Editing Steve Ditko (section)

===Marvel Comics===
After he recovered, Ditko had originally intended to return to Charlton, but Charlton's office had been flooded by [[Hurricane Diane]] and operations wouldn't resume until months later.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=32}} Ditko instead moved back to New York City in late 1955<ref name=strangesuspense /> and began drawing for [[Atlas Comics (1950s)|Atlas Comics]], the 1950s precursor of [[Marvel Comics]], beginning with the four-page "There'll Be Some Changes Made" in ''[[Journey into Mystery]]'' #33 (April 1956);<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-monsters-steve-ditko/ |title=The Marvel Monsters of Steve Ditko |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=August 27, 2018 |work=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=August 27, 2018 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032917/https://www.cbr.com/marvel-monsters-steve-ditko/ |url-status=live }}</ref> this debut tale would be reprinted in Marvel's ''Curse of the Weird'' #4 (March 1994). In 1957, Atlas switched distributors to the [[American News Company]], which shortly afterward lost a [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] [[lawsuit]] and discontinued its business,<ref>Jones, Gerard. ''Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book'' (Basic Books, 2004).</ref> leading to Atlas's entire staff being laid off.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=34}} Ditko returned to Charlton afterward and experimented with various drawing styles and genres in series such as ''[[Tales of the Mysterious Traveler]]'' and ''This Magazine is Haunted''.{{sfn|Bell|2008|pp=37–40}}

During the summer of 1958, writer-editor [[Stan Lee]] invited Ditko back to Atlas.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=40}} Ditko would go on to contribute a large number of stories, many considered classic, to Atlas/Marvel's ''[[Strange Tales]]'' and the newly launched ''[[Amazing Adventures]]'', ''[[Strange Worlds (Atlas Comics)|Strange Worlds]]'', ''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' and ''[[Tales to Astonish]]'', issues of which would typically open with a Kirby-drawn monster story, followed by one or two twist-ending thrillers or sci-fi tales drawn by [[Don Heck]], [[Paul Reinman]], or [[Joe Sinnott]], all capped by an often-surreal, sometimes self-reflective short by Ditko and Stan Lee.<ref>{{cite book|last = Brevoort|first = Tom|author-link = Tom Brevoort |editor-last=Gilbert |editor-first=Laura |chapter=1950s |title=Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2008|location= London |page = 73|isbn =978-0756641238}}</ref> The first collaboration between Ditko and Lee was ''2-Gun Western'' #4 (May 1956), which was also Ditko's only non-fantasy story.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=32}}

These Lee-Ditko short stories proved so popular that ''Amazing Adventures'' was reformatted to feature such stories exclusively beginning with issue #7 (Dec. 1961), when the comic was rechristened ''Amazing Adult Fantasy'', a name intended to reflect its more "sophisticated" nature, as likewise the new tagline "The magazine that respects your intelligence". Lee in 2009 described these "short, five-page filler strips that Steve and I did together", originally "placed in any of our comics that had a few extra pages to fill", as "odd fantasy tales that I'd dream up with [[O. Henry]]-type endings." Giving an early example of what would later be known as the "[[Marvel Method]]" of writer-artist collaboration, Lee said, "All I had to do was give Steve a one-line description of the plot and he'd be off and running. He'd take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect."<ref>[[Stan Lee|Lee, Stan]], "Introduction", in Yoe, p. 9</ref>

====Creation of Spider-Man====
After Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee obtained permission from publisher [[martin Goodman (publisher)|Martin Goodman]] to create a new "ordinary teen" superhero named "Spider-Man",<ref>Lee, Stan, and Mair, George. ''Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee'' (Fireside, 2002), p.130. {{ISBN|0-684-87305-2}}</ref> Lee originally approached his leading artist, [[Jack Kirby]]. Kirby told Lee about his own 1950s character conception, variously called the Silver Spider and Spiderman, in which an orphaned boy finds a magic ring that gives him super powers. Comics historian [[Greg Theakston]] says Lee and Kirby "immediately sat down for a story conference" and Lee afterward directed Kirby to flesh out the character and draw some pages. "A day or two later", Kirby showed Lee the first six pages, and, as Lee recalled, "I hated the way he was doing it. Not that he did it badly&nbsp;— it just wasn't the character I wanted; it was too heroic".<ref>Theakston, Greg. ''The Steve Ditko Reader'' (Pure Imagination, Brooklyn, New York, 2002; {{ISBN|1-56685-011-8}}), p. 12 (unnumbered)</ref>

Lee turned to Ditko, who developed a visual motif Lee found satisfactory,<ref>[[Tom DeFalco|DeFalco, Tom]] "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 87: "Deciding that his new character would have spider-like powers, [Stan] Lee commissioned Jack Kirby to work on the first story. Unfortunately, Kirby's version of Spider-Man's alter ego Peter Parker proved too heroic, handsome, and muscular for Lee's everyman hero. Lee turned to Steve Ditko, the regular artist on Amazing Adult Fantasy, who designed a skinny, awkward teenager with glasses."</ref> although Lee would later replace Ditko's original cover with one penciled by Kirby. Ditko said, "The Spider-Man pages Stan showed me were nothing like the (eventually) published character. In fact, the only drawings of Spider-Man were on the splash <nowiki>[</nowiki>i.e., page 1] and at the end [where] Kirby had the guy leaping at you with a web gun... Anyway, the first five pages took place in the home, and the kid finds a ring and turns into Spider-Man."<ref>Theakston, ''Steve Ditko Reader'', p. 13</ref>
Ditko also recalled that, "One of the first things I did was to work up a costume. A vital, visual part of the character. I had to know how he looked ... before I did any breakdowns. For example: A clinging power so he wouldn't have hard shoes or boots, a hidden wrist-shooter versus a web gun and holster, etc. ... I wasn't sure Stan would like the idea of covering the character's face but I did it because it hid an obviously boyish face. It would also add mystery to the character...."<ref>Ditko, Steve. "Jack Kirby's Spider-Man", ''Robin Snyder's History of Comics'' #5 (May 1990). Reprinted in [[Roy Thomas|Thomas, Roy]], ed., ''Alter Ego: The Comic Book Artist Collection''. Raleigh, North Carolina: [[TwoMorrows Publishing]], 2001, p. 56. {{ISBN|978-1-893905-06-1}}</ref>

Much earlier, in a rare contemporaneous account, Ditko described his and Lee's contributions in a mail interview with Gary Martin published in ''Comic Fan'' #2 (Summer 1965): "Stan Lee thought the name up. I did costume, web gimmick on wrist & spider signal". He added he would continue drawing Spider-Man "[i]f nothing better comes along."<ref name=comicfan2>{{cite web|archive-date=April 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430081615/http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/artist/arcomicf.html |author=Ditko interview |title=Steve Ditko – A Portrait of the Master |url=http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/artist/arcomicf.html |publisher=Comic Fan #2 (Larry Herndon, pub.) via Ditko.Comics.org (Blake Bell, ed.) |date=Summer 1965 |access-date=April 3, 2008 |url-status=dead}} Additional, February 28, 2012.</ref> That same year, he expressed to the fanzine ''Voice of Comicdom'', regarding a poll of "Best Liked" fan-created comics, "It seems a shame, since comics themselves have so little variety of stories and styles that you would deliberately restrict your own creative efforts to professional comics['] shallow range. What is 'Best Liked' by most readers is what they are most familiar in seeing and any policy based on readers likes has to end up with a lot of look-a-like ([[sic]]) strips. You have a great opportunity to show everyone a whole new range of ideas, unlimited types of stories and styles—why FLUB it!"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/artist/arvoc4le.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227184226/http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/artist/arvoc4le.html |archive-date=December 27, 2007 |first=Steve |last=Ditko |title=Editor's Mailbox |publisher=Voice of Comicdom #4 (Bob Metz, ed.) via Ditko.Comics.org (Blake Bell, ed.) |date=April 1965 |url-status=dead}} Punctuation verbatim. Additional, September 23, 2010.</ref>

From 1958 to 1968,<ref>Pérez Seves, ''Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground,'' p. 213.</ref> Ditko shared a [[Manhattan]] studio at 43rd Street and [[Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)|Eighth Avenue]] with noted fetish artist [[Eric Stanton]], an art-school classmate. When either artist was under deadline pressure, it was not uncommon for them to pitch in and help the other with his assignment.<ref name=ditkostanton>{{cite web|last=Bell |first=Blake |url=http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/crea/crerstan.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501191157/http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/crea/crerstan.html |archive-date=May 1, 2008 |title=Ditko & Stanton |publisher=Ditko Looked Up |url-status=dead}} Additional .</ref><ref>Theakston, ''The Steve Ditko Reader'', pp. 13–15 (unnumbered, pp. 14–15 misordered as pp. 16 & 14)</ref> Ditko biographer Blake Bell, without citing sources, said, "At one time in history, Ditko denied ever touching Stanton's work, even though Stanton himself said they would each dabble in each other's art; mainly spot-inking",<ref name=ditkostanton /> and the introduction to one book of Stanton's work says, "Eric Stanton drew his pictures in [[India ink]], and they were then hand-coloured<!--as spelled in source--> by Ditko".<ref>{{cite book | last = Riemschneider | first = Burkhard | title = Eric Stanton: For the Man Who Knows His Place | publisher = [[Taschen|Benedikt Taschen Verlag]] | year = 1997|location= Cologne, Germany| page = 4 (unnumbered) | isbn = 978-3-8228-8169-9}}</ref> In a 1988 interview with Theakston, Stanton recalled that although his contribution to Spider-Man was "almost nil", he and Ditko had "worked on storyboards together and I added a few ideas. But the whole thing was created by Steve on his own... I think I added the business about the webs coming out of his hands".<ref name=theakston-reader-p14>Theakston, ''Steve Ditko Reader'', p. 14 (unnumbered, misordered as page 16)</ref>

Spider-Man debuted in ''[[Amazing Fantasy]]'' #15 (Aug. 1962), the final issue of that science-fiction/fantasy anthology series. When the issue proved to be a top seller, Spider-Man was given his own series, ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rhoades|first=Shirrel|page=81|title=A Complete History of American Comic Books|publisher= [[Peter Lang (publisher)|Peter Lang Publishing]]|year=2008|location= Pieterlen and Bern, Switzerland|isbn=978-1-4331-0107-6}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 91: "Thanks to a flood of fan mail, Spider-Man was awarded his own title six months after his first appearance. ''Amazing Spider-Man'' began as a bimonthly title, but was quickly promoted to a monthly."</ref> Lee and Ditko's collaboration on the series saw the creation of many of the character's best known antagonists including [[Doctor Octopus]] in issue #3 (July 1963);<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 93: "Dr. Octopus shared many traits with Peter Parker. They were both shy, both interested in science, and both had trouble relating to women...Otto Octavius even looked like a grown up Peter Parker. Lee and Ditko intended Otto to be the man Peter might have become if he hadn't been raised with a sense of responsibility"</ref> the [[Sandman (Marvel Comics)|Sandman]] in #4 (Sept. 1963);<ref>{{cite book |last=Manning |first=Matthew K. |editor-last=Gilbert |editor-first=Laura |chapter=1960s |title=Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2012 |location=London |page=20 |isbn=978-0756692360 |quote=In this installment, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced Sandman&nbsp;— a super villain who could turn his entire body into sand with a single thought.}}</ref> the [[Lizard (character)|Lizard]] in #6 (Nov. 1963);<ref>Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 20: "''The Amazing Spider-Man''s sixth issue introduced the Lizard."</ref> [[Electro (comics)|Electro]] in #9 (March 1964);<ref>Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 24: "Electro charged into Spider-Man's life for the first time in another [Stan] Lee and [Steve] Ditko effort that saw Peter Parker using his brilliant mind to outwit a foe."</ref> and the [[Green Goblin]] in #14 (July 1964).<ref>Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 26: "Spider-Man's arch nemesis, the Green Goblin, as introduced to readers as the 'most dangerous foe Spidey's ever fought.' Writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko had no way of knowing how true that statement would prove to be in the coming years."</ref> Increasingly irritated by his perception that he was not receiving his due or proper compensation, Ditko demanded credit for the plotting he was contributing under the [[Marvel Method]]. Lee acquiesced, and starting with #25 (June 1965), Ditko received plot credit for the stories.<ref>{{cite news | author = Kraft, David Anthony | author2 = Slifer, Roger | author-link = David Anthony Kraft | author-link2 = Roger Slifer | date = April 1983 | title = Mark Evanier | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = 2 | pages = 23–34 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref>

One of the most celebrated issues of the Lee-Ditko run is #33 (Feb. 1966), the third part of the story arc "[[If This Be My Destiny...!]]", and featuring the dramatic scene of Spider-Man, through force of will and thoughts of family, escaping from being pinned by heavy machinery. Comics historian [[Les Daniels]] noted, "Steve Ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of Spider-Man's predicament, complete with visions of the uncle he failed and the aunt he has sworn to save."<ref name=DanielsMarvel>{{Cite book|last=Daniels|first=Les|author-link = Les Daniels|title= Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics |publisher= [[Abrams Books|Harry N. Abrams]]|year= 1991|location= New York, New York
|page= 129|isbn= 9780810938212}}</ref> [[Peter David]] observed, "After his origin, this two-page sequence from ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 is perhaps the best-loved sequence from the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era."<ref>{{cite book|last1 = David|first1 = Peter|author-link = Peter David|last2 = Greenberger|first2 = Robert|author2-link = Robert Greenberger|title = The Spider-Man Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles Spun from Marvel's Web|publisher = [[Running Press]]|year = 2010|location = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|page = [https://archive.org/details/sinatrahollywood0000knig/page/29 29]|isbn = 978-0762437726|url = https://archive.org/details/sinatrahollywood0000knig/page/29}}</ref> Steve Saffel stated the "full page Ditko image from ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 is one of the most powerful ever to appear in the series and influenced writers and artists for many years to come."<ref name=saffel>{{cite book|last=Saffel|first=Steve|title= Spider-Man the Icon: The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year= 2007|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-1-84576-324-4|chapter= A Legend Is Born|page= 22}}</ref> Matthew K. Manning wrote that "Ditko's illustrations for the first few pages of this Lee story included what would become one of the most iconic scenes in Spider-Man's history."<ref>Manning "1960s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 34</ref> The story was chosen as #15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. Editor [[Robert Greenberger]] wrote in his introduction to the story, "These first five pages are a modern-day equivalent to Shakespeare as Parker's soliloquy sets the stage for his next action. And with dramatic pacing and storytelling, Ditko delivers one of the great sequences in all comics."<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Greenberger |editor-first=Robert |title=100 Greatest Marvels of All Time |publisher=Marvel Comics |date=December 2001 |page=67}}</ref>

In this series, Ditko also had a lasting effect on Marvel's [[Branding (promotional)|branding]] when he inserted a small box on the upper left-hand corner of issue #2 that featured a picture of Spider-Man's face along with the company name and price. Stan Lee approved of this visual motif and soon made it a standard feature on all of Marvel's subsequent comic books that would last for decades.<ref>{{cite web |title=Branding Failure: The Rise and Fall of Marvel's Corner Box Art |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sk7BAuUCFc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/6sk7BAuUCFc| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|website=YouTube | date=August 31, 2021 |publisher=ComicTropes |access-date=13 September 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Two of the most sought-after Spider-Man collectibles during Ditko's time on the series were mail-away items ordered through comic book ads. Ditko art was featured on a very popular t-shirt and on a 6' tall poster.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-12 |title=Spidey-Stash # 2: Mail Away Items - Spider Man Crawlspace |url=https://www.spidermancrawlspace.com/2021/04/spidey-stash-2-mail-away-items/ |access-date=2024-05-05 |language=en-US |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032923/https://www.spidermancrawlspace.com/2021/04/spidey-stash-2-mail-away-items/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Doctor Strange and other characters====
[[File:DitkoEternity.jpg|thumb|right|280px|[[Dormammu]] attacks [[Eternity (Marvel Comics)|Eternity]] in a Ditko "Dr. Strange" panel from ''Strange Tales'' #146 (July 1966).]]
Ditko created<ref>{{cite comic| story = "Toyland": "Martin Goodman/Stan Lee"| title= The Avenging Mind| publisher= Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko.| date=April 2008| writer= Ditko, Steve}}</ref><ref>In a 1963 letter to [[Jerry Bails]], Marvel writer-editor Stan Lee called the character Ditko's idea, saying, "The first story is nothing great, but perhaps we can make something of him-- 'twas Steve's idea and I figured we'd give it a chance, although again, we had to rush the first one too much. Little sidelight: Originally decided to call him Mr. Strange, but thought the 'Mr.' bit too similar to [[Mr. Fantastic]]...."{{cite web|url=http://themarvelageofcomics.tumblr.com/post/16306907460/a-letter-written-by-stan-lee-to-super-fan-dr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409065636/http://themarvelageofcomics.tumblr.com/post/16306907460/a-letter-written-by-stan-lee-to-super-fan-dr |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |title=The Marvel Age of Comics, A letter written by Stan Lee to super-fan Dr |date=April 9, 2014 |access-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> the [[supernatural]] hero [[Doctor Strange]] in ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #110 (July 1963).<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 93: "When Dr. Strange first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110, it was only clear that he dabbled in black magic and had the ability to project his consciousness into an astral form that could leave his physical body."</ref> Ditko in the 2000s told a visiting fan that Lee gave Dr. Strange the first name "Stephen".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://popculturesquad.com/2019/03/16/steve-ditko-inside-his-studio-sanatorium|title=Steve Ditko: Inside His Studio Sanctum Sanctorum|publisher=Pop Culture Squad|date= March 16, 2019|first= Russ|last=Maheras|access-date=October 16, 2019|archive-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190821214750/https://popculturesquad.com/2019/03/16/steve-ditko-inside-his-studio-sanatorium/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Though often overshadowed by his Spider-Man work, Ditko's Doctor Strange artwork has been equally acclaimed for its [[surrealism|surrealistic]] mystical landscapes and increasingly psychedelic visuals that helped make the feature a favorite of college students. "People who read 'Doctor Strange' thought people at Marvel must be heads [i.e. drug users]," recalled then-associate editor and former Doctor Strange writer [[Roy Thomas]] in 1971, "because they had had similar experiences high on [[Psilocybin mushroom|mushrooms]]. But ... I don't use hallucinogens, nor do I think any artists do."<ref>{{cite magazine |author-link=Robin Green (producer) |last=Green |first=Robin |url=http://www.reocities.com/area51/Chamber/8346/rs91.facefront.1.html |title=Face Front! Clap Your Hands, You're on the Winning Team! |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=91 |date=September 16, 1971 |publisher=via fan site Green Skin's Grab-Bag |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007234130/http://www.reocities.com/area51/Chamber/8346/rs91.facefront.1.html |page=31 |archive-date=October 7, 2010 |access-date=September 14, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ditko, "always the most straight-laced man in comics", was deeply offended by the suggestion that he used [[psychedelic drug]]s to create the worlds of ''Dr. Strange''.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=78}}

Eventually Lee & Ditko would take Strange into ever-more-abstract realms. In an epic 17-issue story arc in ''Strange Tales'' #130–146 (March 1965 – July 1966), Lee and Ditko introduced the cosmic character [[Eternity (Marvel Comics)|Eternity]], who personified the universe and was depicted as a silhouette whose outlines are filled with the cosmos.<ref name=st134>[http://www.comics.org/issue/19306/ ''Strange Tales'' #134] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220104234/http://www.comics.org/issue/19306/ |date=December 20, 2014 }} at the Grand Comics Database: "Indexer Notes: Part 5 of 17. First mention of Eternity. Strange would finally find it in ''Strange Tales'' #138 (November 1965)".</ref> As historian Bradford W. Wright describes,

{{blockquote|Steve Ditko contributed some of his most surrealistic work to the comic book and gave it a disorienting, hallucinogenic quality. Dr. Strange's adventures take place in bizarre worlds and twisting dimensions that resembled [[Salvador Dalí]] paintings. ... Inspired by the pulp-fiction magicians of Stan Lee's childhood as well as by contemporary [[Beat Generation|Beat]] culture. Dr. Strange remarkably predicted the youth [[counterculture]]'s fascination with Eastern mysticism and [[psychedelia]]. Never among Marvel's more popular or accessible characters, Dr. Strange still found a niche among an audience seeking a challenging alternative to more conventional superhero fare.<ref>Wright, Bradford W. ''Comic Book Nation: Transformation of a Youth Culture'', Baltimore, Maryland: [[Johns Hopkins University Press]], 2001. {{ISBN|0-8018-7450-5}}. p. 213</ref>}}

The [[cartoonist]] and [[fine artist]] [[Seth (cartoonist)|Seth]] in 2003 described Ditko's style as: {{blockquote|...oddball for mainstream comics. Whereas Kirby's stuff clearly appealed to a boy's sensibility because there was so much raw power, Ditko's work was really delicate and cartoony. There was a sense of design to it. You can always recognize anything that Ditko designed because it's always flowery. There is a lot of embroidered detail in the art, which is almost psychedelic.<ref>Heer, Jeet. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050727080557/http://www.jeetheer.com/comics/ditko.htm "Steve Ditko"]}}, ''[[The National Post]]'', May 3, 2003, via JeetHeer.com. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20091224152547/http://www.jeetheer.com/comics/ditko.htm WebCitation archive]}}.</ref>}}

In addition to Dr. Strange, Ditko in the 1960s also drew comics starring the Hulk and Iron Man. He penciled and inked the final issue of ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' (#6, March 1963), then continued to collaborate with writer-editor Lee on a relaunched [[Hulk]] feature in the omnibus ''[[Tales to Astonish]]'', beginning with issue #60 (Oct. 1964). Ditko, inked by [[George Roussos]], penciled the feature through #67 (May 1965). Ditko designed the Hulk's primary antagonist, the [[Leader (character)|Leader]], in #63 (Jan. 1965).<ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=211}}</ref>

Ditko also penciled the [[Iron Man]] feature in ''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' #47–49 (Nov. 1963 – Jan. 1964), with various inkers. The first of these debuted the initial version of Iron Man's modern red-and-golden armor.{{sfn|Daniels|1991|p=99}}

Whichever feature he drew, Ditko's idiosyncratic, cleanly detailed, instantly recognizable art style, emphasizing mood and [[anxiety (mood)|anxiety]], found great favor with readers. The character of Spider-Man and his troubled personal life meshed well with Ditko's own interests, which Lee eventually acknowledged by giving the artist plotting credits on the latter part of their 38-issue run. But after four years on the title, Ditko left Marvel;<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 117: "To this day, no one really knows why Ditko quit. Bullpen sources reported he was unhappy with the way Lee scripted some of his plots, using a tongue-in-cheek approach to stories Ditko wanted handled seriously."</ref> he and Lee had not been on speaking terms for some time, with art and editorial changes handled through intermediaries.<ref name=tomsinclair>{{cite magazine |last=Sinclair |first=Tom |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/06/20/meet-stan-lee-mind-behind-spider-man-and-hulk/ |title=Still a Marvel! |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 20, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007142441/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,458355_2,00.html |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The details of the rift remain uncertain, even to Lee, who confessed in 2003, "I never really knew Steve on a personal level."<ref name=tomsinclair /> Ditko later claimed it was Lee who broke off contact and disputed the long-held belief<ref name=ross>[[Jonathan Ross|Ross, Jonathan]], ''In Search of Steve Ditko'', [[BBC Four]]</ref> that the disagreement was over the true identity of the [[Green Goblin]]: "Stan never knew what he was getting in my Spider-Man stories and covers until after [production manager] [[Sol Brodsky]] took the material from me ... so there couldn't have been any disagreement or agreement, no exchanges ... no problems between us concerning the Green Goblin or anything else from before issue #25 to my final issues".<ref name=wiz>Lawrence, Christopher, "Who Is Steve Ditko?", ''Wizard'' #124 (Jan. 2002)</ref> Spider-Man successor artist [[John Romita Sr.|John Romita]], in a 2010 [[Deposition (law)|deposition]], recalled that Lee and Ditko "ended up not being able to work together because they disagreed on almost everything, cultural, social, historically, everything, they disagreed on characters. ..."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_lZovnpi13JNWQ5MDJmOTgtZDMzYy00MzI3LTllYjctNmM0ZWE4NjgyOWEx&hl=en_US |title=Confidential Videotaped Deposition of John V. Romita |publisher=United States District Court, Southern District of New York: "Marvel Worldwide, Inc., et al., vs. Lisa R. Kirby, et al." |page=45 |location=Garden City, New York |date=October 21, 2010 |access-date=August 9, 2011 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205192530/https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_lZovnpi13JNWQ5MDJmOTgtZDMzYy00MzI3LTllYjctNmM0ZWE4NjgyOWEx/view |url-status=live }}</ref> A friendly farewell was given to Ditko in the "[[Bullpen Bulletins]]" of comics cover-dated July 1966, including ''Fantastic Four'' #52: "Steve recently told us he was leaving for personal reasons. After all these years, we're sorry to see him go, and we wish the talented guy success with his future endeavors."<ref>"Bullpen Bulletins", ''Fantastic Four'' #52 (July 1966). Marvel Comics.</ref>

Regardless, said Lee in 2007, "Quite a few years ago I met him up at the Marvel offices when I was last in New York. And we spoke; he's a hell of a nice guy and it was very pleasant. ... I haven't heard from him since that meeting."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/comics/article/excelsior-stan-lee-speaks-64443 |title=Excelsior! Stan Lee speaks |publisher=[[CraveOnline.com]] |date=July 31, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807145133/http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/comics/article/excelsior-stan-lee-speaks-64443 |archive-date=August 7, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>