WHY IS DITKO SUCH A FRICKIN FREAK ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?

[ArAich]

As do I...and I believe he is a ...

 

you're a .

 

[mr_highgrade]

I would call into question the morals of Charlie Roberts before questioning Steve's attitude. Judging by this auction I'd have to say it looks like Steve is right on the money not wanting to meet Roberts.

 

Everyone takes it that Steve is being mean in the letter. It was nice of Ditko to even write him a letter. I don't think Ditko means anything harsh by his comments. From the commentaries I've read of his he seems to be a very frank person who tells it the way he sees it.

Ditko, as has been written in numerous stories about him, has cut himself off from many people, but, all of the artists I've spoken with who have worked with Ditko say he's a very nice guy, just very opinionated.

I know I've enjoyed his work since I was a child. I wish he were still creating comics, but, for the past couple of years, there hasn't been a lot out by him. Ditko has to be getting up in years, too. Remember, he was drawing comics back in the early 1950s, which would make him at least 60 years old or older.

Steve Ditko is one of comics' greatest creators. The mystique surrounding him only makes him that much more interesting and history will mark him as a recluse and a visionaire. I've got no problem with Ditko's no-compromise attitude. Whatever works for him is fine with me.

And, on the subject of selling the letter... who knows the situation Charlie Roberts was/is in for him to sell something he held onto? He might have badly needed the cash for something, or threw it away and someone found it in the trash. We don't know the story behind the sale of this item, so why judge someone and question his morals?

C'mon, fanboys, just because an artist doesn't want to do a commission and doesn't want to meet people doesn't make them bad people. But, you fanboys expect artists to cater to you. Ditko has a firm set of beliefs. Get over it and don't get your panties in such a wad.

 

I met him last year at his NY office. I would say he's closer to 80 years old than 60.

[*paull*]

What does he use his office for?

[desertdogg]

mr highgrade. you met the man last year. please do tell. anything related to comics or art. a lot of us would at least like a better understanding of the guy. but if all we have are story,s of him being a dic. how is one to know what the guy is really like. so please shine a lil light on the subject. thanks. larry

[mr_highgrade]

I never got past the front door. But I believe he goes to his office everyday. I know that he still writes articles for Robin Snyder.

[mr_highgrade]

I wrote a thread about it last year here on the boards. If you do a search for "Today I shook Steve Ditko's hand." you should be able to find it.

[Bronze_Age_Fan]

When I tried to contact Ditko to get him to do a newspaper drawing for me a couple of years ago, I got in touch with his agent and he sent my request over to Ditko. I was told that I could use any art from the Ditko Packages and I asked if I could buy the Charlton Ditko Package. I sent them $13 and waited. A couple weeks later, I received a package in the mail that included a Bud Plant catalog, a cut up envelope addressed to Ditko from Marvel Comics, a workplace health plan brochure and half a copy of Robin Snyder's The Comics newsletter.

It had to be the weirdest package I've ever received.

I called Ditko's house several times and got an answering machine. Someone called me to tell me that whomever it was I was calling was not comic artist Steve Ditko, even though I'd been given the number by a comic insider.

 

Thats is weird.

 

A cut up envelope and a workplace health brochure

 

The guy is talented but like many talented artists he may be a little mad.

[howardhallis]

I got his office phone number earlier this year and got up the nerve to call him. Our conversation went something like this:

 

ME: Hello? Mr. Ditko?

SD: Speaking.

ME: I'm really sorry to bother you sir, but I'm a big fan and wanted to ask you a question, although I have a feeling you would say no, I feel like I need to ask anyway.

SD: Sure. Ask away. It doesn't hurt to ask.

ME: I know this is unlikely, but would you be willing to do a small sketch for me of Eternity from Strange Tales for $1000?

SD: No. No. I won't do that.

ME: I understand. Thank you for your time.

SD: No problem.

[awe4one]

I got his office phone number earlier this year and got up the nerve to call him. Our conversation went something like this:

 

ME: Hello? Mr. Ditko?

SD: Speaking.

ME: I'm really sorry to bother you sir, but I'm a big fan and wanted to ask you a question, although I have a feeling you would say no, I feel like I need to ask anyway.

SD: Sure. Ask away. It doesn't hurt to ask.

ME: I know this is unlikely, but would you be willing to do a small sketch for me of Eternity from Strange Tales for $1000?

SD: No. No. I won't do that.

ME: I understand. Thank you for your time.

SD: No problem.

 

Sounded pretty cordail to me...

 

Jim

[Bronze_Age_Fan]

Sounds cordial but turning down a grand for a sketch that'd take him all of half an hour or so.

 

I guess he's just one of those really private kind of people.

[mr_highgrade]

I got his office phone number earlier this year and got up the nerve to call him. Our conversation went something like this:

 

ME: Hello? Mr. Ditko?

SD: Speaking.

ME: I'm really sorry to bother you sir, but I'm a big fan and wanted to ask you a question, although I have a feeling you would say no, I feel like I need to ask anyway.

SD: Sure. Ask away. It doesn't hurt to ask.

ME: I know this is unlikely, but would you be willing to do a small sketch for me of Eternity from Strange Tales for $1000?

SD: No. No. I won't do that.

ME: I understand. Thank you for your time.

SD: No problem.

 

That sounds about right.

[goldust40]

Ditko was drawing comics as recently as a decade ago. I get the impression that either he doesn't think he's capable anymore of doing comic art, or that he considers it demeaning to be a sketch artist for hire, especially when it concerns Marvel characters he hasn't dealt with for 40 years.

 

Or that if he consented to do one drawing, a thousand other acolytes would hound him for more, and he'd never get any peace.

[mr_highgrade]

 

 

Or that if he consented to do one drawing, a thousand other acolytes would hound him for more, and he'd never get any peace.

 

That's more or less what he told me when I requested a sketch.

[*paull*]

Hmm... 1000 x $1000 = $1,000,000

[heartened]

What would an 80 year-old recluse need with a million bucks? Unless you've got family that you'd like to pass it on to, money means little at that age. I'm a physician, and have lots of patients at that age or older. And, believe, me, acquiring more money is probably the least important thing to them.

[Aman619]

Im not surprised Ditko turned down $1000 for a sketch, First off, he's smart and knew the amount was way too much for a sketch, and was picked exactly for that reason. Therefore, it sounds dodgy to him, and even if you paid, he's less interested in the money than his privacy and control of his time. But he listened to the offer and sounded very calm and friendly. Just like in that letter where he said practically the same thing 12 years ago.

 

Part of the frustration Im reading here i sthat for X amount of dollars people actually expect to BUY his attentions and make him do their bidding. Well, it worls 99.9% of the time in the REAL world. But welcome to DitkoLand fellas. You cant buy him for any amount of money. In our world we call that crazy, dont we?

[Fan4Fan]

 

Or that if he consented to do one drawing, a thousand other acolytes would hound him for more, and he'd never get any peace.

 

That's more or less what he told me when I requested a sketch.

 

The more I read this thread, the more I am liking Mr. Ditko!

[Inhuman Fiend]

All personality issues aside, let me see if I can get anybody to bite on this opinion:

I give credit where it is due...he is a legendary comics icon who helped create and popularize one of the greatest characters in of comic book history. That being said, am I the only person who has always found Ditko's art to be somewhat crude, simplistic and child-like?

[awe4one]

That being said, am I the only person who has always found Ditko's art to be somewhat crude, simplistic and child-like?

 

Personally, I've never been a great fan of his art. It's widely inconsistent in my opinion. Some of his work can be marvelous, in spurts and individual panels, but overall it tends to look bland to me.

 

Jim

[*paull*]

I still think his Doctor Strange was his best work.