Steve Ditko
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Steve Ditko
His real name is Jack Ryder, a television news reporter who was demoted due to his outspoken nature. Relegated to network security, he protected a scientist who gave him two devices. One enabled him to instantly heal from any wound and gave enhanced strength and agility, but at the cost of somewhat unbalanced personality. The other enabled him to instantly change into the costume of a green-haired, yellow-skinned, and red-furred wildman; the costume, "imprinted" on the device and thus capable of being summoned and dispelled at will, was originally adopted by Ryder while rescuing the scientist from kidnappers.
A great deal of Ditko's philosophical views came flowing out in the fan-favorite Ditko creation, The Question. Like The Blue Beetle (who made his debut in Captain Atom), The Question also made his debut as a back-up feature in The Blue Beetle #1 (Jun '67). The face of justice was blank - the only answer to the question of good and evil was A=A; and so Ditko's views developed. The Question was the beginning in a long line of Ditko comics that would feature a moral hero surrounded by a-moral individualists who tried to bring down the hero, who represented the good and just in society.
Shade, the Changing Man told the story of a fugitive from the militant planet Meta in another dimension. Shade (whose full name is Rac Shade) was powered by a stolen "M-vest" which enabled him to project the illusion of becoming a large grotesque version of himself.
Without question, the oddest Ditko creation may be THE MISSING MAN. Debuting in the Pacific Comics' Kirby book Captain Victory #6 (Sep 1982), the character was only comprised of hair, ears, eye-glasses, arms and legs. You couldn't stab him because, to quote Mr. Khill, ''He's here, yet he's not here. I don't know where to stab!'' (courtesy of that issue's dialogue by Marky Mark Evanier). Working with the help of ''Ma's Detective Detective Agency'' - and all of Ma's cronies - the hero, real identity - Syd Mane would tackle whatever case was doled out to them.
The Uni-Power is an extra-dimensional force that possesses an individual (or on one occasion, twins) in a time of crisis, transforming that person into Captain Universe. As Captain Universe, the transformed person typically retains his or her original personality and appearance, though with Captain Universe's costume and heroic traits superimposed over the original. Captain Universe generally possesses superhuman strength, flight, X-ray vision, telekinesis, enhanced senses, and a psychic awareness of imminent danger; when a person already possessing one or more of these abilities was transformed into Captain Universe, those abilities were amplified by a factor of fifty. Some manifesters of the Uni-Power have demonstrated other, less common abilities as well as failing to exhibit some of the more 'usual' powers. Possessing its own sentience, the Uni-Power can and will abandon a host if necessary, or if said host uses the granted abilities in a detrimental or criminal fashion.
Last edited by sgt.null on Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:38 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Insufficient Man
This is the story of a man who got married. From that time forward, nothing he does ever seems quite ... sufficient. Fortunately, his spouse frequently and repeatedly reports on the matter.
This is the story of a man who got married. From that time forward, nothing he does ever seems quite ... sufficient. Fortunately, his spouse frequently and repeatedly reports on the matter.
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+1Fist and Faith wrote:Ditko has been in on some of comics' greatest creations. Alas, I can't stand his art! ARGH!
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
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Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
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- CovenantJr
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Wayfriend wrote:Insufficient Man
This is the story of a man who got married. From that time forward, nothing he does ever seems quite ... sufficient. Fortunately, his spouse frequently and repeatedly reports on the matter.
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Yeah, sorry Sarge, Ditko to me has always been the death knell of a comic series.
I knew that once he was on ROM that the series was over(which might have been a good thing).
I think that was the case with a few other series too but I can't remember.
I have a weird opinion of Ditko though.
As a kid some of my favorite Classic reprints that I cherished and reread a thousand times were of his Spiderman and Dr Strange.
So it's definantly a love/hate relationship I have with him.
If you look at his art, everything is there, the expresions, actions, background (his earlier stuff anyway) it's just .......poor for some reason.
I knew that once he was on ROM that the series was over(which might have been a good thing).
I think that was the case with a few other series too but I can't remember.
I have a weird opinion of Ditko though.
As a kid some of my favorite Classic reprints that I cherished and reread a thousand times were of his Spiderman and Dr Strange.
So it's definantly a love/hate relationship I have with him.
If you look at his art, everything is there, the expresions, actions, background (his earlier stuff anyway) it's just .......poor for some reason.
https://thoolah.blogspot.com/
[Defeated by a gizmo from Batman's utility belt]
Joker: I swear by all that's funny never to be taken in by that unconstitutional device again!
[Defeated by a gizmo from Batman's utility belt]
Joker: I swear by all that's funny never to be taken in by that unconstitutional device again!
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As much as I liked the Ditko Spiderman and Doc Strange, I liked the Romita Spidey and Brunner Strange much, much more. Still, Ditko left a mark on comics, and was a hell of a lot better than, say, the likes of Don Heck.
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
dlbpharmd wrote:Me neither, Fist.Fist and Faith wrote:Ditko has been in on some of comics' greatest creations. Alas, I can't stand his art! ARGH!
The thing with Ditko, I think, is that his innovations -- earthshaking at the time -- have become so much a part of the comics storytelling vocabulary that we don't really see them anymore.
It all looks kind of quaint now, lots of negative space and bald line work. But at the time, his concepts (and even his angles) were revolutionary. The very idea that a comic panel could have mood, that a character in one could act, was pretty much Ditko's invention.
I have to admit I don't have the visceral appreciation of Ditko's stuff that a lot of people do. But when I look at all the people he influenced, and all the stuff that he did first, he was pretty amazing.
Oh. See, this is why I should never read up on cultural icons. Ditko was a fan of Ayn Rand. Ew.
the rue of the melody could not be mistaken
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You know, I was wondering if you were also a fan...it's nice to know you are!
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
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You know who I'm really liking these days? A colorist named Laura Martin. She's awesome.dANdeLION wrote:You know, I was wondering if you were also a fan...it's nice to know you are!
Coloring used to be the scut job of the industry, but these days it's practically cinematography. People are doing incredible work.
the rue of the melody could not be mistaken
I know a lot of people dig her, but she kinda gives me the whim-whams.Fist and Faith wrote:I'm a rather big fan of Rand.
Last edited by jwaneeta on Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
the rue of the melody could not be mistaken
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Heh, I wasn't referring to Rand; I was referring to the earlier comic artists in general; you already know I'm a fan, but I'm no pro, and I always like it when the pros acknowledge their roots.
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
My biggest influence, personally, was Paul Smith. I can still remember the issue that set me all afire to do comics: X-Men #173. Rogue, Wolverine, Chris Claremont and Paul Smith. It just knocked me flat.
Last edited by jwaneeta on Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
the rue of the melody could not be mistaken
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