Steve Ditko BBC Documentary

[samurainoir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfxVO0fLHvA

[palitoy]

I heart Jonathan Ross

[ODBJBG]

I'll be watching this later. Thanks for posting.

On that note, I love that BBC gets stuff like this. Ugh, if only our TV audience was able to enjoy stuff like this.

[clemso]

Ross is a massive comic book fan and collector of toys, comics and comic book art. He is a geek like one of us, only richer.

[samurainoir]

I want to BE Jonathan Ross... not only does he own that issue of Amazing Fantasy and pals around with the likes of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore... the lucky sod's married to Jane Goldman, who is not just ridiculously hot, but an incredibly talented writer.


Check out her screenplay's for Matthew Vaughn's Stardust, Kick-***, and The Debt. Really tight stuff. And it looks like she's going to be four for four in my book with the upcoming X-Men First Class.


My first encounter with Jonathan Ross was as the titular star of Mark Millar's first comic book Saviour...

Which was basically What If The Anti-Christ Were Superman?

[Mego Superboy Prime]

This is awesome. I've watched it a hundred times.

But truth be told after all that creation of Spider-man debate Stan Lee is right and Ditko is a cry baby!! He came up with the Spider-man idea and if Ditko did something with Spider-man and Stan didn't like it, it would be changed until Stan liked what he saw. Kirby was his first go to guy with Spidey and when Stan saw what Kirby came up with he didn't like it and the concept was scrapped until Stan gave the idea to Steve. Stan also went out of his way to give Steve credit and it still wasn't enough.

Go back into hiding Steve.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Does BBC America ever show things like this? I'm really interested in seeing it, but I have dial-up hell at home.

Chris

[samurainoir]

I'd say Ditko is the furthest away from a cry baby you can get. The man is incredibly principled (whether others agree with his principles or not) and walked away and that seems to be that with him and Spider-man. Up to and including taking no credit or money whatsoever for Spider-man even when it's offered to him, and has never really made any public statements. All we are hearing in the documentary is second and third hand accounts speculating on why he left Marvel... essentially unsubstantiated heresay.

Despite being polar opposites in every other way, it's fascinating to see Alan Moore's own admiration and similarly principled stance with his DC creations. Although as much as I admire Moore's talents, I would completely understand why someone might label him a cry-baby given his public statements, but I honestly can't see it in Ditko's case.

[samurainoir]

This Steve Ditko book is recommended.


The author is local and gives lectures occasionally. Terrific stuff.

[Janson]

This was such a great special, thanks for the link. Interesting to note why Jonathan Ross stops Ditko's career bio at DC comics. Um, did he forget that he worked professionally into the 90's an even went back to Marvel for years... created Dragon Lord, Squirrel Girl, and Speedball!
I'm not totally sold that Ditko didn't take any drugs especially when you make a character named Speedball.
That being said, this was well done and hopefully brings to light the credit the Mr. Ditko rightfully deserves.

[kingdom warrior]

This is awesome. I've watched it a hundred times.

But truth be told after all that creation of Spider-man debate Stan Lee is right and Ditko is a cry baby!! He came up with the Spider-man idea and if Ditko did something with Spider-man and Stan didn't like it, it would be changed until Stan liked what he saw. Kirby was his first go to guy with Spidey and when Stan saw what Kirby came up with he didn't like it and the concept was scrapped until Stan gave the idea to Steve. Stan also went out of his way to give Steve credit and it still wasn't enough.

Go back into hiding Steve.

Steve Ditko is not a cry baby far from it clearly he was not especially for a man who during the 60's, 70's, 80's and early 90's was silent about it and his treatment at Marvel.

As for Stan creating Spiderman that's VERY debatable. Did he come up with the concept all by his lonesome? History says no. Stan never created anything all by his lonesome. The concept of "Spider-Man" has it's genesis with Joe Simon,Jack Kirby and CC beck

Stan wanted to write a story about a teenager, he went to to his number one guy Jack to come up with something. Jack brought him back a hero that Stan didn't approve of and went to Steve Ditko to give his teen an ordinary man on the street look......

Steve Ditko came up with the Iconic Spiderman design.. I challenge anyone to show me anywhere, anyplace, Stan's notes or doodles of Spiderman's design. Steve was co-creator.....and if you know the Marvel way of storytelling many times a script was not needed because Stan had the best
Storytellers at his disposal.

Stan was a very good Editor and script writer and Ringmaster....

The mere Fact that it took Stan some 30 years after to give Steve credit begrudgingly at that too says a lot about his character....or lack of....

[Janson]

I have to agree with kingdom warrior, Steve Ditko is not a cry baby.
He rather chooses to live his life intensely to his principles. I don't agree with it but its not my place to say just like it isn't his even though i'm sure Mr. Ditko wishes everyone become an Objectivist.
Stan Lee as much as I love the man, he is the jerk. Yes, he apologizes now some 30 plus years and billions of dollars later that Steve Ditko co-created Spider-Man, its a case of too little too late. No matter what Stan says now really isn't and can't make up for the neglected credit all these years. Damage has been done and its irrepairable. So I say respect Steve and Stan, and let Steve have his principles because that is all Stan let him have.

[Blue Meanie]

This is awesome. I've watched it a hundred times.

But truth be told after all that creation of Spider-man debate Stan Lee is right and Ditko is a cry baby!! He came up with the Spider-man idea and if Ditko did something with Spider-man and Stan didn't like it, it would be changed until Stan liked what he saw. Kirby was his first go to guy with Spidey and when Stan saw what Kirby came up with he didn't like it and the concept was scrapped until Stan gave the idea to Steve. Stan also went out of his way to give Steve credit and it still wasn't enough.

Go back into hiding Steve.

Wow...I didn't know you were that old. You actually were there when Stan and Jack and Steve talked things over on the creation of these characters??? If you were, then please tell us more...I'd like to hear of how Marvel worked back in the day. You seem to be an expert...and from what I can tell, you were actually there while it was happening.

There are a lot of people at Marvel that never got credit for creating characters...Steve Ditko being one of them. Unfortunately Stan gets credit for everything. Stan is one of the biggest BS artists in the industry. He's a showman...that's it. He's been that for Marvel since the late 60's. Just a figurehead and nothing more. The only reason why Stan is doing anything these days is because he got taken in a scam by a financial advisor "To The Stars" out in LA a few years back and lost A LOT of money.

[CrimsonGhost]

This is a great documentary. I was really into Shade the Changing Man when I was a kid. Then I found old issues of The Creeper. His artwork is so surreal, it was perfect on those books and especially on Dr. Strange. He's a strange guy, but you can't argue with his artwork.

[Mego Superboy Prime]

Wow...I didn't know you were that old. You actually were there when Stan and Jack and Steve talked things over on the creation of these characters??? If you were, then please tell us more...I'd like to hear of how Marvel worked back in the day. You seem to be an expert...and from what I can tell, you were actually there while it was happening.

There are a lot of people at Marvel that never got credit for creating characters...Steve Ditko being one of them. Unfortunately Stan gets credit for everything. Stan is one of the biggest BS artists in the industry. He's a showman...that's it. He's been that for Marvel since the late 60's. Just a figurehead and nothing more. The only reason why Stan is doing anything these days is because he got taken in a scam by a financial advisor "To The Stars" out in LA a few years back and lost A LOT of money.

Ha, ha, ha. This has got to be the most ridiculous post I've ever read on any message board ever. "Stan is just a showman...that's it." This will be quoted forever. Thanks Meanie, no really, thanks. Ha, ha, ha!!