Steve Ditko

He was born November 2nd, 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Schooled at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School[?] in New York City under Jerry Robinson[?]. Began professionally illustrating comic books in 1953. His early works were for Charlton Comics, producing science fiction, horror and mystery stories. Ditko then began working for what would become Marvel Comics.

He created (or co-created as some reports and theories hold) The Amazing Spider-Man and Doctor Strange for Marvel. His idiosyncratic style emphasizing mood and anxiety found favour with the reading public. The character of Spider-Man with his anxiety, angst and troubled social life meshed well with Ditko's personal style and interests. After a run of four years on the title, Ditko had a falling out with writer/editor Stan Lee and left the company.

He is said to have shared a studio with bondage artist Eric Stanton in the period 1958 to 1966.

He returned to Charlton where he produced such titles as Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, and the Question. In the pages of the Question Ditko began infusing his own philosophy which stemmed from Ayn Rand's objectivism. By 1968, Ditko produced work for DC Comics where he created such unique characters as the Creeper and the Hawk and the Dove. Ditko used these tales, ostensibly in the superhero genre, to espouse and explore various ethical issues. Either because many readers found the preachiness in some of these stories unpalatable, or perhaps due to disagreement with the artist's philosophy, Ditko's work was not as popularly received as previously. Ditko's more personal projects, such as Mr. A and Avenging World, display his political sentiments vividly, and have little commercial appeal.

Ditko currently resides in New York City. Though a prolific and hard-working artist he is also an intensely private man. Preferring to let the work speak for itself, he has refused interviews, profiles and public appearances.