Ditko Art! Let's see it . . .

[Mister Trent]

Now that you mention it...that's true. I've seen very few Ditko covers in my day. Well, none in person, but even on the internet, they seem incredibly scarce. I could never afford one either way, but where'd they all go?

 

Up until about the mid-1960s, there are very few Marvel covers known to exist (not just Ditko's Spidey covers). Here's one of the very few known surviving Ditko ASMs . . .

 

[Mister Trent]

This is one of my favorites....and his Dr. Strange work is gorgeous in person and rare as Hen's teeth to find in Pencil and Ink by Ditko.

 

 

A good gag is worth repeating . . .

[snappahead]

Oh yeah, I remember seeing this one a while back. I remember thinking it was strange that the art bled all the way to the edges. Was that a common practice back then or you think someone cut the edges off? It kills me that so much of that early Marvel art is lost to the ages.

[Mac Man]

.... I wonder who owns the cover to ASM 28? Seriously, it boggles my mind to think of owning one of the Ditko or Romita Sr. ASM covers.

 

I hate the fact I have to wait a few more years until I can start into this side of the hobby cause Lord knows it will only get more expensive. (I'm only just finishing my MA in English, so to make any money, I've got to move on to get my Ph.D.... and that will take a while). But I have to say it would be surreal to own a piece of his work.

[Crowzilla]

Up until about the mid-1960s, there are very few Marvel covers known to exist (not just Ditko's Spidey covers).

 

Wouldn't that be because until the mid-60s there just weren't very many Marvel covers period?

[snappahead]

Up until about the mid-1960s, there are very few Marvel covers known to exist (not just Ditko's Spidey covers).

 

Wouldn't that be because until the mid-60s there just weren't very many Marvel covers period?

 

Wha? What does that mean?

 

I'm pretty sure the only reason those covers didn't survive is because they treated almost like trash lying around the offices. I've heard the horror stories of stacks of OA being dumped in the garbage or given away to people because they didn't think anything of the importance of the art..and certainly not the value...It was just taking up space to them. The horror!

[TheWatcher]

Up until about the mid-1960s, there are very few Marvel covers known to exist (not just Ditko's Spidey covers).

 

Wouldn't that be because until the mid-60s there just weren't very many Marvel covers period?

 

Wha? What does that mean?

 

I'm pretty sure the only reason those covers didn't survive is because they treated almost like trash lying around the offices. I've heard the horror stories of stacks of OA being dumped in the garbage or given away to people because they didn't think anything of the importance of the art..and certainly not the value...It was just taking up space to them. The horror!

 

There are stories of Marvel laying down OA on rainy days so people wouldn't ruin the floor with their wet shoes OA was treated like trash back then.

 

Angelo

[snappahead]

Watcher, please god tell me that's not a true story.

[TheWatcher]

Very true. IIRC, I read it in an issue of The Jack Kirby Collector. Another story is that the guy that ran the warehouse where the OA was stored had a ritual for new employees.....they had to tear up a piece of OA as a form of initiation. Can you imagine what was destroyed?

 

Angelo

[snappahead]

I'm trying my best not imagine that. Can we find out who this guy is and beat him unmercifully? I realize they had no idea back then, but man, that's just painful.

[Mac Man]

I was just thinking about this earlier... since Ditko is now something of a recluse, do you think it's possible that he has hoarded any of his OA?

[TheWatcher]

Good question. Does anyone know if Marvel returned any of his OA like they did with Kirby?

 

Angelo

[Mister Trent]

Good question. Does anyone know if Marvel returned any of his OA like they did with Kirby?

 

Angelo

 

From what I heard, Ditko did get some of his old Marvel art returned. However, quite a bit of the early 'key' superhero books (not just ASM) were reportedly 'stolen'. Stories are legion about how complete books were purchased out the boot of a car from an employee at Marvel who had access to the art.

 

As for the scarcity of early 1960s Marvel cover art . . . I do remember hearing that, because covers were only ever intended for the time period they appeared (ie, not re-usable), this type of art may have been routinely discarded or destroyed. On the other hand, because of reprint possiblities, interior story art was retained.

 

That's why complete books of Marvel story art are common (even if a lot of that stuff has now been 'broken-up'), but early 1960s cover art is not. For some reason, quite a lot of the cover art from the latter-half of the 1960s has survived.

 

A lot of the earlier Atlas (pre-Marvel) art from the 1950s was reportedly destroyed in large amounts . . . which might help explain why there isn't a great deal of Atlas art known to exist.

 

I'm fortunate enough to own a 1952 Russ Heath Atlas cover and a handful of (Large Art) Marvel covers from the latter-half of the 1960s.

 

The ASM # 28 was once owned by Marie Severin (she had asked Ditko for the art). She sold it several years ago. Current whereabouts unknown (owners of the handful of surviving Ditko ASM covers prefer the information not to be widely circulated).

[adamstrange]

.... I wonder who owns the cover to ASM 28? Seriously, it boggles my mind to think of owning one of the Ditko or Romita Sr. ASM covers.

 

I hate the fact I have to wait a few more years until I can start into this side of the hobby cause Lord knows it will only get more expensive. (I'm only just finishing my MA in English, so to make any money, I've got to move on to get my Ph.D.... and that will take a while). But I have to say it would be surreal to own a piece of his work.

 

English? You just need to write a best-seller!

[Mac Man]

! I should be so fortunate. I'm in the middle of writing my thesis, does that count?

 

And I can totally understand someone not wanting to advertise their ownership of Ditko's art- one piece of paper running for thousands upon thousands... well, that's just being prudent. Still, I wish I could just ask him for some art, let alone a piece of cover art!

[westform]

Supposedly, Ditko retains most of his Dr. Strange artwork. They should see the light of day at some point.... when he is done using them as a doormat on rainy days...

[TheWatcher]

 

 

 

Angelo

[Sharkey]

Supposedly, Ditko retains most of his Dr. Strange artwork. They should see the light of day at some point.... when he is done using them as a doormat on rainy days...

 

I've heard similar things, Dan, from people who have been to Ditko's place. He has OA laying around that he uses as a buffer matt when he cuts thing on his artboard with an exacto knife, etc. Don't know if it's really true, but that's the rumor.

 

When the big Marvel artwork return policy went into effect, it's said Ditko got a lot of his Dr. Strange art back. But I doubt anybody knows how much exactly, except Steve himself.

[TheWatcher]

Supposedly, Ditko retains most of his Dr. Strange artwork. They should see the light of day at some point.... when he is done using them as a doormat on rainy days...

 

I've heard similar things, Dan, from people who have been to Ditko's place. He has OA laying around that he uses as a buffer matt when he cuts thing on his artboard with an exacto knife, etc. Don't know if it's really true, but that's the rumor.

 

When the big Marvel artwork return policy went into effect, it's said Ditko got a lot of his Dr. Strange art back. But I doubt anybody knows how much exactly, except Steve himself.

 

How about if I offer to clean up his place and in the process save some OA?

 

Angelo

[MedicAR]

Supposedly, Ditko retains most of his Dr. Strange artwork. They should see the light of day at some point.... when he is done using them as a doormat on rainy days...

 

I've heard similar things, Dan, from people who have been to Ditko's place. He has OA laying around that he uses as a buffer matt when he cuts thing on his artboard with an exacto knife, etc. Don't know if it's really true, but that's the rumor.

 

I've heard the exact same thing for years. Really, the only one who knows the truth is Mr. Ditko himself.

 

He's still shunning the spotlight. Still doesn't do sketches, still no interviews. I've heard he did some essays for a fan project/magazine called "The Comics." I"d love to read some of those, just to see what he thinks about.....well....anything.