The power of a single panel...

[enyawd72]

My wife has taken to reading comics in recent years, converted by me, and recently I gave her a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #6 to read so she could learn about the Lizard before seeing the movie.
Halfway through the book, she pauses, looks at me with tears in her eyes, and says..."This is so SAD!" She was referring to the middle panel below.

It really got me thinking what a powerful panel it is, and how the smallest things can bring so much depth to a story. The addition of a simple tear gives it so much more emotional impact than if it had been left out.
I can only wonder if the idea was Steve Ditko's or Stan Lee's, but thanks to that single tear, the Lizard is now my wife's favorite Spidey villain.

Amazing, huh?

[Earth 2 Chris]

Very well put. I would say that Ditko should take most of the credit here, but as this was early on in ASM, Stan may have been more involved in the panel-to-panel plotting still at that point.

Chris

[Figuremod73]

Steve Ditko is an amazing storyteller. He could tell more story on a single page than most can do in a whole book. Im still amazed that dispite the totally different style he and Kirby had, it totally worked for early Marvel.

If young artist at those Art school (like Kuberts) arent studying him, they should be. Its the "quiet" storytelling that many times gets me into a story.

If only he would do a interview....I would like to know his opinion on the state of the industry!

[Operation:Mego]

I never noticed that tear until just now..that really adds a lot to the story.

[Brazoo]

Very well put. I would say that Ditko should take most of the credit here, but as this was early on in ASM, Stan may have been more involved in the panel-to-panel plotting still at that point.

Chris

Yeah, I'm also VERY critical of Stan Lee and the credit he gets over the artists in some cases, but in this particular case I think this might be the sort of pathos Lee seems to always push for.

Of course I'm just speculating!

[Brazoo]

On a side note that Masterworks scan hurts my eyes! A lot of the "remastered" art they did looks awful, but Ditko's work seems to suffer even more than other artists to me. Unfortunately I don't have the original, because I'd love to see a side-by-side of the Masterworks and the originals of those panels for comparison.

[enyawd72]

On a side note that Masterworks scan hurts my eyes! A lot of the "remastered" art they did looks awful, but Ditko's work seems to suffer even more than other artists to me. Unfortunately I don't have the original, because I'd love to see a side-by-side of the Masterworks and the originals of those panels for comparison.

I don't know which edition that particular scan is from, but I can tell you the new TP Masterworks have all been recolored to their original sources. I have a few issues and compared...they did a phenomenal job.

[nobody]

Implausible. Real lizards don't have tear ducts.

[kingdom warrior]

Great Stuff!!!