Spider-Man Pin-up # 8 Agility by Steve Ditko

Description

Stephen J. “Steve” Ditko (born November 2, 1927) is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist and co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Since the 1960s, Ditko has declined most interviews, stating that it is his work he offers readers, and not his personality. Ditko was inducted into the comics industry’s Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1990, and into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994. After Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee obtained permission from publisher Martin Goodman to create a new “ordinary teen” superhero named “Spider-Man”, 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 superpowers. 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 — it just wasn’t the character I wanted; it was too heroic”. Lee turned to Ditko, who developed a visual motif Lee found satisfactory, 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 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.” 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….” The following listings are for comic book and/or movie fans looking to decorate their rooms/offices/lockers with low cost comics art! Maybe you love the character…maybe you love the artist, maybe you love the storyline…whatever it is, why pay $100’s or even $1000’s for originals? These make the perfect stocking stuffer and added with a picture frame, would make an excellent gift! Imagine your kids face when they come home from school and see this on their wall! From 1992…over 20 years old!

Near mint condition.