Editing Steve Ditko

{{short description|American comics artist (1927–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = SteveDitko.jpg
| caption       = 
| birth_name    = Stephen John Ditko
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1927|11|2}}
| birth_place   = [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{circa|{{Death date and age|2018|6|27|1927|11|2}}}}
| death_place   = [[New York City]], U.S.
| pencil        = Y
| write         = Y
| ink           = Y
| alias         = 
| notable works = {{plainlist|
* [[Spider-Man]]
* [[Doctor Strange]]
* [[Creeper (comics)|Creeper]]
* [[Hawk and Dove]]
* [[Mr. A]]
* [[Question (comics)|Question]]
* [[Captain Atom]]
* [[Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)|Blue Beetle]]
* [[Nightshade (DC Comics)|Nightshade]]}}
| awards        =[[Disney Legend]] (2024)
}}

'''Stephen John Ditko'''<ref name=moskal-reidfh/><ref name=bb14>{{harvnb|Bell|2008|p=14}}. Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular activities: "Vocational Course. Ambition: Undecided".</ref> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ɪ|t|k|oʊ}}; November 2, 1927{{snd}}{{circa|June 27, 2018}}) was an American [[comics artist|comic book]] artist best known for being the co-creator of [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] superheroes [[Spider-Man]] and [[Doctor Strange]]. He also made notable contributions to the character of [[Iron Man]], introducing the character's signature red and yellow design.

Ditko studied under [[Batman]] artist [[Jerry Robinson]] at the [[Cartoonist and Illustrators School]] in New York City. He began his professional career in 1953, working in the studio of [[Joe Simon]] and [[Jack Kirby]], beginning as an inker and coming under the influence of artist [[Mort Meskin]]. During this time, he began his long association with [[Charlton Comics]], where he did work in the genres of science fiction, horror, and mystery. He also co-created the superhero [[Captain Atom]] in 1960.

During the 1950s, Ditko also drew for [[Atlas Comics (1950s)|Atlas Comics]], a forerunner of Marvel Comics. He went on to contribute much significant work to Marvel. Ditko was the artist for the first 38 issues of ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'', co-creating much of the Spider-Man supporting characters and villains with [[Stan Lee]]. Beginning with issue #25, Ditko was also credited as the plotter. In 1966, after being the exclusive artist on ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' and the "Doctor Strange" feature in ''[[Strange Tales]]'', Ditko left Marvel.

He continued to work for Charlton and also [[DC Comics]], including a revamp of the long-running character the [[Blue Beetle]] and creating or co-creating [[Question (comics)|The Question]], [[Creeper (comics)|The Creeper]], [[Shade, the Changing Man]], [[Nightshade (DC Comics)|Nightshade]], and [[Hawk and Dove]]. Ditko also began contributing to small independent publishers, where he created [[Mr. A]], a hero reflecting the influence of [[Ayn Rand]]'s philosophy of [[Objectivism]]. Ditko largely declined to give interviews, saying he preferred to communicate through his work.

He responded to fan mail, sending thousands of handwritten letters during his lifetime.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elder |first=Robert K. |date=2021-03-16 |title=Beyond Spider-Man: Steve Ditko's Letters Provide Insight into an Enigmatic Creator |url=https://www.tcj.com/beyond-spider-man-steve-ditkos-letters-provide-insight-into-an-enigmatic-creator/ |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=The Comics Journal |language=en-US |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032410/https://www.tcj.com/beyond-spider-man-steve-ditkos-letters-provide-insight-into-an-enigmatic-creator/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ditko was inducted into the comics industry's [[Jack Kirby Hall of Fame]] in 1990 and into the [[List of Eisner Award winners#The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame|Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame]] in 1994. In 2024, Ditko was named a [[Disney Legend]] for his contributions to Publishing.

==Early life==
[[File:Steve Ditko HS Yearbook.jpeg|thumb|Ditko as a senior in high school, 1945]]
Stephen John Ditko<ref name=moskal-reidfh>{{cite web|url=https://www.moskal-reidfh.com/obituary/Stephen-Ditko|title=Obituary for Stephen John Ditko|date=April 25, 2014|publisher=Moskal-Reid Funeral Home|access-date=September 13, 2022|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032342/https://hindmanfuneralhomes.com/recent-obituaries/|url-status=live}}</ref> was born on November 2, 1927, in [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]].<ref>Bell, pp. 14–15.</ref><ref>''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'' #1636 (December 2007) p. 135</ref> His parents were second-generation Americans: children of [[Rusyn people|Rusyn]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/the-beautiful-witness-of-the-eastern-catholic-churches/ |title=The beautiful witness of the Eastern Catholic Churches |last=Anderson |first=Jon |work=Catholic Herald |date=March 7, 2019 |access-date=January 3, 2022 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032342/https://catholicherald.co.uk/the-beautiful-witness-of-the-eastern-catholic-churches/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church|Byzantine Catholic]] immigrants from the former [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian Empire]] (now [[Slovakia]]).<ref name=bbend1>For information on the Ditkos's origins and Steve's siblings, see Bell, ''Strange and Stranger'', Endnotes, p.1, citing 1920 and [[1930 United States Census]] data. "Ditko's grandparents were of Austrian descent (the paternal grandfather having landed in 1900, and paternal grandmother in 1901), even though Ditko's parents, on the 1930 Census, list their parents as 'Czechoslovakian'. Czechoslovakia coming into creation in 1918, owing to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after WWI (and the parents' mother tongue being Slovak)."</ref>{{efn|* For parents' and grandparents' place of birth, see {{cite United States census | url = https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RC9-39?cc=1810731&wc=QZFQ-FVT%3A649490601%2C652065301%2C649064901%2C1589282410 | title = United States Census, 1930 | year = 1930 | location = Johnstown, Cambria, Pennsylvania | roll = 2012 | page = 7A | line = 39–40 | enumdist = 70 | filmnum = 2,41746 | nafilm = T626 | accessdate = 2021-10-29
}}
* For Rusyn history of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church see {{cite magazine |last=Custer |first=Richard D. |date=Summer 2016 |title=Old Countrymen, New Neighbors: Early Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak Immigrant Relations in the United States |page=3 |url=https://ncsml.org/about-ncsml/publications/ |url-status=live |magazine=Slovo |publisher=National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423184433/https://ncsml.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Old-Countrymen-New-Neighbors.pdf |archive-date=2021-04-23 |access-date=2021-10-29}}}} His father, Stefan ("Stephen"), was an artistically talented [[carpenter|master carpenter]] at a [[steel mill]] and his mother, Anna ([[née]] Balaschak),<ref name=moskal-reidfh/> a homemaker. The second-oldest child in a working-class family, he was preceded by sister Anna Marie,<ref name=bbend1 /> and followed by sister Elizabeth and brother Patrick.<ref name=bb14 /> Inspired by his father's love of newspaper [[comic strips]], particularly [[Hal Foster]]'s ''[[Prince Valiant]]'', Ditko found his interest in comics accelerated by the introduction of the superhero [[Batman]] in 1939, and by [[Will Eisner]]'s ''[[Spirit (comics)|The Spirit]]'', which appeared in a [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]]-sized comic-book insert in Sunday newspapers.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=15}}<ref name=psu>{{Cite web|url=https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/Ditko__Steve|title=Pennsylvania Center for the Book|access-date=August 31, 2021|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032347/https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/Ditko__Steve|url-status=live}}</ref>

Ditko in junior high school was part of a group of students who crafted wooden models of German airplanes to aid civilian [[World War II]] aircraft-spotters.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=15}} Upon graduating from [[Greater Johnstown High School]] in 1945,{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=15}} he enlisted in the U.S. Army on October 26, 1945,<ref name=bbend1 /> and did military service in [[Allied-occupied Germany]], where he drew comics for an Army newspaper.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=15}}

==Career==
[[File:The Thing 12.jpg|thumb|''The Thing'' #12 (February 1954), Ditko's first published comic-book cover]]
Following his discharge, Ditko learned that his idol, Batman artist [[Jerry Robinson]], was teaching at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School (later the [[School of Visual Arts]]) in New York City. Moving there in 1950, he enrolled in the art school under the [[G.I. Bill]].{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=16}} Robinson found the young student "a very hard worker who really focused on his drawing"<ref name="AE39">Jerry Robinson interview, ''[[Alter Ego (magazine)|Alter Ego]]'' #38 (Aug. 2004), p. 9</ref> and someone who "could work well with other writers as well as write his own stories and create his own characters",<ref name="AE39" /> and he helped Ditko acquire a scholarship for the following year.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=19}} "He was in my class for two years, four or five days a week, five hours a night. It was very intense."<ref name="student">[[Jerry Robinson|Robinson, Jerry]], "Student and Teacher", in Yoe, Craig, ed. ''The Art of Ditko'' ([[IDW Publishing]], January 2010), {{ISBN|978-1-60010-542-5}}, p. 54</ref> Robinson, who invited artists and editors to speak with his class, once brought in [[Stan Lee]], then editor of [[Marvel Comics]]' 1950s precursor [[Atlas Comics (1950s)|Atlas Comics]] and, "I think that was when Stan first saw Steve's work."<ref name="student" />

Ditko began professionally illustrating comic books in early 1953, drawing writer Bruce Hamilton's science-fiction story "Stretching Things" for the [[Key Publications]] imprint [[Stanmor Publications]], which sold the story to [[Ajax/Farrell]], where it finally found publication in ''Fantastic Fears'' #5 ([[cover-date]]d February 1954).{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=20}}<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=244841|title= ''Fantastic Fears'' #5|publisher= Grand Comics Database|access-date= September 2, 2008|archive-date= May 26, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032352/https://www.comics.org/issue/244841/|url-status= live}}</ref> Ditko's first published work was his second professional story, the six-page "Paper Romance" in ''Daring Love'' #1 (October 1953),{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=15}} published by the Key imprint [[Gillmor Magazines]].<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/241499/ ''Daring Love'' #1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032348/https://www.comics.org/issue/241499/ |date=May 26, 2024 }} at the Grand Comics Database</ref>

Shortly afterward, Ditko found work at the studio of writer-artists [[Joe Simon]] and [[Jack Kirby]], who had created [[Captain America]] and other characters.<ref>{{cite news |last=Webster |first=Andy |date=July 7, 2018 |title=Steve Ditko, Influential Comic-Book Artist Who Helped Create Spider-Man, Dies at 90 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/07/obituaries/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-date=July 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180709053401/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/07/obituaries/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Beginning as an inker on backgrounds, Ditko was soon working with and learning from [[Mort Meskin]], an artist whose work he had long admired. "Meskin was fabulous," Ditko once recalled. "I couldn't believe the ease with which he drew: strong compositions, loose pencils, yet complete; detail without clutter. I loved his stuff".<ref>Theakston, ''Steve Ditko Reader'', p. 3 (unnumbered)</ref> Ditko's known assistant work includes aiding inker Meskin on the Jack Kirby pencil work of [[Harvey Comics]]' ''[[Captain 3-D]]'' #1 (December 1953).<ref>[http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=10952 ''Captain 3-D'' #1 (December 1953)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032350/https://www.comics.org/issue/10952/ |date=May 26, 2024 }} at the Grand Comics Database</ref> For his own third published story, Ditko penciled and inked the six-page "A Hole in His Head" in ''Black Magic'' vol. 4, #3 (December 1953), published by Simon & Kirby's [[Crestwood Publications]] imprint [[Prize Comics]].<ref>[http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=10906 ''Black Magic''<nowiki> vol. 4, #3 [27] (Dec. 1953)</nowiki>] at the Grand Comics Database. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032933/https://www.comics.org/issue/10906/ |date=May 26, 2024 }}</ref>

Ditko then began a long association with the [[Derby, Connecticut]], publisher [[Charlton Comics]], a low-budget division of a company best known for song-lyric magazines. Beginning with the cover of ''[[The Thing!]]'' #12 (Feb. 1954) and the eight-page [[vampire]] story "Cinderella" in that issue, Ditko would continue to work intermittently for Charlton until the company's demise in 1986, producing science fiction, [[horror fiction|horror]] and [[mystery fiction|mystery]] stories, as well as co-creating [[Captain Atom]], with writer [[Joe Gill]], in ''[[Space Adventures (comics)|Space Adventures]]'' #33 (March 1960).<ref>{{cite book|last=McAvennie|first= Michael |editor-last=Dolan |editor-first=Hannah |chapter= 1960s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 99 |quote = Captain Atom was born in a tale by artist Steve Ditko and writer Joe Gill.}}</ref> Ditko was allowed a great deal of creative freedom at Charlton due to very little editorial interference. However, the [[Comics Code Authority]] was imposed on the comics industry in 1954 due to public concern over graphic violence and horror imagery in comic books, and would prevent Ditko from further developing as a horror artist.{{sfn|Bell|2008|pp=24–27}} He first went on hiatus from the company, and comics altogether, in mid-1954, when he contracted [[tuberculosis]] and returned to his parents' home in Johnstown to recuperate.<ref name=strangesuspense>{{cite book |editor-last=Bell |editor-first=Blake | title=Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1| publisher=Fantagraphics Books|year= 2009|location= Seattle, Washington|page= 10|isbn= 978-1-60699-289-0}}</ref>

===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>

===Charlton and DC Comics===
Back at Charlton—where the page rate was low but creators were allowed greater freedom—Ditko worked on such characters as the [[Blue Beetle]] (1967–1968),<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 123: "After Ted Kord assumed the scarab as Blue Beetle in a back-up feature of ''Captain Atom'' #83, writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-writer 'D.C. Glanzman' (who was actually Ditko) launched the Blue Beetle into his own series."</ref> the [[Question (comics)|Question]] (1967–1968),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=241}}</ref> and [[Captain Atom]] (1965–1967), returning to the character he had co-created in 1960. In addition, in 1966 and 1967, he drew 16 stories, most of them written by [[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]], for [[Warren Publishing]]'s horror-comic magazines ''[[Creepy (magazine)|Creepy]]'' and ''[[Eerie (magazine)|Eerie]]'', generally using an [[wash (visual arts)|ink-wash]] technique.<ref>{{cite book|title= How to Draw Chiller Monsters, Werewolves, Vampires, and Zombies|last= Spurlock|first= J. David|author-link= J. David Spurlock|year= 2011|location= New York, New York|publisher= [[Watson-Guptill]]|isbn= 978-0-8230-9532-2|page= 32|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LkU3Qs66GlwC&q=Steve+Ditko+Warren+ink-wash&pg=PA32|access-date= October 29, 2011|quote= The tonal ink-wash drawings he did for ''Creepy'' and ''Eerie'' magazines afforded him unique opportunities to exercise his mysterious prowess.|archive-date= May 26, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032850/https://books.google.com/books?id=LkU3Qs66GlwC&q=Steve+Ditko+Warren+ink-wash&pg=PA32|url-status= live}}</ref>

In 1967, Ditko gave his Objectivist ideas ultimate expression in the form of [[Mr.&nbsp;A]], published in [[Wally Wood]]'s independent title ''[[witzend]]'' #&nbsp;3, an underground anthology comic in black and white that avoided the Comics Code Authority by being published in magazine format and only being available by subscription, and whose editorial policy was to allow artistic freedom without any editorial interference.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.enotes.com/topics/comic-books/critical-essays/underground-comix |title=Comic Books Underground Comix – Essay – eNotes.com |access-date=July 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032858/https://www.enotes.com/topics/comic-books/critical-essays/underground-comix |url-status=live }}</ref> Mr.&nbsp;A is a similar character to the Question, but without being restricted by the Comics Code.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=110}} Ditko's hard line against criminals was controversial<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/question-ditko-debut-mr-a-blue-beetle/ |title=The Strange Background Behind the Creation of the Question |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=November 15, 2019 |website=Comic Book Resources |access-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032852/https://www.cbr.com/question-ditko-debut-mr-a-blue-beetle/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and he continued to produce Mr.&nbsp;A stories and one-pagers until the end of the 1970s.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=136}} Ditko returned to Mr.&nbsp;A in 2000 and in 2009.<ref>''Steve Ditko's 176-Page, Heroes Package'', Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2000</ref><ref>''Ditko Continued'', Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009 and ''Oh, No! Not Again, Ditko!'', Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009</ref> [[File:Ditko-DC-characters.jpg|thumb|300px|A panoply of Ditko [[DC Comics]] characters, from a "DC Profiles" biographical page appearing in comics [[cover-date]]d April 1980, including ''Batman'' #322 and ''The Legion of Super-Heroes'' #262. From left: the [[Creeper (comics)|Creeper]]; [[Hawk and Dove]]; [[Stalker (comics)|Stalker]]; the [[Odd Man (comics)|Odd Man]]; [[Shade, the Changing Man]]; [[Starman (comics)#Prince Gavyn|Starman]].]]
Ditko moved to [[DC Comics]] in 1968, where he co-created the [[Creeper (comics)|Creeper]] in ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #73 (April 1968) with Don Segall, under editor [[Murray Boltinoff]].<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129 "Writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-scripter Don Segall gave [character Jack Ryder] more than the last laugh as the garishly garbed Creeper, one of DC's quirkiest protagonists."</ref> DC Comics writer and executive [[Paul Levitz]] observed that Ditko's art on the ''Creeper'' stories made "them look unlike anything else being published by DC at the time."<ref>{{cite book|author-link= Paul Levitz|last=Levitz|first= Paul|chapter= The Silver Age 1956–1970|title= 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking|publisher= [[Taschen]]|year=2010|location= Cologne, Germany|isbn= 9783836519816|page= 268}}</ref> Ditko co-created the team [[Hawk and Dove]] in ''Showcase'' #75 (June 1968), with writer [[Steve Skeates]].<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 130 "Brothers Hank and Don Hall were complete opposites, yet writer/artist Steve Ditko with scripter Steve Skeates made sure the siblings shared a desire to battle injustice as Hawk and Dove."</ref> Around this time, he penciled the lead story, written and inked by Wally Wood, in Wood's early mature-audience, [[Alternative media|independent-comics]] publication ''[[Heroes, Inc. Presents Cannon]]'' (1969).<ref name=gcd />

Ditko's stay at DC was short—he would work on all six issues of the Creeper's own title, ''Beware the Creeper'' (June 1968 – April 1969), though leaving midway through the final one—and the reasons for his departure uncertain. But while at DC, Ditko recommended Charlton staffer [[Dick Giordano]] to the company,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_09_11.html |author-link=Mark Evanier |last=Evanier |first=Mark |title=Ditko Doc |date=September 11, 2007 |publisher="P.O.V. Online" (column) |access-date=April 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213160657/http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_09_11.html |archive-date=December 13, 2010}}</ref> who would go on to become a top DC penciller, inker, editor, and ultimately, in 1981, the managing editor.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Jack Adler Retires, Dick Giordano Promoted |journal=The Comics Journal |issue=67 |page=15 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |date=October 1981}}</ref>

From this time up through the mid-1970s, Ditko worked exclusively for Charlton and various [[alternative comics|small press/independent]] publishers. [[Frank McLaughlin (artist)|Frank McLaughlin]], Charlton's art director during this period, describes Ditko as living "in a local hotel in [[Derby, Connecticut|Derby]] for a while. He was a very happy-go-lucky guy with a great sense of humor at that time, and always supplied the [female] color separators with candy and other little gifts".<ref name="CBA9">Cooke, Jon B., & Christopher Irving. [http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/09empire.html "The Charlton Empire: A Brief History of the Derby, Connecticut Publisher"], ''[[Comic Book Artist]]'' &nbsp;#9, August 2000. Access date April 27, 2010. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100614062925/http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/09empire.html WebCitation archive].</ref>

For Charlton, in 1974, he did [[Liberty Belle (comics)#Charlton Comics|Liberty Belle]] backup stories in ''[[E-Man]]'' and conceived Killjoy.<ref>{{cite journal |editor-last=Sinkovac |editor-first=Jerome |date=November 1973 |journal=The Comic Reader |issue=101 |title=Charlton News |location=Brooklyn, New York, United States |publisher=TCR Publications}}</ref> Ditko produced much work for Charlton's science-fiction and horror titles, as well as for former Marvel publisher [[Martin Goodman (publisher)|Martin Goodman]]'s start-up line [[Atlas/Seaboard Comics]], where he co-created the superhero the Destructor with writer Archie Goodwin, and penciled all four issues of the namesake series (Feb.–Aug. 1975), the first two of which were inked by Wally Wood. Ditko worked on the second and third issues of ''[[Tiger-Man]]'' and the third issue of ''Morlock 2001'', with [[Bernie Wrightson]] inking.<ref name=gcd />

===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>

==Personal life ==
As of 2012, Ditko continued to work in Manhattan's Midtown West neighborhood.<ref name=newyorkpost2012>{{cite web | url = https://nypost.com/2012/07/03/the-secret-hero-of-spider-man/ |title=The secret hero of Spider-Man |work=[[New York Post]] | date = July 5, 2012 |access-date=July 5, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131003062623/http://nypost.com/2012/07/03/the-secret-hero-of-spider-man/ | archive-date= October 3, 2013 | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/sep/14/art.usa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822225755/http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/sep/14/art.usa | archive-date=August 22, 2008|author-link=Jonathan Ross|last=Ross|first=Jonathan |title=The Unsung Hero Behind Spider-Man |work=[[The Guardian]]|location= London, United Kingdom|date=September 13, 2007 |access-date=October 23, 2011}}</ref> He mostly declined to give interviews or make public appearances, explaining in 1969 that, "When I do a job, it's not my personality that I'm offering the readers but my artwork. It's not what I'm like that counts; it's what I did and how well it was done. I produce a product, a comic art story. Steve Ditko is the brand name."<ref>{{cite news| title= An Interview With The Man of Mystery...| work=Marvel Main| issue =4 | date=October 1968 | url =http://www.vicsage.com/wp/interviews/interview-with-ditko-from-marvel-main-4/ | publisher= Reprinted at Vicsage.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140602021349/http://www.vicsage.com/wp/interviews/interview-with-ditko-from-marvel-main-4/ | archive-date=June 2, 2014|url-status=live}} Also reprinted in {{cite book| title= Masters of Imagination: The Comic Book Artists Hall of Fame| first= Mike| last= Benton| publisher= [[L.G. Balfour Company|Taylor Publishing]]| year= 1994| location= Attleboro, Massachusetts| isbn= 978-0-87833-859-7| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/mastersofimagina00bent}}</ref> However, he did contribute numerous essays to Robin Snyder's fanzine ''The Comics''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://comicsbulletin.com/return-steve-ditko-and-robin-snyder/|title= The Return of Steve Ditko and Robin Snyder|first= Robert|last= Sodaro|date= March 27, 2014|publisher= [[Comics Bulletin]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160125125533/http://comicsbulletin.com/return-steve-ditko-and-robin-snyder|archive-date= January 25, 2016|url-status= live|quote= We have been hard at work. Steve Ditko and I together have published more than 30 books, hundreds of articles and essays, the first-person history, ''The Comics!'' and our new publication, ''The Four-Page Series'' from 1988 to date.}}</ref>

He had a nephew who became an artist, also named Steve Ditko.<ref name=tomsinclair /> As far as it is known, he never married and had no surviving children at the time of his death.<ref name=newyorkpost2012 /><ref name=throbit>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man-creator-was-90-1125489|title = Steve Ditko, Spider-Man Co-Creator and Legendary Comics Artist, Dies at 90|last = Lewis|first = Andy|date = July 6, 2018|website = [[The Hollywood Reporter]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180817204220/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man-creator-was-90-1125489|archive-date= August 17, 2018|url-status= live|df= mdy-all|access-date = July 6, 2018 |quote= The New York Police Department confirmed his death to ''The Hollywood Reporter''. No cause of death was announced. Ditko was found dead in his apartment on June 29 and it is believed he died about two days earlier.}}</ref> [[Will Eisner]] stated that Ditko had a son out of wedlock;<ref>Eisner in {{cite book|last= Brownstein|first= Charles|title= Eisner/Miller|publisher= [[Dark Horse Comics|Dark Horse Books]]|date= 2005|location= Milwaukie, Oregon|page= 128|isbn= 978-1569717554}}</ref> this may have been a confused reference to the nephew.<ref name=newyorkpost2012 />

Politically, Ditko supported a "constitutional republic" and "inalienable individual and property rights". He supported neither [[George W. Bush]] nor [[John Kerry]] in the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]] due to believing neither would prioritize them.<ref name="Youtube.com">{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rgYC0Ge6k|title= Celebrating Steve Ditko with Mark Ditko|date= June 13, 2021|publisher= [[Youtube.com]]|access-date= December 28, 2021|archive-date= May 26, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240526160535/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rgYC0Ge6k|url-status= live}}</ref>

Ditko said in 2012 that he had made no income on the four ''Spider-Man'' films released to that time.<ref name=newyorkpost2012 /> However, a neighbor of Ditko stated that Ditko received royalty checks.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vulture.com/2016/11/steve-ditko-doctor-strange-c-v-r.html|title= The Creator of Doctor Strange Will Not See You Now: Marvel Comics legend Steve Ditko wants his work to stand for itself. If only it were that easy.|first=Abraham |last=Reisman|date= November 16, 2016|publisher= [[Vulture.com]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115221750/http://www.vulture.com/2016/11/steve-ditko-doctor-strange-c-v-r.html |archive-date=November 15, 2016 |url-status= live|quote='One time, about ten years ago, I accidentally got a piece of his mail,' she said, her eyebrows rising scandalously. 'I opened it and then realized it wasn't mine because that check had too many zeroes.' My body jerked up with shock — that contradicted Ditko's claim that he doesn't get a cut. I asked for more details. She said it was from a movie studio, and that when she gave it back to him, he just took it and said nothing. 'That's probably why he can work in that little office,' she said, and laughed. 'He's doing all right.'}}</ref> Those involved with creating the 2016 film ''[[Doctor Strange (2016 film)|Doctor Strange]]'' purposely declined to contact him during production, believing they would not be welcome.<ref name=throbit/>

Ditko described himself as an atheist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=C |first=Ryan |date=2018-07-07 |title=In Memoriam : Steve Ditko, 1927-2018 |url=https://fourcolorapocalypse.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/in-memoriam-steve-ditko-1927-2018/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Ryan C.'s Four Color Apocalypse |language=en}}</ref>

===Objectivism===
Ditko was an ardent supporter of [[Objectivism]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |url=http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2005/06/03/ditko/ |title=The Amazing Steve Ditko |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] |date=June 3, 2005 |page=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026044957/http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2005/06/03/ditko/ |archive-date=October 26, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Young |first=Thom |title=Ditko Shrugged: Part 1: Ayn Rand's Influence on Steve Ditko's Craft, Commerce, and Creeper |date=September 10, 2007 |publisher=Silver Soapbox (column), Comics Bulletin |url=http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/soapbox/118945139174676.htm |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5w0ljaGm3?url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/soapbox/118945139174676.htm |archive-date=January 25, 2011 |url-status=dead}} (September 10, 2007). Archived from [http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/soapbox/118952109462730.htm the original] on April 5, 2010. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531134129/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/soapbox/11897806446424.htm |date=May 31, 2009 |title="Part 3: Did Neal Adams Work on ''Beware the Creeper'' #5?"}} (September 14, 2007). Archived from [http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/soapbox/11897806446424.htm the original] on May 31, 2009; and {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114221146/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/soapbox/119047224282703.htm |date=January 14, 2009 |title="Part 4: After Ditko, the Drought" }} (September 22, 2007). Archived from [http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/soapbox/119047224282703.htm the original] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012192239/http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/soapbox/119047224282703.htm |date=October 12, 2007 }} on January 14, 2009.</ref> The philosophy of [[Ayn Rand]] had "forever changed [Ditko's] outlook on morality, finances and his mission as a comic-book creator".{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=83}} After Ditko had received greater control of the plotting, he began revering the role of policemen in his Spider-Man work. Ditko had once told his Charlton co-worker [[Pete Morisi]], a policeman who moonlighted as a comic book artist, that he envied Morisi for being able to arrest criminals.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=84}} Randian philosophy had influenced Ditko to demand being credited and compensated as both the plotter and artist for Spider-Man beginning in issue #25, which Stan Lee (now credited as "scripter") allowed, though their working relationship would begin deteriorating.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=89}} Other ways Ditko incorporated Randian views into Spider-Man were by having Peter Parker become more aggressive, demand better pay for his Spider-Man photos, and show contempt for student protestors.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=93}} Marvel publisher Martin Goodman had been worried that Parker's hard right-wing politics would distance the character from most left-leaning, countercultural university students,{{sfn|Bell|2008|pp=93–94}} and disputes with Goodman over royalties had led to Ditko leaving Marvel.{{sfn|Bell|2008|p=95}} Ditko later expressed his Objectivist views even further with the Question, who criticized the apathy of the public toward right and wrong, and Mr.&nbsp;A, who refused to save villains from death.{{sfn|Bell|2008|pp=110–111}}

He also described himself as an [[Aristotelianism|Aristotelian]] which his Objectivist views would align with.<ref name="Youtube.com"/>

== Death ==
Ditko was found unresponsive in his apartment in [[New York City]] on June 29, 2018. Police said he had died within the previous two days.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/books/2018/07/06/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man-doctor-strange-dies/ | title=Comic book artist Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, dead at 90 | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] }}</ref> He was pronounced dead at the age of 90, with the cause of death initially deemed as a result of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]], brought on by arteriosclerotic and hypertensive [[cardiovascular disease]].<ref name=throbit/>

The final words of Ditko's last essay, published posthumously in ''Down Memory Lane'' in February 2019, quoted an "old toast": "Here's to those who wish me well, and those that don't can go to hell."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzBLAriXQAALEpQ.jpg |title=Image of posthumous words |access-date=February 11, 2019 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526034904/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzBLAriXQAALEpQ.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2021, Ditko's nephew Mark Ditko was interviewed and discussed his history with his uncle and his legacy, dispelling myths about him while also discussing his work with the Bottleworks Exhibition which houses a Steve Ditko Exhibition. He also shared rare photos among many other facts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rgYC0Ge6k |title=Who is Steve Ditko? with Mark Ditko & Alex Grand &#124; Comic Book Historians |date=June 16, 2021 |publisher=[[Youtube.com]] |access-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526160535/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rgYC0Ge6k |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tSFypHf_M |title=Celebrating Steve Ditko with Mark Ditko |date=June 13, 2021 |publisher=[[Youtube.com]] |access-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526034936/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tSFypHf_M |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Legacy ==
In 2021, Steve Ditko's younger brother Patrick, executor of his estate, in cooperation with the estates of artistic colleagues [[Don Heck]], [[Gene Colan]] and [[Don Rico]] filed a lawsuit to terminate and reclaim the copyrights for their characters from Marvel Comics under the justification of the [[Copyright Act of 1976]]. Marvel countersued the litigants citing the same law since the creations were made under [[work for hire]] contracts, the company had full ownership. While the other participants settled in June 2023, the Ditko estate persisted until December 8, 2023. Although the settlements are confidential, Marvel's full ownership of the copyrights was secured for undisclosed sums to the creators.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holub |first1=Christian |title=Marvel settles lawsuit with Spider-Man co-creator's estate |url=https://ew.com/marvel-settles-lawsuit-spider-man-co-creator-steve-ditko-estate-8413648 |access-date=9 December 2023 |agency=Time-Warner |archive-date=December 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209133547/https://ew.com/marvel-settles-lawsuit-spider-man-co-creator-steve-ditko-estate-8413648 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2022, a mural was completed in Ditko's hometown. Approved by [[Marvel Comics]], and featuring his two most well-known characters ([[Spider-Man]] and [[Doctor Strange|Dr. Strange]]), the outline of the artwork was printed upon large white sheets of durable material. Community members painted upon the sheets during the winter and spring months, and then they were attached to a 28-foot tall wall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slusser |first=Thomas |date=2022-06-17 |title=Steve Ditko Spider-man mural completed in downtown Johnstown |url=https://www.tribdem.com/news/steve-ditko-spider-man-mural-completed-in-downtown-johnstown/image_4b1ce202-ee7c-11ec-9ac6-73998f372236.html |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=The Tribune-Democrat |language=en |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505004009/https://www.tribdem.com/news/steve-ditko-spider-man-mural-completed-in-downtown-johnstown/image_4b1ce202-ee7c-11ec-9ac6-73998f372236.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ditko was honored as a [[Disney Legend]] for his contributions to Marvel, and by extension [[the Walt Disney Company]], at the 2024 [[D23 Expo]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Meet the 2024 Class of Disney Legends |url= https://d23.com/disney-legends-2024/?fbclid=PAAaZno4whE7iluxSvOtOG6BMlx2awvycsPUAEQB4iAEWhLs87V2fAhN5DTB8_aem_ASBHyJ37BKZwY3gafpLfHaWAnovIp1feqjEDE7j1RnHSkDhFqXvGUiywBzQcFtdrHeA |date= March 19, 2024 |access-date= March 19, 2024 |website= [[D23 (Disney)|D23]] |archive-date= May 26, 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240526034912/https://d23.com/disney-legends-2024/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

==Artistic style==
Ditko preferred to introduce characters before giving them a proper origin story (which he called "legends"), believing that a character should first be proven worthy of having their origins told. For example, [[Doctor Strange]] first appeared abruptly in ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #110 before his origin was revealed in issue #115, which Stan Lee attributed to the pair forgetting to tell but was in fact intentional.{{sfn|Harris|2023|p=23}}

==Awards and honors==
* 1962 [[Alley Award]] for Best Short Story: "Origin of [[Spider-Man]]" by [[Stan Lee]] and Steve Ditko, ''[[Amazing Fantasy]]'' #15 (Marvel Comics).<ref name="Alley1962">{{cite web |url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley62.php |title=1962 Alley Awards |website=Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424055900/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley62.php |archive-date=April 24, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* 1963 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book: ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]''<ref name="Alley1963">{{cite web |url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley63.php |title=1963 Alley Awards |website=Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807053741/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley63.php |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* 1963 Alley Award for Top Hero: Spider-Man<ref name="Alley1963" />
* 1964 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book: ''The Amazing Spider-Man''<ref name="Alley1964">{{cite web |url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley64.php |title=1964 Alley Awards |website=Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807053814/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley64.php |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* 1964 Alley Award for Best Giant Comic: ''The Amazing Spider-Man [[annual publication|Annual]]'' #1<ref name="Alley1964" />
* 1964 Alley Award for Best Hero: Spider-Man<ref name="Alley1964" />
* 1965 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero Comic Book: ''The Amazing Spider-Man''<ref name="Alley1965">{{cite web |url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley65.php |title=1965 Alley Awards |website=Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807053823/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/alley65.php |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* 1965 Alley Award for Best Hero: Spider-Man<ref name="Alley1965" />
* 1985 [[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]]: Roll of Honour<ref name=bails>{{cite web|url=http://www.bailsprojects.com/%28S%28b2pprd5524b5xe55dsglot55%29%29/bio.aspx?Name=DITKO%2C+STEVE |title=Ditko, Steve, entry |work=Who's Who of American Comics Books, 1928–1999 |editor1-last=Bails |editor1-first=Jerry |editor2-first=Hames |editor2-last=Ware |publisher=BailsProjects.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219163019/http://www.bailsprojects.com/%28S%28b2pprd5524b5xe55dsglot55%29%29/bio.aspx?Name=DITKO%2C+STEVE |archive-date=February 19, 2012}} .</ref>
* In 1987, Ditko was presented a [[Comic-Con International]] [[Inkpot Award]] in absentia, accepted on his behalf by [[Renegade Press]] publisher [[Deni Loubert]], who had published ''Ditko's World'' the previous year. Ditko refused the award, and returned it to Loubert after having phoned her to say, "Awards bleed the artist and make us compete against each other. They are the most horrible things in the world. How dare you accept this on my behalf". At his behest, Loubert returned the award to the convention organizers.{{sfn|Bell|2008|pp=165–166}}
* 1991 [[UK Comic Art Award]] Career Achievement Award<ref name=TCJ142>"British Awards Announced," ''The Comics Journal'' #142 (June 1991), p. 17.</ref>
* Ditko was inducted into the [[List of Harvey Award winners#The Jack Kirby Hall of Fame|Jack Kirby Hall of Fame]] in 1990 and into the [[List of Eisner Award winners#The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame|Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/1990s-recipients |title=1990s |website=[[San Diego Comic-Con]] |date=December 2, 2012 |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131029200617/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/1990s-recipients |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 2015 [[Inkwell Awards]] Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award<ref>{{cite web |url=https://inkwellawards.com/2015-winners/ |title=2015 Winners |website=[[Inkwell Awards]] |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-date=June 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629011323/https://inkwellawards.com/2015-winners/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==BBC documentary==
In September 2007, presenter [[Jonathan Ross]] hosted a one-hour documentary for [[BBC Four]] titled ''[[In Search of Steve Ditko]]''. The program covers Ditko's work at Marvel, DC, and Charlton Comics and at Wally Wood's ''witzend'', as well as his following of Objectivism. It includes testimonials by writers and artists [[Alan Moore]], [[Mark Millar]], Jerry Robinson and Stan Lee, among others. Ross, accompanied by writer [[Neil Gaiman]], met Ditko briefly at his New York office, but he declined to be filmed, interviewed or photographed. He did, however, give the two a selection of some comic books. At the end of the show, Ross said he had since spoken to Ditko on the telephone and, as a joke, that he was now on first name terms with him.<ref name=ross />

==Bibliography==
As penciler (generally but not exclusively self-inked), unless otherwise noted

'''[[Farrell Publications]]'''

*''[[Strange Fantasy (comic)|Strange Fantasy]]'' #2–14 (1952–1954)
*''Fantastic Fears'' #5 (1954)

'''[[Harvey Comics]]'''

*''[[Captain 3-D]]'' #1 (inks assist to [[Mort Meskin]]) (1953)

'''[[Key Publications]]'''

*''Daring Love'' #1 (1953)
*''Blazing Western'' #1 (1954)

'''[[Prize Comics]]'''

*[[Black Magic (comics)|''Black Magic'']] #27–29, 47 (1953–1961)

'''[[Charlton Comics]]'''

*''[[The Thing!]]'' #12–15, 17 (1954)
*''[[This Magazine Is Haunted|This Magazine is Haunted]]'' #16–19, 21 (1954)
*''Crime and Justice'' #18 (1954)
*''Racket Squad in Action'' #11–12 (1954)
*''[[Strange Suspense Stories]]'' #18–22, 31–37, 39–41, 45, 47–48, 50–53 (1954–1961)
*''[[Space Adventures (comics)|Space Adventures]]'' #10–12, 24–27, 31–40, 42 (#33 debut [[Captain Atom]]) (1954–1961)
*''From Here to Insanity'' #10 (1955)
*''[[Tales of the Mysterious Traveler]]'' #2–11 (1957–1959)
*''Out of this World'' #3–12, 16 (1957–1959)
*''Cheyenne Kid'' #10 (1957)
*''This Magazine is Haunted'' vol. 2 #12–14, 16 (1957–1958)
*''From Here to Insanity'' vol. 3 #10 (1957)
*''Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds'' #3–12, 19, 21–24, 26 (1957–1961)
*''Texas Rangers in Action'' #8, 77 (1957–1970)
*''Unusual Tales'' #6–12, 14–15, 22–23, 25–27, 29 (1957–1961)
*''[[Fightin' Army]]'' #20, 89–90, 92 (1957–1970)
*''Outer Space'' #18–21 (1958)
*''Robin Hood and his Merry Men'' #38 (1958)
*''Rocky Lane's Black Jack'' #24–28 (1958–1959)
*''[[Black Fury (comics)|Black Fury]]'' #16–18 (1958–1959)
*''Outlaws of the West'' #18, 80–81 (1959–1970)
*''Gorgo'' #1–4, 11, 13–16, ''The Return of Gorgo'' #2–3 (1960–1964)
*''Konga'' #1, 3–15, ''Konga's Revenge'' #2 (1960–1963)
*''Space War'' #4–6, 8, 10 (1960–1961)
*''Mad Monsters'' #1 (1961)
*''Captain Atom'' #78–89 (1965–1967)
*''Fantastic Giants'' #64 (1966)
*''Shadows from Beyond'' #50 (1966)
*''[[Ghostly Tales]]'' #55–58, 60–61, 67, 69–73, 75–90, 92–97, 99–123, 125–126 (1966–1977)
*''[[The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves]]'' #1, 7, 9, 11–13, 15–18, 20–22, 24, 26–35, 37–38, 40–43, 47–48, 51–56, 58, 60–62 (1967–1977)
*''[[Ted Kord|Blue Beetle]]'' #1–5 (1967–1968)
*''[[Question (comics)|Mysterious Suspense]]'' #1 ([[Question (comics)|The Question]]) (1968)
*''Outer Space'' vol. 2 #1 (1968)
*''Strange Suspense Stories'' vol. 2 #2 (1968)
*''Charlton Premiere'' #4 (1968)
*''Time for Love'' #13 (1969)
*''Space Adventures'' vol. 3 #2, 5–6, 8 (1968–1969)
*''[[Jungle Jim]]'' #22, 27–28 (1969–1970)
*''[[Ghost Manor (comics)|Ghost Manor]]'' #13–16, 18–19 (1970–1971)
*''Phantom'' #36, 39 (1970)
*''Romantic Story'' #107 (1970)
*''Just Married'' #79 (1971)
*''[[I Love You (comics)|I Love You]]'' # 91 (1971)
*''[[Haunted (comics)|Haunted]]'' #1–8, 11–16, 18, 23–25, 28, 30 (1971–1976)
*''Ghost Manor'' vol. 2 #1–18, 20–22, 24–26, 28–31, 37 (1971–1978)
*''[[Ghostly Haunts]]'' #22–34, 36–40, 43–48, 50, 52, 54 (1972–1977)
*''[[Haunted Love]]'' #4–5 (1973)
*''[[E-Man]]'' #2, 4 (Killjoy), #5 (intro [[Liberty Belle (comics)|Liberty Belle II]]) (1973–1974)
*''[[Midnight Tales]]'' #12 (1975)
*''Scary Tales'' #3, 5, 7–8, 11–12, 14–15 (1975–1978)
*''Beyond the Grave'' #1–6 (1975–1976)
*''Monster Hunters'' #2, 4, 6, 8, 10 (1975–1977)
*''Creepy Things'' #3, 5 (1975–1976)
*''[[Doomsday + 1|Doomsday +1]]'' #5 (1976)

'''[[Marvel Comics]]'''

*''2-Gun Western'' #4 (1956)
*''[[Amazing Adventures]]'' #1–6 (1961); becomes
::''[[Amazing Adult Fantasy]]'' #7–14 (1961–1962); becomes
:::''[[Amazing Fantasy]]'' #15 (debut [[Spider-Man]]) (1962)
*''[[Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #1–38, ''Annual'' #1–2 (1963–1966)
*''Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #22 (debut [[Speedball (comics)|Speedball]]), #24–25 (1988–1991)
*''Astonishing'' #53 (1956)
*''[[Avengers (comic book)|Avengers Annual]]'' #13, 15 (1984–1986)
*''Battle'' #63, 68, 70 (1958–1960)
*''Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos'' 1–3 (1987)
*''[[Crazy Magazine]]'' #68 (1980)
*''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]]'' #162, 234–235, 264 (1980–1989)
*''Destroyer, The'' #4 (1990)
*''Destroyer, The'' vol. 2 #1 (1991)
*''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|The Fantastic Four]]'' #13 (inking Jack Kirby) (1963)
*''Fantastic Four Annual'' #16 (1981)
*''[[Gunsmoke Western]]'' #56, 66 (1960–1961)
*''Heroes & Legends'' #1 (1997)
*''[[Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' #2 (inking [[Jack Kirby]]), #6 (1962–1963)
*''The Incredible Hulk'' #249, ''Annual'' #9 (1980)
*''Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault'' #1 (story created in the 1980s) (2011)
*''[[Indiana Jones (comics)|The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones]]'' #21, 25–28, 32–34 (1984–1986)
*''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #160 (1982)
*''Iron Man Annual'' #11 (1990)
*''[[Journey into Mystery]]'' #33, 38, 50–96 (1956–1963)
*''[[Machine Man]]'' #10–19 (1979–1981)
*[[Journey into Unknown Worlds|''Journey Into Unknown Worlds'']] #45, 51 (1956)
*''[[Marvel Age]] Annual'' #4 (Speedball) (1988)
*''[[Marvel Comics Presents]]'' #7, 10, 14, 54, 56, 58, 80–81, 83 (1988–1991)
*''Marvel Legacy'' Doctor Strange #381
*''[[Marvel Preview]]'' #21 ([[Shroud (comics)|Shroud]]) (1980)
*''[[Marvel Spotlight]]'' vol. 2 #4 ([[Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)|Captain Marvel]]), #5 ([[Dragon Lord (comics)|Dragon Lord]]), #9–11 ([[Captain Universe]]) (1980–1981)
*''[[Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)|Marvel Super-Heroes]]'' vol. 2 #1–3, #5–8 (#8 debut [[Squirrel Girl]]) (1990–1992)
*''[[Marvel Tales (1949–1957)|Marvel Tales]]'' #147 (1956)
*''[[Marvel Team-Up]]'' #101 (1981)
*''[[Micronauts (comics)|Micronauts]]'' #39, ''Annual'' #1–2 (1979–1982)
*''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' #2, 4 (1995–1996)
*''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Ninja Rangers/VR Troopers'' #4–5 (1996)
*''Mystery Tales'' #40, 45, 47 (1956)
*''[[Phantom 2040]]'' #1–4 (1995)
*''[[Robbie Baldwin|Speedball]]'' #1–10 (1988–1989)
*''[[Rom (comics)|Rom Spaceknight]]'' #59–75, ''Annual'' #4 (1984–1986)
*''Spellbound'' #29 (1956)
*''[[Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos]]'' #15 (inking [[Dick Ayers]]) (1965)
*''[[Strange Tales]]'' #46, 50, 67–146 ([[Doctor Strange]] in #110–111, 114–146), ''Annual'' #2 (inking Jack Kirby) (1956–1966)
*''Shadows & Light'' #1 (Iron Man) (1998)
*''Strange Tales of the Unusual'' #5 (1956)
*''[[Strange Worlds (Atlas Comics)|Strange Worlds]]'' #1–5 (1958–1959)
*''[[Tales to Astonish]]'' #1–48, 60–67 ([[Hulk|The Hulk]] in #60–67, [[Giant-Man|Giant Man]] in #61) (1959–1965)
*''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' #1–49 ([[Iron Man]] in #47–49) (1959–1964)
*''[[Tomb of Dracula]]'' magazine #2 (1979)
*''[[Tower of Shadows]]'' #6, 8–9 (1970–1971)
*''[[U.S. 1 (comics)|U.S.1]]'' #12 (1984)
*''[[Web of Spider-Man]] Annual'' #5 (Captain Universe) (1989)
*''[[What If (comics)|What If?]]'' #35 ([[Tigra]]) (1982)
*''What If Special'' #1 (Iron Man) (1988)
*''[[What The--?!]]'' #1 (1988)
*''[[World of Fantasy]]'' #16–19 (1959)
*''World of Mystery'' #3, 6 (1956–1957)
'''[[St. John Publications]]'''
*''Do You Believe in Nightmares'' #1 (1957)

'''[[DC Comics]]'''
*''[[Strange Adventures]]'' #188–189 (1966)
*''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #73 (debut, the [[Creeper (comics)|Creeper]]) #75 (debut, [[Hawk and Dove|The Hawk and the Dove]]) (1968)
*''[[Creeper (comics)|Beware the Creeper]]'' #1–6 (1968–1969)
*''[[Hawk and Dove|The Hawk and the Dove]]'' #1–2 (1968)
*''[[Stalker (comics)|Stalker]]'' #1–4 (1975–1976)
*''[[House of Mystery]]'' #236, 247 (1975–1976)
*''[[1st Issue Special]]'' #7 (Creeper) (1975)
*''[[Man-Bat]]'' #1 (1975)
*''[[Plop!]]'' #16 (1975)
*''[[House of Secrets (DC Comics)|House of Secrets]]'' #139 (1976)
*''[[Weird War Tales]]'' #46, 49, 95, 99, 104–106 (1976–1981)
*''[[The Amazing World of DC Comics|Amazing World of DC Comics]]'' #13 (1976)
*''[[Shade, the Changing Man]]'' #1–8 (1977–1978)
*''[[Secrets of Haunted House]]'' #9, 12, 41, 45 (1977–1982)
*[[DC Special Series#9: Wonder Woman Spectacular|''DC Special Series #9: Wonder Woman Spectacular'']] (1978)
*''[[World's Finest Comics]]'' #249–255 (Creeper) (1978–1979)
*''[[Cancelled Comic Cavalcade]]'' #2 (two stories planned for ''Shade, the Changing Man'' #9) (1978)
*''[[Ghosts (comics)|Ghosts]]'' #77, 111 (1979–1982)
*''[[Time Warp (comics)|Time Warp]]'' #1–4 (1979–1980)
*''[[Detective Comics]]'' #483–485 ([[Etrigan the Demon|The Demon]]), #487 ([[Odd Man (comics)|Odd Man]] debut, revised story, originally planned for ''Shade, the Changing Man'' #9{{sfn|Cowsill|Irvine|Korte|Manning|2016|p=352}}) (1979)
*''[[Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes|Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes]]'' #257 (1979)
*''Unexpected'' #189–190, 221 (1979–1982)
*''[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'' vol. 2 #267, 268, 272, 274, 276, 281 (1980–1981)
*''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #467–478 ([[Starman (comics)#Prince Gavyn|Starman]]) (1980)
*''[[Mystery in Space]]'' #111, 114–16 (1980–1981)
*''[[Outsiders (comics)|The Outsiders]]'' #13 (1986)
*''[[Who's Who in the DC Universe|Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe]]'' #19–22 (1986)
*''[[Action Comics]] Weekly'' #642 (among other artists) (1989)
*''Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant'' #1 (1998)
*''[[Tales of the New Gods]]'' TPB (story originally planned for the ''[[Orion (comic book)|Orion]]'' series) (2008)
*''The Creeper by Steve Ditko'' HC (includes 25-page Creeper story originally planned for ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #106) (2010)
*''The Steve Ditko Omnibus'' Vol. 1 HC (includes story originally planned for ''Shade, the Changing Man'' #9) (2011)

[[American Comics Group|'''ACG''']]

*''[[Adventures into the Unknown]]'' #168 (1966)
*''[[Forbidden Worlds]]'' #137–138, 140 (1966)
*''Unknown Worlds'' #49–50, 54 (1966–1967)

'''[[Dell Publishing]]'''

*''[[Nukla]]'' #4 (1966)
*''[[Get Smart]]'' #2–3 (1966)
*''[[Hogan's Heroes]]'' #3 (1966)

'''[[Warren Publishing]]'''
*''[[Eerie (magazine)|Eerie]]'' #3–10 (1966–1967)
*''[[Creepy (magazine)|Creepy]]'' #9–16 (1966–1967)

'''[[Tower Comics]]'''

*''[[T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents]]'' #6–7, 12, 14, 16, 18 (1966–1968)
*''Dynamo'' #1, 4 (1966–1967)

'''Independent'''
*''[[Witzend]]'' #3, 4, 6, 7 ([[Wally Wood|Wallace Wood]]) (1967–1969)
*''Heroes, Inc.'' #1 (Wallace Wood) (1969)
*''Mr. A.'' (Comic Art Publishers) (1973)
*''Avenging World'' ([[Bruce Hershenson]]) (1973) (Note that the 2002 ''Avenging World'' is a collection of Ditko works including the 1973 comic)
*''...Wha..!?'' (Bruce Hershenson) (1975)
*''Mr. A.'' (Bruce Hershenson) (1975)

'''[[Atlas/Seaboard]]'''
*''The Destructor'' #1–4 (1975)
*''Morlock 2001'' #3 (1975)
*''[[Tiger-Man]]'' #2–3 (1975)

'''[[CPL Gang]]'''

*''[[Charlton Bullseye (fanzine)|Charlton Bullseye]]'' #1–2 (1975)

'''Star*Reach Productions'''
*''Imagine'' #4 (1978)

'''M W Communications'''

*''Questar'' #1–5 (1978–1979)

'''[[Pacific Comics]]'''
*''[[Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers]]'' #6 (Missing Man) (1981)
*''Pacific Presents'' #1–3 (Missing Man) (1982–1984)
*''[[Silver Star (comics)|Silver Star]]'' #2 ([[Mocker (comics)|The Mocker]]) (1983)

'''[[New Media Publishing]]'''

*''Fantasy Illustrated'' #1 (1982)

'''[[First Comics]]'''

*[[Warp (First Comics)|''Warp'']] #2–4 (1983)

'''[[Eclipse Comics]]'''
*''[[Eclipse Monthly]]'' #1–3 ([[Static (Eclipse Comics)|Static]]) (1983)

'''[[Epic Comics]]'''
*''[[Coyote (comics)|Coyote]]'' #7–10 (The Djinn) (1984–1985)

'''[[Archie Comics]]'''

*[[Fly (Archie Comics)|''The Fly'']] #2–4, #5–8, #9 (inking [[Dick Ayers]]) (1983–1986)
*''[[Blue Ribbon Comics]]'' #12 (1984)

'''[[Deluxe Comics]]'''

* ''[[T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents|Wally Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents]]'' #3–4 (1985–1986)

'''[[Renegade Press]]'''
*''Revolver'' #1–5, ''Annual Frisky Frolics'' #1 (1985–1986)
*''Ditko's World featuring...Static'' #1–3 (1986)
*''Murder'' #1–3 (1986)

'''Globe Communications'''

*''[[Cracked (magazine)|Cracked]]'' #218–223, 225–227, 231 (1986–1987)
*''Monsters Attack'' #1–5 (1989–1990)
*''Cracked Collector's Edition'' #86 (1991)

'''Ace Comics'''

*''[[The Face (comics)|What Is...the Face?]]'' #1–3 (1986–1987)
*''[[Skyman (Columbia Comics)|Return of the Skyman]]'' #1 (1987)

'''3-D- Zone'''

*''3-D Substance'' #1–2 (1990)

'''[[Valiant Comics]]'''

*''[[World Wrestling Federation]]: Lifestyles of the Brutal and Infamous'' (1991)
*''World Wrestling Federation: Out-of-the-Ring Challenges'' (1991)
*''World Wrestling Federation: When I Get My Hands...'' (1991)
*''WWF Battlemania'' #5 (1991)
*''[[X-O Manowar|X-O-Manowar]]'' #6 (1992)
*''[[Shadowman (comics)|Shadowman]]'' #6 (1992)
*''[[Solar (comics)|Solar, Man of the Atom]]'' #14–15 (1992)
*''[[Magnus, Robot Fighter]]'' #18–19 (1992)

'''[[Marvel UK]]'''

*''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' #4 (1992)

'''[[Dark Horse Comics]]'''
*''The Safest Place...'' (1993)

'''[[Defiant Comics]]'''

*''[[Dark Dominion]]'' #0 (1993)

'''[[Topps Comics]]'''

*''Captain Glory'' #1 (1993)
*''[[Satan's Six]]'' #1 (inking [[Batton Lash]]) (1993)
*''[[Secret City Saga|Jack Kirby's Secret City Saga]]'' #1–4 (1993)

'''[[Craig Yoe|Yoe! Studio]]'''
*[[Big Boy Restaurants#Adventures of the Big Boy comic book|''Big Boy Magazine'']] #470 (promo) (1997)

'''[[Fantagraphics Books]]'''

*''Steve Ditko's Strange Avenging Tales'' #1 (1997)

'''[[AC Comics]]'''

*''AC Retro Comics'' #5 (1998)

'''Robin Snyder'''
*''Ditko Package'' (1989)
*''The Mocker'' (1990)
*''Ditko Public Service Package'' (1991)
*''The Ditko Package series:''
:''Steve Ditko's 160-Page Package'' (1999)
:''Steve Ditko's 80-Page Package: The Missing Man'' (1999)
:''Steve Ditko's 160-Page Package: From Charlton Press'' (1999)
:''Steve Ditko's 176-Page Package: Heroes'' (2000)
:''Steve Ditko's 32-Page Package: Tsk! Tsk!'' (2000)
*''Steve Ditko's Static: Chapters 1 to 14 plus...'' (2000)
*''Avenging World'' (2002) (240-page expanded version of 1973 edition)
*''Mr. A.'' (2010) (Revised and reformatted reprint of the 1973 edition)
*''Mr. A. #15'' (2014) (Contains two stories originally intended for the first issue of a Mr. A. series solicited but unpublished by AAA {{circa|1990}})
*''The Four-Page Series'' (essays) #1–9 (2012–2015)
*''The 32-page Series:''
:''The Avenging Mind'' (2008)
:''Ditko, etc...'' (2008)
:''Ditko Continued...'' (2008)
:''Oh, No! Not Again, Ditko'' (2009)
:''Ditko Once More'' (2009)
:''Ditko Presents'' (2009)
:''A Ditko Act Two'' (2010)
:''A Ditko Act 3'' (2010)
:''Act 4'' (2010)
:''Act 5'' (2010)
:''Act 6'' (2011)
:''Act 7, Seven, Making 12'' (2011)
:''Act 8, Making Lucky 13'' (2011)
:''A Ditko #14'' (2011)
:''A Ditko #15'' (2011)
:''#16: Sixteen'' (2012)
:''#17: Seventeen'' (2012)
:''Ate Tea N: 18'' (2013)
:''#9 Teen'' (2014)
:''#20'' (2014)
:''#2oww1'' (2014)
:''#22'' (2015)
:''#23'' (2015)
:''#24'' (2016)
:''#25'' (2016)
:''#26'' (2018)
:''Down Memory Lane'' (2019)
*''The 32 Series by Ditko:'' (each collecting 5–6 issues from the 32-page series)
:''Vol. I: Overture'' (2019) collecting 5 issues: ''Avenging Mind'' through ''Ditko Once More''
:''Vol. II: Opening Acts'' (2019) collecting 5 issues: ''Ditko Presents'' through ''Act 5''
:''Vol. III: Character Twists'' (2019) collecting 5 issues: ''Act 6'' through ''A Ditko #15''
:''Vol. IV: Postshadowing'' (2019) collecting 6 issues: ''#16: Sixteen'' through ''#2oww1''
:''Vol. V: Curtain'' (2019) collecting 6 issues: ''#22'' through ''Down Memory Lane''

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last=Bell |first=Blake |date=2008 |title=Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-XshDAAAQBAJ |location=Seattle, Washington |publisher=[[Fantagraphics]] |isbn=978-1-56097-921-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Harris |first=Jack C. |date=2023 |title=Working With Ditko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNvXzwEACAAJ |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-60549-122-6}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q355652|c=Category:Steve_Ditko|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|q=no|species=no}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=101}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090201102153/http://www.ditko.comics.org/ Steve Ditko] Ditko Looked Up (archived website)
* {{IMDb name|228492}}
* Hart, Hugh. [https://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/book-looks-at-s/ "Strange and Stranger Salutes Spider-Man Artist Steve Ditko"], ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', August 21, 2008. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110115193922/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/book-looks-at-s/ WebCitation archive].
* Steve Ditko interviewed in {{cite news| url=http://unitedfanzineorganization.weebly.com/uploads/4/5/6/0/4560933/dm45.pdf | first=Bernie|last=Bubnis| title=Spotlight on the Pros #5: This Issue: Steve Ditko| work = [[Rocket's Blast Comicollector]] | issue = 31| year= 1964| publisher = Reprinted in Ditkomania (45) May 1995| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141101222125/http://unitedfanzineorganization.weebly.com/uploads/4/5/6/0/4560933/dm45.pdf| archive-date= November 1, 2014| url-status=live}}

{{Steve Ditko}}
{{Doctor Strange |state=collapsed}}
{{Goblin (Marvel Comics)|state=collapsed}}
{{Sinister Six |state=collapsed}}
{{Spider-Man |state=collapsed}}
{{Blue Beetle |state=collapsed}}
{{Inkpot Award 1980s}}
{{Disney Legends Awards 2020s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ditko, Steve}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
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[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
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[[Category:American people of Rusyn descent]]
[[Category:American people of Slovak descent]]
[[Category:Artists from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Atlas Comics]]
[[Category:Charlton Comics]]
[[Category:DC Comics people]]
[[Category:Disney Legends]]
[[Category:Golden Age comics creators]]
[[Category:Inkpot Award winners]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics people]]
[[Category:Objectivists]]
[[Category:People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:School of Visual Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Silver Age comics creators]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Writers from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American atheists]]