Grave Tales

After Steve Ditko left Marvel in the mid-1960s, the gifted creator essentially washed his hands of his two most famous characters  – Spider-Man and Doctor Strange – and pursued characters and concepts that mirrored his interests at such publishers as Charlton and DC.

Ditko’s apparent resolve to not look back at what many considered his glory days was so strong that given an opportunity to design splash pages featuring the Marvel Universe circa 1985 (in the all-time classic ROM #65), he pointedly avoided any mention of a certain Webhead or Master of the Mystic Arts.

Still, to appropriate the title of a rather mediocre James Bond film, never say never again. While Ditko never lent his talents to Spider-Man again, he did illustrate a Doctor Strange story … more or less.

A few years after leaving Marvel, Ditko produced a story for the Charlton horror anthology – The Many Ghosts Of Dr. Graves – that served as a secret “Dr. Strange” adventure.

The story’s protagonist, Dr. Graves himself, bore a strong resemblance to Stephen Strange but rarely participated in the tales within his comic. He generally acted as a narrator, much like EC’s Crypt Keeper or DC’s Cain and Abel.

In the “Ultimate Enemy,” which appeared in the 12th issue of the anthology comic, Graves took the center stage and utilized his mystic powers against a “mystical being … bent on conquering Earth.”

The resulting battle – which took place on the astral plane, natch – would have fit in quite nicely with the surreal Dr. Strange adventures by Ditko that made Strange Tales a timeless cult classic of the original Marvel Age.

In celebration of Steve Ditko’s 85th birthday – not that he would want anyone to take notice – here’s a “lost” Dr. Strange classic from The Many Ghosts Of Dr. Graves #12 (Charlton, February 1969).

“The Ultimate Enemy” was scripted by Steve Skeates. The pencils and inks are by Ditko.

Family Plot

An Internet friend who read “Family Mixup” once told me the tale was “like an O. Henry story, if O. Henry was a sociopath.”

I really can’t think of any better way to introduce today’s entry in the Time Bullet’s weeklong celebration of Steve Ditko and Charlton’s The Thing, other than to add that we’ve definitely saved the best for last!

From The Thing #15 (Charlton, July-August 1954), here’s “Family Mixup” as drawn by Steve Ditko.

A Friend Indeed

Although the 1950s are remembered as a comparatively tranquil era, the Cold War and resulting suspicion of anyone and anything that seemed vaguely “Red” were indications of the fears and paranoia that Americans hid in their hearts as they settled into the suburbs and strived for normalcy.

Such anxieties often manifested themselves in the much vilified horror comics of the era. Were people really afraid titles like The Thing were causing juvenile delinquency, or was there a vague sense that those “trashy little magazines” were actually evoking deeper fears that struck just a little too close to home?

Today’s Pre-Code Steve Ditko classic reminds readers to not trust anyone … even yourself. The enemy, after all, may be hiding in the most unexpected place of all.

“Inheritance!” originally appeared in The Thing #14 (Charlton, June 1954). The art, once again, is by Steve Ditko.

Scared Straight

Is there anything more evil than a college fraternity prank gone awry? Don’t be too quick to answer that question …

First read “Die Laughing,” today’s installment of our seven-day celebration of Steve Ditko’s masterful Pre-Code horror art for Charlton Comics’ The Thing.

The story originally appeared in The Thing #13 (Charlton, April 1954).

Worm Food

T.S. Eliot once wrote, “This is the way the world ends: Not with a bang but a whimper.”

Well, to paraphrase one of my favorite lines from Blazing Saddles, “Blow it out your @$$.” We all know the world ends after it’s devoured by a giant worm.

Want proof? Our latest example of Steve Ditko’s remarkable run on Charlton’s The Thing provides that and much, much more.

From The Thing #15 (Charlton, July-August 1954), here’s “The Worm Turns.” The art, once again, is by Steve Ditko.

Big Bang Baby

Our celebration of Steve Ditko’s run on Charlton’s The Thing continues with a story that unites two favorite themes of ‘50s horror comics: atomic radiation and revenge!

From The Thing #14 (Charlton, June 1954), here’s “Doom In The Air.” The art is by Steve Ditko.

Slayer-ella

Another cloudy October day, another Steve Ditko Pre-Code horror classic from Charlton’s The Thing!

Our second story of the week is a very dark re-telling of “Cinderella.” Golden Age horror magazines generally enjoyed spoofing fairy tales, but this particular entry in a rather small comic-book sub-genre takes particular delight in transforming a much-loved story into a truly grim yarn.

From The Thing #12 (Charlton, February 1954), here’s “Cinderella” as drawn by Steve Ditko.

Better Dead Than Read

The next several days will highlight classic Pre-Code horror tales illustrated by Steve Ditko for Charlton’s The Thing, one of the better horror titles on the market at that period of comics’ history.

These tales show a young Ditko truly coming into his own and point the way toward his atmospheric, moody take on super-heroes that helped propel the likes of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange beyond DC Comics’ more staid, Silver Age approach to costumed adventurers.

Let’s start off with “Library Of Horror” from The Thing #13 (Charlton, April 1954). The story was drawn and inked by Ditko.

If you’d like to own these stories in a more permanent fashion, I’d suggest picking up Fantagraphics’ excellent Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives #1. It’s apparently out of print, but can be found on Amazon and other outlets.

I Am Superman

Charlton was known throughout its history for giving its artists carte blanche to offset their bargain basement rates, a policy that probably explains Steve Ditko’s decades-long loyalty to the company.

Back in the 1950s, when Ditko was honing his skills and testing the limits of his imagination, few other publishers would have allowed the artist to create such offbeat covers for a post-Comics Code science-fiction title like Out Of This World.

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As is customary with comics books of any era, the inside contents didn’t always live up to the covers. However, the stories illustrated by Ditko always had something special to offer and the following tale is easily the equal of any science-fiction comic published by the fabled – and at the time, defunct – EC line.

From Out Of This World #3 (Charlton, March 1957), here’s “The Supermen” as illustrated by Steve Ditko.

Climb Every Mountain

As a mystery and suspense title produced under the confines of the the Comics Code, Charlton’s Tales Of The Mysterious Traveler wasn’t given much leeway to be particularly mysterious or suspenseful.

Fortunately for the shadowy figures behind Charlton Comics – if they even cared all that much – the company still had the services of Steve Ditko, an artist who could transform the tamest of tales into a classic chiller.

The following tale, “Above The Topmost Peak,” is a good example of how Ditko – even in his early prime – could elevate his material. The story itself is fairly simple and even contains a moral about mankind’s ego to satisfy the Big Brother watching over the comics industry. Ditko, however, wrings every last bit of suspense out of each panel.

I’m especially struck by how the Traveler’s expressions vividly illustrate the peaks and valleys of the plot, transforming the omnipotent narrator into an actual character rather than the cackling talking head usually seen in horror comics.

If you’re one of those comic-book fans who feels art is secondary to story (as if the two should really be separated), take a look at “Above The Topmost Peak.”

The following story originally appeared in Tales Of The Mysterious Traveler #5 (Charlton, November 1957). The art is by Steve Ditko.

If you enjoyed this story, there’s plenty more in Blake Bell’s latest volume of The Steve Ditko Archives. It’s well worth picking up.