2 new books by/about Steve Ditko coming out

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All-

I have mentioned on previous threads about Steve Ditko, the artist/writer who co-created Spiderman and Dr. Strange and who became an Objectivist, and created several Objectivist-influenced work since the 1960s.

Well, 2 new books are coming out related to him.

First off, is a long-awaited book by Blake Bell about Steve Ditko. It should be coming out in June, and is the first comprehensive work on the artist. Its called "Steve Ditko: Strange and Stranger". There is info on the web about the book, which includes a chapter breakdown: http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/newBK.html There are several chapters that should be of interest to Objectivists:

CHAPTER SIX: Ayn Rand & The End at Marvel - Ditko, Ayn Rand, Lee and Goodman collide. Creative and financial turmoil between the group leave Ditko walking away from his two co-creations before they make millions for everyone but Ditko.

CHAPTER EIGHT: Randian Heroes at Charlton and DC (1967-68) - Ditko the freelancer chases work from Tower Comics, to reviving Captain Atom and the Blue Beetle, to joining DC Comics. But Steve Ditko's career is about to change with the creation of The Question and Mr. A.

CHAPTER NINE: Fans vs. Ditko (1959-75) - Ditko spends the 1960s legitimizing comic-book fandom - the only home he can find for his Rand-inspired material - before fandom bites back, forcing Ditko to blaze a trail in independent publishing.

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Avenging Artist - The 1970s sees Ditko make a complete split between his work-for-hire & Objectivist material. Did he lose his artistic focus while spreading the Objectivist doctrine? What are the successes and failures of his highly personal work?

I have no idea of Blake's views of Objectivism are. I read some of his writings about Ditko, and he didn't strike me as someone who put Ditko down for his idea or spoke against his philosophy. So I'm hoping it will be fair.

Secondly, there is an announcement for a new book of work from Ditko himself! This comes from Robin Snyder, who has pretty much been his editor and publisher for most of his new works for the last couple of decades. No new info as yet, but hope to hear more. There is a page about it at Blake's site: http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/08ditgn.html

Edited April 9, 2008 by Michael Brown

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Secondly, there is an announcement for a new book of work from Ditko himself! This comes from Robin Snyder, who has pretty much been his editor and publisher for most of his new works for the last couple of decades. No new info as yet, but hope to hear more. There is a page about it at Blake's site: http://www.ditko.comics.org/ditko/08ditgn.html

There is now more info on this new book.

The title of the book is apparently "The Avenging Mind". It is 48 pages and costs $4.95. Copies can be ordered from Robin Snyder (address and postage costs are given at the above link).

Its uncertain how much of this book is 'new', or reprints of articles and works from Ditko that have seen print in Robin Snyder's newsletter "The Comics". Blake Bell, the owner of the above website, says this about the book: "Back in March 2003, Ditko launched a 3-part series, "The Avenging Mind," in The Comics, attacking Fantagraphics co-publisher Gary Groth and me as "anti-Ditko" based on the title and cover image of our book on his career, (then-titled) Steve Ditko: The Mysterious Traveler (now retitled Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko) and based on his perception of past "indiscretions" against him by Gary and me. Ditko had not seen any of the innards of the book, but that didn't stop him from labeled it a "poison sandwich." He revised the essays in The Comics again in 2004 and the title of this new 2008 book suggests that it could be a revised attack on Gary, myself and any others perceived as being part of the "unearned/undeserved" collective. We'll update this page as we learn more. "

He's probably right, but I plan on getting the book anyway. I still hope for a collection of previously unpublished works. I always hope that Ditko had done other works (ideally more heroic work) that has yet to see print.