Editing Steve Ditko (section)

===After 1975===
Ditko returned to DC Comics in 1975, creating a short-lived title, ''[[Shade, the Changing Man]]'' (1977–1978).<ref name=gcd/><ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 174 "Steve Ditko returned to mainstream comics with ''Shade, the Changing Man''. Joined by writer Michael Fleisher, Ditko unveiled the story of Rac Shade, a secret agent-turned-fugitive from the extra-dimensional world of Meta."</ref> Shade was later revived, without Ditko's involvement, in DC's mature-audience imprint [[Vertigo (comics)|Vertigo]]. With writer [[Paul Levitz]], he co-created the four-issue [[sword and sorcery]] series ''[[Stalker (comics)|Stalker]]'' (1975–1976).<ref>[http://www.comics.org/series/2226/ ''Stalker''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018035331/http://www.comics.org/series/2226/ |date=October 18, 2012 }} at the Grand Comics Database</ref><ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 164 "This sword and sorcery title by scripter Paul Levitz and artist Steve Ditko epitomized the credo 'Be careful what you wish for'. The series anti-hero was a nameless wanderer whose dreams of becoming a warrior brought him first slavery, then worse."</ref> Ditko and writer [[Gerry Conway]] produced the first issue of a two-issue ''[[Man-Bat]]'' series.<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 168 "Thanks to his appearances in ''Detective Comics'' and ''Batman'', Man-Bat's popularity soared to the point where writer Gerry Conway and artist Steve Ditko launched the [character] into his own series."</ref> He also revived the Creeper<ref>{{cite book|last= Manning|first= Matthew K. |editor-last=Dougall |editor-first=Alastair |chapter=1970s |title= Batman: A Visual History |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2014 |location=London |page=119 |isbn=978-1465424563}}</ref> and did such various other jobs as a short [[Etrigan the Demon|Demon]] backup series in 1979, created The Odd Man and stories in DC's horror and science-fiction anthologies. Editor [[Jack C. Harris]] hired Ditko as guest artist on several issues of ''The [[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'', a decision which garnered a mixed reaction from the title's readership.<ref name="PartTwo">{{cite web|url=http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/harris2.shtml |title=Jack C. Harris Interview (Pt. 2) |first=Ron E. |last=Daudt |year=2010 |publisher=TheSilverLantern.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901223812/http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/harris2.shtml |archive-date=September 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 20, 2011 |quote=Some of the fans loved it and some hated it. Nobody was lukewarm about it. It was a very Ditko type of feeling. You hated it or you loved it and there was nothing in between.}}</ref> Ditko also drew the [[Starman (Prince Gavyn)|Prince Gavyn]] version of [[Starman (comics)|Starman]] in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #467–478 (1980).<ref name=gcd/><ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 186 "The second [feature in ''Adventure Comics'' #467] debuted a new version of Starman by writer Paul Levitz and illustrator Steve Ditko."</ref> He then decamped to do work for a variety of publishers, briefly contributing to DC again in the mid-1980s, with four pinups of his characters for ''[[Who's Who in the DC Universe|Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe]]'' and a pinup for ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' #400 (Oct. 1984)<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/39168/ ''Superman'' #400] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609052849/http://www.comics.org/issue/39168/ |date=June 9, 2011 }} at the Grand Comics Database</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last = Addiego|first = Frankie|title = ''Superman'' #400|journal = [[Back Issue!]]|issue = 69|pages = 68–70|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|date = December 2013|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> and its companion portfolio.<ref>[[Dick Giordano|Giordano, Dick]] "Meanwhile" column, ''Jemm, Son of Saturn'' #2 (Oct. 1984) "We have another goodie for you! Also on this year's October schedule is the ''Superman'' #400 portfolio...The portfolio will have a full-color painted cover by Howard Chaykin and will contain 15 black-and-white plates by [artists including] Steve Ditko...."</ref>
Ditko returned to Marvel in 1979, taking over Jack Kirby's ''[[Machine Man]]'',<ref>[[Peter Sanderson|Sanderson, Peter]] "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 185: "Jack Kirby wrote and drew the initial nine issues of ''Machine Man''. In August 1979, the series was revived by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Ditko."</ref> drawing ''The [[Micronauts (comics)|Micronauts]]''<ref>{{cite journal|last= Lantz|first= James Heath|title= Inner-Space Opera: A Look at Marvel's Micronauts Comics|journal= Back Issue!|issue= 76|pages= 46–48|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= October 2014|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> and [[Captain Universe]], and continuing to freelance for the company into the late 1990s. Starting in 1984, he penciled the last two years of the space-robot series ''[[Rom (comics)|Rom]]''. A [[Godzilla (comics)|Godzilla]] story by Ditko and [[Marv Wolfman]] was changed into a [[Dragon Lord (comics)|Dragon Lord]] story published in ''[[Marvel Spotlight]]''.<ref>DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 197: "Tako Shamara became the Dragon Lord in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #5 by writer/editor Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Ditko."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2009/12/24/comic-book-legends-revealed-239/ |title=Comic Book Legends Revealed #239 |first=Brian |last=Cronin |date=December 24, 2009 |website=Comic Book Resources |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731190736/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2009/12/24/comic-book-legends-revealed-239/ |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=January 13, 2013 |quote=The Godzilla fill-in by Marv Wolfman and Steve Ditko, ended up appearing in the pages of the re-launched ''Marvel Spotlight'' in 1980 as Dragon Lord, about a fellow who can control dragons.}}</ref> Ditko and writer [[Tom DeFalco]] introduced the [[Robbie Baldwin|Speedball]] character in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #22 (1988)<ref>DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 238: "Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco thought Marvel should publish more titles starring teenagers...He wrote the basic scenario and character descriptions for a new series and hired Steve Ditko to design it."</ref> and Ditko drew a ten-issue series based on the character.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lute |first=Ed |date=February 2019 |title=Speedball: The Silver Age Superhero from the Copper Age |url=https://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/backissue110preview |journal=Back Issue! |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |issue=110 |page=62 |access-date=December 10, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032903/https://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/backissue110preview |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1982, he also began freelancing for the early independent comics label [[Pacific Comics]], beginning with ''[[Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers]]'' #6 (Sept. 1982), in which he introduced the superhero Missing Man, with [[Mark Evanier]] scripting to Ditko's plot and art. Subsequent Missing Man stories appeared in ''Pacific Presents'' #1–3 (Oct. 1982 – March 1984), with Ditko scripting the former and collaborating with longtime friend Robin Snyder on the script for the latter two. Ditko also created [[Mocker (comics)|The Mocker]] for Pacific, in ''[[Silver Star (comics)|Silver Star]]'' #2 (April 1983).<ref name=gcd />

For [[Eclipse Comics]], he contributed a story featuring his character [[Static (Steve Ditko character)|Static]] (no relation to the later [[Milestone Comics]] character) in ''[[Eclipse Monthly]]'' #1–3 (Aug.–Oct. 1983), introducing [[supervillain]] the Exploder in #2. With writer Jack C. Harris, Ditko drew the backup feature "The Faceless Ones" in [[First Comics]]' ''[[Warp (First Comics)|Warp]]'' #2–4 (April–June 1983). Working with that same writer and others, Ditko drew a handful of the [[Fly (Red Circle Comics)|Fly]], [[Flygirl (Archie Comics)|Flygirl]] and [[Jaguar (Archie Comics)|Jaguar]] stories for ''The Fly'' #2–8 (July 1983 – Aug. 1984), for [[Archie Comics]]' short-lived 1980s superhero line; in a rare latter-day instance of Ditko [[inker|inking]] another artist, he inked [[penciler]] [[Dick Ayers]] on the Jaguar story in ''The Fly'' #9 (Oct. 1984).<ref name=gcd /> [[Western Publishing]] in 1982 announced a series by Ditko and Harris would appear in a new science-fiction comic, ''Astral Frontiers'', but that title never materialized.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.tcj.com/archive-viewer-issue-71/?pid=4643 |title=News from Hither and Yon: Ditko at Western |journal=[[The Comics Journal]] |issue=71 |date=April 1982 |page=16 |location=Seattle, Washington |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814010119/http://www.tcj.com/archive-viewer-issue-71/?pid=4643 |archive-date=August 14, 2012 |access-date=August 19, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ditko and Harris created ''3-D Substance'', a character with the power to turn invisible in a 3-D comic, in 1990. Substance also had the ability to project his voice away from himself, which Ditko demonstrated through the placement of word balloons.{{sfn|Harris|2023|p=99}} In the early 1990s Ditko worked for [[Jim Shooter|Jim Shooter's]] newly founded company [[Valiant Comics]], drawing, among others, issues of ''[[Magnus, Robot Fighter]]'', [[Solar (comics)|''Solar, Man of the Atom'']] and ''[[X-O Manowar|X-O-Manowar]]''. In 1992 Ditko worked with writer [[Will Murray (writer)|Will Murray]] to produce one of his last original characters for Marvel Comics, the superheroine [[Squirrel Girl]], who debuted in ''[[Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)|Marvel Super-Heroes]]'' vol. 2, #8, a.k.a. ''Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special'' (Jan. 1992).<ref name=gcd-msh>[http://www.comics.org/character/name/Squirrel%20Girl/sort/chrono/ ''Marvel Super-Heroes'' (Marvel, 1990 series)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205742/http://www.comics.org/character/name/Squirrel%20Girl/sort/chrono/ |date=September 23, 2015 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref>

In 1992 he had a meeting with Stan Lee, who wanted to work with Ditko on a comic project about a "garbageman superhero from the future", but he declined because he didn't like the future portrayed in the concept. When Lee then suggested they should do a Spider-Man graphic novel together, he declined that too, claiming he no longer had the same feelings for the character that he once had.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/steve-ditko-spider-man-life-legacy-1235047781/ The Secret Life of Steve Ditko: Spider-Man Co-Creator’s Family Opens Up]</ref>

In 1993, he did the [[Dark Horse Comics]] [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] ''The Safest Place in the World''. For the [[Defiant Comics]] series ''[[Dark Dominion]],'' he drew issue #0, which was released as a set of [[trading cards]]. In 1995, he pencilled a four-issue series for Marvel based on the ''[[Phantom 2040]]'' animated TV series. This included a poster that was inked by [[John Romita Sr.]] ''Steve Ditko's Strange Avenging Tales'' was announced as a quarterly series from [[Fantagraphics Books]], although it only ran one issue (Feb. 1997) due to publicly unspecified disagreements between Ditko and the publisher.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://fantagraphics.com/flog/how-i-pissed-off-steve-ditko/|title= How I pissed off Steve Ditko|first= Eric|last= Reynolds|author-link= Eric Reynolds (comics)|date= 2008|location= Seattle, Washington|publisher= Fantagraphics Books|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160928014859/http://fantagraphics.com/flog/how-i-pissed-off-steve-ditko/|archive-date= September 28, 2016|url-status= live|quote= About ten years ago we had the great fortune of publishing a new series by Mr. Ditko, ''Steve Ditko's Strange Avenging Tales''...Ditko quit the series over other disagreements with Gary Groth, and only the first issue was published.}}</ref>

''[[The New York Times]]'' assessed in 2008 that, "By the '70s he was regarded as a slightly old-fashioned odd-ball; by the '80s he was a commercial has-been, picking up wretched work-for-hire gigs. ...following the example of [Ayn] Rand's John Galt, Ditko hacked out moneymaking work, saving his care for the crabbed Objectivist screeds he published with tiny presses. And boy, could Ditko hack: seeing samples of his ''[[Transformers]]'' coloring book and his Big Boy comic is like hearing [[Orson Welles]] sell frozen peas."<ref>{{cite news|last=Wolk |first=Douglas |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/books/review/Wolk-t.html |title=From Spider-Man to Ayn Rand |work=[[The New York Times Book Review]] |date=August 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912044158/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/books/review/Wolk-t.html?_r=1 |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ditko retired from mainstream comics in 1998.<ref>Bell, Blake. Archive of {{cite web |url=http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/news2002.html |title=Ditko News, December 6, 1998 |access-date=January 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611122406/http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/news2002.html |archive-date=June 11, 2008}} (requires scrolling down), Ditko Looked Up. Entry refers to Ditko's final mainstream comics work, a [[New Gods]] story that would remain unpublished for 10 years. .</ref> His later work for Marvel and DC included such established superheroes as the [[Sub-Mariner]] (in ''[[Marvel Comics Presents]]'') and newer, licensed characters such as the ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]''. The last mainstream character he created was Marvel's Longarm in ''Shadows &<!--ampersand correct--> Light'' #1 (Feb. 1998), in a self-inked, 12-page [[Iron Man]] story "A Man's Reach....", scripted by [[Len Wein]]. His final mainstream work was a five-page [[New Gods]] story for DC Comics, "Infinitely Gentle Infinitely Suffering", inked by Mick Gray and believed to be intended for the 2000–2002 ''Orion'' series<ref name=df>{{cite web|url=http://www.ditko-fever.com/totngtp.html |first=B. |last=Franczak |title=Tales of the New Gods |publisher=Ditko-Fever.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226220033/http://www.ditko-fever.com/totngtp.html |archive-date=December 26, 2009 |url-status=dead}} Additional [https://web.archive.org/web/20111120034113/http://www.ditko-fever.com/intro.html WebCitation archive] of main page.</ref> but not published until the 2008 [[Trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]] ''Tales of the New Gods''.<ref name=df />

Thereafter, Ditko's solo work was published intermittently by Robin Snyder, who was his editor at Charlton, Archie Comics, and [[Renegade Press]] in the 1980s. The Snyder publications have included a number of original books as well as reprints such as ''Static'', ''The Missing Man'', ''The Mocker'' and, in 2002, ''Avenging World'', a collection of stories and essays spanning 30&nbsp;years.<ref name=gcd>{{gcdb|type=credit|search=Steve+Ditko}}</ref>

In 2008, Ditko and Snyder released ''The Avenging Mind'', a 32-page essay publication featuring several pages of new artwork; and ''Ditko, Etc...'', a 32-page comic book composed of brief vignettes and editorial cartoons. Releases have continued in that format, with stories introducing such characters as the Hero, Miss Eerie, the Cape, the Madman, the Grey Negotiator, the !? and the Outline.<ref name="McCulloch">{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/steve-ditko-self-published-comics-mr-a-summary-spider-man-objectivism/ |title=Steve DItko Doesn't Stop: A Guide To 18 Secret Comics By Spider-Man's Co-Creator |first=Joe |last=McCulloch |date=July 10, 2013 |publisher=[[Townsquare Media|ComicsAlliance]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413145619/http://comicsalliance.com/steve-ditko-self-published-comics-mr-a-summary-spider-man-objectivism/ |archive-date=April 13, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He said in 2012 of his self-published efforts, "I do those because that's all they'll let me do".<ref name=newyorkpost2012 />

In addition to the new material, Ditko and Snyder reprinted earlier Ditko material. In 2010 they published a new edition of the 1973 ''Mr.&nbsp;A'' comic and a selection of Ditko covers in ''The Cover Series''. In 2011 they published a new edition of the 1975 comic ''...Wha...!? Ditko's H. Series''.<ref name=gcd />

Two "lost" stories drawn by Ditko in 1978 have been published by DC in hardcover collections of the artist's work. A Creeper story scheduled for the never published ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #106 appears in ''The Creeper by Steve Ditko'' (2010)<ref>{{cite book |last1= Ditko|first1= Steve|title= The Creeper by Steve Ditko |year= 2010 |publisher= [[DC Comics]] |isbn= 978-1-4012-2591-9 }}</ref> and an unpublished ''Shade, the Changing Man'' story appears in ''The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol.&nbsp;1'' (2011).<ref>{{cite book |last1= Ditko|first1= Steve|title= The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol.&nbsp;1|year= 2011|publisher= [[DC Comics]]|isbn= 978-1-4012-3111-8}}</ref> A [[Hulk]] and the [[Human Torch]] story written by Jack C. Harris and drawn by Ditko in the 1980s was published by Marvel as ''Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault'' #1 in August 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a315941/lost-steve-ditko-comic-unveiled.html |title=Lost Steve Ditko Comic Unveiled |first=Hugh |last=Armitage |date=April 22, 2011 |website=[[Digital Spy]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425205311/http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a315941/lost-steve-ditko-comic-unveiled.html |archive-date=April 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 26, 2012 }}</ref>