Who is Steve Ditko? with Mark Ditko & Alex Grand | Comic Book Historians

[@nikolaifomich1934]

Steve Ditko was a genius. I may not always agree with his ideas, but I always respect his ideas - what an amazingly creative and astoundingly principled man.

[@kidzoki]

Mark Ditko is cool as hell. Used to belong to the same e-mail message group back in the late '90s. Great to see he's doing well.

[@markditko4363]

Haha .... Thanks!!! And yes, I WAS part of that 90's message group.

[@jtoons99]

Rewatched this (second or third time). Still the best Ditko-related interview out here!

[@someokiedude9549]

I've met Zen, and he was always nice to me in our brief messaging to each other. Great interview!

[@RogerFusselman]

So grateful for this interview. Steve Ditko's an inspiration. The letters read aloud feom Mark are the best part of this. I'm glad Steve got into Objectivism and explored the philosophical potential of the comic book medium. Buying Shade the Changing Man at the local drugstore was always a treat, too! Nobody did his characters better than he did.

[@patrickmichels7888]

I never get tired of hearing about Steve Ditko. Thanks mark and Alex!

[@markditko4363]

LOL!!! I never get tired of talking about him!!!

[@ComicExcitement]

Alex 😊 A BIG thank you to you and Mark Ditko for doing this highly illuminating and informative interview!👍

[@chriscaldwell4482]

Thank you so much for this. Biggest fan of Ditkos. Really... it's like Christmas getting to hear this.

[@ComicManGus]

MARK AND ALEX - THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TIME TO REFLECT ON THE AMAZING STEVE DITKO!!!! TAKE CARE, CMGUS

[@xenon6947]

Really loved hearing about Steve that he was great man as he was one of the greatest Comic artist and creator. Thank you for the podcast.

[@batfreeze56]

Thank you for this resource. It's so easy to see these creators as characters, when they were real people with real lives.

[@spideyandme]

Wonderful interview! Mark Ditko is doing a great job of honoring his uncle, and shooting down all the caricatures and rumors of Steve Ditko. Love it! As Mark said, "stay tuned" for more Ditko goodness in the near future!

[@markditko4363]

Thanks Bruce!! yes ... Stay Tuned!!! LOL!!! ... but seriously ... Stay tuned...

[@searchthewind99]

I always thought the 1959 photos were the last ones of Steve. Thanks for a great interview.

[@JeppeSeverin]

Beautiful, thanks - and a happy 95 to Steve.

[@artdingo]

What a fine straightforward interview. Good fun. Ditko was just a man who drew comics and was his own private man but not a recluse.

[@josephbrueckman6271]

This was a great interview! Lots of of information and we definitely need to keep Steve alive for all to enjoy his art and writing. Thanks

[@jimwojton7369]

Fascinating! Well done and very respectful. Thank you both for this.

[@ericmengel]

This was a really great interview- thanks so much!!!

[@fumaku9726]

Great interview! You should get his father to interview.

[@markditko4363]

I agree!!!

[@1OWAC]

great interview! thanks

[@markditko4363]

You are welcome! I had fun!

[@krsj5124]

This is incredible! Thanks Mark Ditko and Alex Grand

[@markditko4363]

Gotta thank Alex for giving me a platform!!

[@nategarcia5501]

Every microscopic fiber in my being is hoping that there is a certian urgency on your end to get on a call with Robin Snyder for a full biographical interview and a unique honest insight to a part of Steve that even some of his family was blinded from via personal realtions and publishing. Have you had any correspondance with Snyder? Additionally, thank you for all of the work you do. You make life better with sharing your discoveries and priceless interviews. You are golden television and a resource I wish I had for my whole life. Cheers

[@AllanTidgwell]

I'm curious if the reason Steve Ditko was so into faceless characters was because he was a fan of The Shadow because there are several stories from the 1930s which describe him as "a man of many faces with no face of his own" and as he was such a massive character at the time I could see that being a formative idea. Heck, I know for a fact that Marvel's version of Hydra was inspired by the Shadow story The Hydra

[@chrisberatis2612]

I absolutely love your KZbin channel on the history of comic books you are very knowledgeable when it comes to this subject.

[@ComicBookHistorians]

Thanks Chris!

[@chrisberatis2612]

@@ComicBookHistorians You’re welcome also do you think it’s possible if you can do a video on Val Armour aka Karate Kid who’s the first Eurasian comic book superhero who pave the way for other Eurasian comic book superheroes such as Cassandra Cain who’s the first half Chinese Batgirl Emiko Queen, who’s a half Japanese archer and the half sister of Oliver Queen and Daken who’s also half Japanese and the biological son of Wolverine now that would be a great video to cover on your KZbin channel in the not so distant future.

[@riddlr6358]

absolutely freaking wonderful! VIVA DITKO!!

[@jackkirby]

Wow .... this is like discovering a treasure. Thanks guys.

[@WillKat66]

Awesome interview 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 thanks for sharing Mark. 👍🏻

[@markditko4363]

My pleasure!!!

[@KevinMayle1974]

This is so great! Love the photos too!

[@markditko4363]

Ya, seeing new photos is always cool. ... and over time we'll continue to leak more and more.

[@AmsterdamComicGeek]

Such a wonderful and informative conversation. Great stuff. 👍

[@markditko4363]

Thanks!!!

[@chrishlady]

Brilliant. Good job.

[@misterX1964]

Thank you for this !!

[@RobRVA]

I love that big Ditko is Amazing book on his shelf I have all those big books.

[@bobdole27]

I like Ditko's objectionistic views and characters, its nice to have a departure from all the moral grey thats constantly fed to the public in media all the time, sometimes its just nice to get a different view

[@aaroncampbell8303]

WOW! I can't believe this!

[@SonnyBurnett2012]

Congratulations! U got a movie with a comtemporary image of SK!

[@broken1394]

What a fabulously rich interview ... It's a shame, but expected, that some folks become transfixed with one or 2 elements of a story. There was a great lesson in watching Peter Jackson documentary ... For 50 years a lot of people would have it the fabs didn't like each other by that point, yoko ono arriving split the band up and made a schism ... Watching the footage we see a lot stuff to the contrary - those folks should take note and take a look at how they project and make assumptions - sometimes wrongly. Not surprised Steve was a vivacious reader. It would be interesting to see a bibliography of his books. Thanks for the vid. 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@markditko4363]

His library will be cataloged in May!!

[@anthonyperdue3557]

😎👍Ditko's dad a devoted reader of comic strips and comic books! Your question A!ex if Ditko was into pop culture 😆☝🤓Ditko is pop culture! Dr Strange , The Creeper and Rac Shade , personal favorite characters! 🤓👈For me Ditko is beloved for his Charlton and pre hero Marvel genre gems! Those Ditko genre gems subconsciously woven into the pattern that produced Alex's masterpiece Journey Into Mexico! I can and do imagine what a comic strip he would have produced had he be inclined to go that direction!

[@yolanda8563]

An objectivist man of strong integrity and moral fortitude.

[@richardhincemon]

Steve Ditco the greatest comic book artist of all time ⏲️. The Green Goblin Dr. Octopus the Lizard the Scorpion Sandman and Mysterio greatest villains of all time he is the Creator of Spider-Man.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Co-creator.

[@Slyarno2795]

If i met Steve ditko he would have like my takes on Spider Man.

[@seraphiel2]

thank you for sharing Mr.Ditko. Your Uncle Steve had an effect on me far beyond the art work.

[@markditko4363]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@tyshekka]

When was this?

[@markditko4363]

We recorded it on June 13th, 2021.

[@andrewgeraci8798]

In the early 2000s, I obtained Steve's phone number but I was gunshy to call. Over time, my feelings grew into respect for his privacy. Just because I might get a kick out of called didn't give me the right to intrude.

[@TheWazzoGames]

Wow, how’d that’d even happen? You gotta give the story!

[@christianbjorck816]

He was the only creator of Spider-Man. All respect to Stan, but the man took a lot of credit for stuff he didn’t do. Ditko made everything; the characters, the gadgets, the designs, wrote the plots etc. Stan barely had an idea and just added (edited) a little dialouge. Not to mention that Stan had a very limited set of characters he could do (and do them well I might add), and Spider-Man isn’t even close to those. Steve Ditko was a genius and it’s such a shame he barely gets the credit he deserves. So nice that you talk about his works!

[@markditko4363]

I'll continue to do what I can to make Steve Ditko more broadly known and recognized for what he's contributed to the comic industry!! He WAS a creative genius!

[@johnbuco1320]

As a little boy got a copy of Blue Beetle 5 for 5 cents at a discount store. Changed my life! Always a little suspicious of hippies afterward. Followed him from then on. The Charltons were hard to find in New Jersey. The Avenging world through mail order. The best! Thank you for all you are doing!!!

[@markditko4363]

@@johnbuco1320 You are welcome!! I enjoy it!

[@bendu8282]

One thing I can say is that Ditko, Kirby and many others added a whole lot to Marvel, but Stan is did a lot more then Ditko & Kirby perceived especially in the editing side of the dialogue and writing for the comics. A known fact is how he would often change or write his own ideas into the illustrations that Ditko & Kirby and others made so he was very creative on the writing end especially since their visuals certainly helped. Along with that he would often give either vague or grand concepts which Ditko , Kirby or others would often build off of with their side of making issues. It was always a team effort, now if you ask me who did the least work I would say Stan compared to everyone else despite all he added he couldn’t really contribute the biggest amount on his own either having to work with others or put in his ideas during the editing process. One thing I can give him was that in his earlier days he gave them a lot of credit and even admitted they added more then him in a lot of issues with building off his ideas or them bringing him stuff and him doing the editing after. Their collision started when Kirby didn’t like how he was being payed. He took it out at the closest authority to him Stan, and left for DC and other parts of the comic industry. Ditko left over a disagreement he had with Lee on Green Goblin’s identity. Lee wanting it to be Norman Osborn, and Ditko disagreeing. Lee was then told to cut out credit of Kirby and others that left when it came to iconic characters that were made when going over their inception by his bosses probably for good Public Relationsions/PR. The reality is Ditko added a lot to Spider-man in concept and form. Stan added a lot through writing dialogue, story, and personalities during his editing process as well as sharing his ideas at times with Ditko , Kirby and others during the work on these early runs. So I would disagree , Spiderman was a co creation from many people including Stan. And that goes for most of these iconic characters. Some added more to them then others but everyone contributed. Stan Lee didn’t just say Spiderman he added a lot to the comics in the editing room. Though these creators that were given the shaft do deserve more credit, and when push comes to shove I do agree that Ditko’s estate deserves the rights to Spiderman & Dr.Strange. Hopefully their can be a situation where they allow Marvel to still use these characters under a partnership that would also benefit them a lot of money and they can play big roles in the creative process owning the rights so that we can get amazing writing for both in film, comics, shows and games.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

I really want to give this interview a thumbs down because it should have been done thirty years ago. Shame on you for not doing this earlier.👍😀

[@markditko4363]

LOL!!! ... my uncle would have disowned me!!! While he was alive the family just honored his interest for privacy.

[@ComicBookHistorians]

Better late than never! And it’s probably the best time possible, bringing love and respect with integrity to the topic.

[@TheWazzoGames]

@@markditko4363Unrelated, but do you know how Steve came into contact with Objectivism? Ayn Rand was also active in New York at that time, so did they meet?

[@markditko4363]

@@TheWazzoGames No, I don't know the answer to that question with any certainty. I heard somewhere that Stan had introduced him to Ayn Rand's material, but don't know that for a fact. And yes, it's my understanding that they met at some point since he had attended her lectures in New York.

[@ernestturriziani2489]

I spoke to Steve Ditko a few years before he died. He was very cold and abrupt going on about Objectivism. I could see him marrying any woman because he would not be tolerant with womens illogical natures. To Steve most women were the opposite of Objectivism.

[@CosmoShidan]

If your misogynist assumption is true, then how do you explain Ayn Rand herself? Does that mean she's illogical and that Objectivism and Ditko are wrong?

[@ateasewiththecheese2140]

@@CosmoShidan Ayn Rand was a emotional nut case. Regardless of what you think of her philosophy and writing, Rand's personal life was a complete shambles. She became involved in an adulterous affair with a disciple (a "reasonable" decision on her part, of course), and then went all "old bat of out hell" when he made the "reasonable" decision to start boinking some younger woman. The resulting emotional pyrotechnics were a perfect example of the impotence of Objectivism as a life creed. Her philosophy is devoid of gratitude. While individualism has some value, Objectivism largely discounts the fact the every successful person stands on the shoulders of those who have come before. In addition, success always involves an element of luck, often consisting of having had the luck to be born into a rich family with plenty of connections. Success devoid of gratitude and the noblesse oblige to help others brings out the worst in people.

[@ateasewiththecheese2140]

10 bucks you're a single guy that hasn't dated much. Typical male Randian like Ditko.

[@hellnahboi.7601]

Now they’re coming after Spider-Man.

[@ComicBookHistorians]

Spider-Man the character will be fine either way.

[@hellnahboi.7601]

@@ComicBookHistorians I agree. I’m neutral on the situation so it doesn’t really bother me if they win or not.