Steve Ditko, the comics legend who created Mr. A and co-created Spider-Man, has passed away.
The ever-eloquent Razörfist delivers the eulogy:
Yet another light has gone out in the comics industry and in the West. We stand in desperate need of new creators ready and able to succeed–but never replace!–the old guard who kept the flame of civilization. If you are a writer, illustrator, film maker, musician, or any type of artist who embraces the tenets of Western civilization, don’t hide your light under a basket. Hasten to help us!
For my part, I’ve already released my complete Soul Cycle adventure series; and soon, Combat Frame XSeed. #AGundam4Us
What a legend. I was lucky to at one time own half of the original Spider-Man run by Lee and Ditko. His art was amazing, far above what was being put out by DC at the time.
Also really sad to hear Dennis Oneil sabotage his character the Question like that. If I was writing a character that was an unabashed leftist (like Green Arrow) I wouldn't suddenly write him as a republican mouthpiece. Very disrespectful and a stain on the honor of the man who reformed Batman.
A recurring theme of the culture war that's been proven time and again is that we understand the other side, but they don't have the first clue about us.
The O'Neill run was actually pretty good, but it would have been better had he not added in the Buddhist stuff. It didn't mesh well with the character's philosophy. O'Neill wrote The Shadow dead on, so he should have got The Question better than he did. Nonetheless, it's a good run with an obvious blemish.
The worst thing did to the character was literally everything DC did after that run. From replacing him with a random woman to making him a shaman to making him a mystical being (and Vic Sage a separate character who is a bad guy) they clearly didn't get it. No one at that company understands him, just as they don't get Captain Marvel.
If it wasn't for the animated shows I'd say most of these characters wouldn't even have fanbases now.
Mr.A was what Charlton and DC refused to continue with the Question. None of Ditko's Charlton characters survived the transition to DC.
Ditko refused to compromise his artistic, moral, and philosophic principles throughout his career. He was a fine creator to inspire us in these challenging times.
And Brian has once again cast down the gauntlet before us.
I accept, Sir!
Excellent. Go and do likewise.
Already working on it… I can get 20-30k into a project, but I struggle to finish it. I'm trying things differently this time, by doing an outline–I've tried it, and have never before been able to do it, but it seems different now. So prayers and luck appreciated!
Prayers inbound.
And yes, every writer should use an outline. Most should outline before writing. Discovery writers should outline after finishing the first draft and then do the second draft based on the outline.
I'm unfamiliar with Mr A.where can I find info on it?
What do you regarding as his most seminal or influential comic?
xavier
Xavier — here are some links to Ditko, but a Google search on "Mister A" or "Mr. A" will bring up copious info on this quintessential Steve Ditko character–what the Question was meant to be.
Ditko comics (with Robin Snyder)
Long-running blog about Ditko's work
Infogalactic page on Steve Ditko
Ditko had several important works, and all were philosophical in nature, and argued with action on the page:
Marvel: Spider-Man 1-38, Dr Strange in Strange Tales 110-148
(little known factoid: Steve Ditko designed Iron Man's red-and-gold armor.)
DC: The Creeper, Hawk & Dove, and Shade the Changing Man
Charlton Comics (1960s): The Blue Beetle, The Question, Nightshade, Captain Atom
Few if any of these characters "survived" the transition to other artists and writers, as Ditko's Randian Objectivist philosophy didn't jibe with the Leftists that populated the industry and comics-related journalism.
Warranting a separate post, the thriller-horror-twist ending 5-page stories that populated Marvel's "monster" comics prior to the advent of the Fantastic Four in 1961 are incredible lessons in story-telling.
Cover up the text in a Ditko story and you can understand over 75% of the story thrust. He captured the feel, the drive, and the core of the story in his images. He augmented the intent of the author's story and gave it greater meaning with his art.
Chuck Dixon recognized this in his elegy to Ditko.
A master has passed from us.
All those characters I learned about from DC's animated shows over the years where they were done so very well. I tried looking up comic runs for them later but was never as satisfied as I was with the shows.
Comic writers really don't get Ditko, at all.
I believe many writers "get" Ditko just fine. They are repulsed by his philosophy and how it flies in the face of their own weak-sauce Leftist cant. Prime example: Alan Moore.
There is little question in my mind that such writers as Moore work actively to destroy Ditko's characters so his message is silenced. Moore failed miserably in this, as Rorschach is one of the most popular Watchmen characters. Even bent and insane, the caricature of the Question carries a powerful message to readers.
Ditko unknowingly caricatured Moore in Blue Beetle #5, in both the BB and Question stories in that issue — check it out.
At best, these incompetent anti-Civilization thugs render a Ditko character bland and uninspiring so no one wants to follow it, which also serves their purpose.
Ditko is easily accessible to the seeker of entertainment, the open-minded armchair philosopher, and the witless agenda-driven ideologue.
In fact, I'll make this claim: read Blue Beetle Vol 1 Number 5 (Charlton Comics). That issue alone will tell you more about Steve Ditko than any other work, besides Spider-Man Vol 1 Numbers 30-33 (Sane-year Marvel). Maybe even more than Spider-Man.
Man of the atom
Thanks! These will be very helpful to better appreciate his legacy.
Even in his death he leaves a great legacy to be treasured, preserved and passed on
xavier