-social himself. I doubt he'd have any fans if he hadn't been lucky enough to be assigned to Spider-Man, which was a great comic in the early days in spite of his participation, not because of it. Even his artwork seems a little cold and sterile to me, something akin to the way I'd describe the man himself.

 

So how much have you interacted with him? You must have interacted some, how else could you know how to describe him? How much have you read from Ayn Rand?

 

Let's say you make hamburgers and I come in and eat one of your hamburgers and I love it. I come in every chance I get to have one of your burgers. I pay my money every time, just like anyone else. Does that make it okay for me to come to your hose and demand a free burger? Is it okay that I stalk you in hopes of maybe getting a little more than everyone else? I mean you would owe it to me, right? I pay your salary, after all, I bought your burgers. How about if all of your customers did this? Don't you believe that you might get tired of it quickly? To Mr. Ditko, it is no different. He created comics and got paid. People buy them and are entertained. End of transaction. He doesn't expect more from the public and doesn't want to give more, either. You feel differently and are entitled to do so, but it is ridiculous and childish to vilify him for not living up to your expectations.

 

Comics in the 50s and 60s were a totally different animal than they are today. No one cared who wrote or drew anything. They wanted their characters every month. That's it. No one got famous or rich, it was mostly anonymous work and that appealed to Mr. Ditko. No one anticipated the way Marvel would take off, how Stan Lee would work to make fans feel included, or that fans would develop an affinity for specific creators. Mr. Ditko only carried Spider-Man for three years, with a hand in creating all of the major elements of the title, so I would say you owe him as many thanks as you do Stan Lee. You may not like him or his art but there wouldn't be Spider-Man as we know him without Mr. Ditko.

 

Simply put, Ditko believes that he and his work are separate and that liking his work is not the same as liking him. He doesn't create limited edition prints or do commissions because he prefers to tell a story, not just make pictures. Based on my dealings with him, I would say he considers himself a storyteller rather than an artist.

 

I've never interacted with Ditko, but I don't need to "interact" with someone in order to form an opinion of that person. I am entitled to form an opinion based on both my interpretation of the person's work and second-hand information.

 

I never said one word to indicate that my opinion of Ditko has anything to do with whether he interacts with his fans, so your hamburger analogy was a waste of time. (I've actually never interacted with any comic book creator. In fact, I haven't attended a convention in well over a decade.) Plenty of artists, writers, and performers shy away from interaction with fans, which is certainly their prerogative.

 

Ditko's art is a little too bleak for me, but my opinion of the man himself is based primarily upon his belief in objectivism, which ranks among the most absurd, offensive systems of philosophy I've encountered in my life--one that could only have been developed by a sociopath, and one that appeals primarily to other sociopaths (like the Koch Brothers). Few ideas have ever succeeded in nauseating me the way Ayn Rand's have. (It's not a coincidence that roughly 1% of people are sociopaths and that roughly 1% of voters are Libertarians.)

[kav]

IBTL

[MediumLover]

[MedicAR]

Did Steve sign any comics or related items back in the day when he was regularly doing comic work? If so, has anyone ever seen a early ASM signed by him?

 

IIRC, I've seen an ASM signed on pg 1 by Ditko. Maybe from that one convention he attended (?)

Don't think there's that many signed items, though. And I'm sure those that are, are buried in collections, given their rarity.

 

I have seen a couple but did not realize what the first one was. It was just "Ditko" in block letters on the bottom of the first page. When I saw the second one years later, it was a huge facepalm moment.