Ditko Unleashed An American Hero
$59.99 USD Ditko Unleashed An American Hero www.idwpublishing.com EXHIBITION ÉDITIONS DÉESSE
Ditko Unleashed, An American Hero President/Publisher September 29, 2016 - January 8, 2017. Frédéric Manzano
Curators Florentino Flórez IDW PUBLISHING Frédéric Manzano CEO & Publisher Organization & Coordination Ted Adams Palma Espai d’Art Foundation COO & President Insurance Greg Goldstein March JLT correduria de seguros EVP & Sr. Graphic Artist Robbie Robbins DISTRICT COUNCIL OF PALMA * CCO & Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall Mayor José Hila Vargas CPA & Chief Financial Officer Matthew Ruzicka Regidor de l’Àrea de Cultura, Patrimoni, Memòria Històrica VP of Marketing i Política Lingüística Dirk Wood Miquel Perelló Oliver VP of Digital Services PATRONAT FUNDACIÓ CASALS Lorelei Bunjes D’ART I ESPAIS EXPOSITIUS DE PALMA VP of Licensing, Digital President and Subsidiary Rights José Hila Vargas Jeff Webber
Vice President VP of New Product Development Miquel Perelló Oliver Jerry Bennington
Patrons Director, Special Projects Susanna Moll Kamerich Scott Dunbier Eva Frade Bravo Francisca Niell Llabrés José Javier Bonet Díaz Pedro Ribas Dietrich Antoni Sbert Casasayas Neus García Iñesta Paco Espinosa Trujillo Gaspar Sabater Vives Special Thanks to: Robin Snyder and our wives, Secretari Eva Barceló & Laurence Manzano. Antoni Pol Coll Acknowledgments: Sotssecretària Lluc Amengual, Thomas Barichella, Olivier & Hugo Bijaoui, Francisca Arbona Serra Aaron Caplan, Jacques Collin, Andrew Colman, ComicLink. com, CoollinesArtwork.com, Editions Déesse, Ditko. * in 2016 Blogspot.Com, Daniel Duclos, Mark Evanier, Ron Fontes, Arthur Fuchs, Joan Carles Gomis, HeritageAuctionGalleries. com, Steve Leialoha, Paul Levitz, Michel Maillot, David CATALOGUE Mandel for supplying us with scans of his collection, MetropolisCollectibles.com, Josep Maria Nadal Suau, Editor Ramón F. Pérez, Faustino Rodríguez Arbesú, RomitaMan. Frédéric Manzano com, Carolina Vicente, Johannes A. Von Horrach, Jim Vadeboncoeur, Peter Wingfield, Marv Wolfman. Authors Florentino Flórez Lenders: Introduction by Robin Snyder Bill Baroud, Kam Blagowski, Mike Burkey, Duane Capizzi, Richard & Stephen Donnelly, Terry Doyle, Stephen Fishler, Design & Modeling Jean-Paul Gabilliet, Michael Haack, Jim Halperin, Peter Koch, Extra Estudio Hans Kosenkranius, Steve Kriozere, Bechara Maalouf, Kelvin Mao, Joseph Melchior, Albert Moy, Jérôme Perrault, Scans Philippe Queveau, Georges Simonian, Vincent Zurzolo. Frédéric Manzano
English Translation Rachel Waters Ditko Unleashed © 2016 Editions Déesse. Published by IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC. Editorial Offices: 2765 Truxtun Road, San Diego, CA. 92106, U.S.A. This is an exhibition catalogue. All trademarks and copyrights All Steve Ditko characters, images and likenesses TM & © 2016 Steve Ditko. appear solely as historic examples of Steve Ditko art. All rights All Marvel characters: TM & © 2016 Marvel Entertainment, LLC and its reserved. All similarities to persons living or dead are purely subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. coincidential. With the exception of artwork used for review All DC comic artwork, its characters and related elements are TM of and © purposes, none of the contents of this publication may be DC Comics or their respective owners. reprinted without the permission of Editions Déesse and Idea All other characters, images and likenesses TM & © 2016 by their respective and Design Works, LLC. copyright holders.
First Printing 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 ISBN-13: 978-1-63140-711-6 1927-1953 Things to Come Lo que vendrá
Ditko: “I was born in 1927 in Johnstown, Ditko: “Nací en 1927 en Johnstown, Pensilvania.” 1 Pennsylvania.” 1 Tenía 9 años cuando en 1936 se editó la pri- He was nine years old when, in 1936, the first mera novela de éxito de Ayn Rand, Los que vivi- successful novel by Ayn Rand was published, mos. Ese mismo año se estrenó La Vida Futura, We the Living. That same year, Things to Come de Cameron Menzies, una fantasiosa adapta- came out at the cinema: a sci-fi movie adaptation ción cinematográfica de la obra de Wells. Dudo of a novel by H.G. Wells directed by Cameron que el futuro artista fuera consciente de una u Menzies. I doubt whether the future artist was otra obra pero en el futuro repercutirían en su aware of either of the two, although at a later trabajo. Por supuesto Rand fue una influencia date they would influence his work. Rand, of duradera aunque no se sabe cuándo ni cómo course, was a long-lasting influence, although entró en contacto con sus novelas y ensayos 2. when or how he came upon her novels and Respecto al film de Menzies, era a su manera essays is not known.2 As for the film by Menzies, muy randiano a pesar de que las ideas de Wells in its way it was very Randian, even though lo alejaban del Objetivismo 3. La película hacía Wells’ ideas distanced it from Objectivism.3 The una apasionada defensa del progreso y la racio- film was a passionate defense of progress and nalidad, como únicos frenos ante la barbarie y The Garfieldian Vol. 15 - Extra rationality as the only way of halting barbarian- la degeneración. La imaginería futurista del film, Garfield Junior High School, May 26, 1943. ism and degeneration. Echoes of the film’s futur- especialmente llamativa en vehículos y edificios, Detail from page 5. istic imagery, with particularly fascinating vehi- encontró ecos en la labor de Ditko, que incluyó Photo of Ditko from his school newspaper. cles and buildings, can be found in Ditko’s work un popular fotograma de Things to Come en Foto de Ditko en el periódico de una de sus historias 4. su escuela. and a popular still from the film was featured in one of his stories. 4 Tenía 13 años cuando el 2 de junio de 1940 apa- He was 13 years old when, on June 2, 1940, the reció el primer número de The Spirit. Cruzaba first issue ofThe Spirit came out. He crossed the toda la ciudad para comprar el periódico donde whole city to buy the newspaper in which the salía la serie. Como les ocurrió a otros dibu- series was published. As with other comic artists, jantes, su madre encuadernaba las tiras de los his mother bound the newspaper comic strips to periódicos para conservarlas mejor y le cosió preserve them and she sewed him a Batman dis- un disfraz de Batman, otro personaje que le guise, another character who fascinated him. fascinaba. Más tarde tuvo ocasión de apren- Later he was able to learn from and collaborate der y colaborar con Jerry Robinson, creador with Jerry Robinson, the creator of the Joker. del Joker.
The Garfieldian Vol. 15 - Extra Garfield Junior High School, May 26, 1943. Detail from page 1. Ditko is the third person on the left in the middle row. Ditko está en la fila de enmedio y es el tercero empezando por la izquierda.
1 Declarations by Ditko in “The Spider’s Man. The Life Story of Steve Ditko” in issue #6 of Komik Heroes of The Future. Don Schank, 1964.
2 Ditko, Steve. “#18: Anti -Ditko Fans” in issue #3 of The Four-Page Series. Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2013.
3 As Friedrich A. Hayek explains in The Road to Serfdom, Routledge Press, 1944. “The individual rights which Mr. Wells hopes to preserve would inevitably obstruct the planning which he desires.” “Los derechos individuales que Mr. Wells espera salvar se verán obstruidos inevitablemente por la planificación que desea”.
4 “Prisoner of the Satellites!” in issue #1 of Tales of Suspense. Marvel, 1959.
1927-1966 | FIGHTING EVIL | COMBATIR EL MAL In 1943, The Fountainhead was published. In his En 1943 se publicó El Manantial. En el Anuario de 1944 high-school yearbook, Ditko can be seen in su Instituto de 1944 salía en alguna foto con unas the occasional photo, wearing glasses that lend gafas que le daban ese aire de empollón que him a studious look associated by many with muchos han relacionado con Peter Parker, el alter Peter Parker, Spider-Man’s alter ego. The year- ego de Spider-Man. No se indica que participara book does not mention whether he took any kind en ninguna clase relacionada con el arte, pero sí of art classes, although he did apparently attend en una de dibujo técnico. classes in technical drawing. Cumplió dieciocho años en 1945. Se alistó en el Ditko turned 18 in 1945. He joined the military ejército casi al final de la guerra, pasando una at what was almost the end of the war and was temporada en Alemania donde colaboró con el posted for a time in Germany, where he helped periódico de su base militar. Su interés por el arte out with the newspaper at the military base. His había ido creciendo desde la infancia hasta con- interest in art had grown since his childhood to vertirse en una clara vocación. vocational proportions. Steve: “Me gusta dibujar, el tipo de dibujo que se Steve: “I like drawing – the kind of drawing done emplea en los cómics. Nunca he tenido el deseo for comics. I never had any desire to be an illus- de ser un ilustrador o de hacer una portada para trator or do a POST cover.” 5 el Post.” 5 In 1949, King Vidor directed the movie adapta- En 1949 King Vidor dirigió la adaptación cine- tion of The Fountainhead, with a splendid per- matográfica de El manantial, con un esplén- formance by Gary Cooper in the role of Howard dido Gary Cooper en el rol de Howard Roark, el Roark, the rebellious architect. The following arquitecto rebelde. Al año siguiente Ditko llegó a year, Ditko arrived in New York. Nueva York. Ditko: “Through the years I became inter- Ditko: “A lo largo de los años me había ido inte- ested in doing comic art and went to New York resando por los cómics así que me fui a Nueva to enter the comic-book field. I enrolled in the York para entrar en la industria. Me apunté en la Cartoonist and Illustrators School where my Cartoonist And Illustrators School donde mi estilo style was greatly influenced by my instructor - se vio muy influenciado por mi profesor, Jerry Jerry Robinson.” 6 Robinson.” 6 The today world-famous School of Visual Arts La hoy mundialmente conocida School of Visual had been founded shortly before in 1947. Its cre- Arts había sido fundada poco antes, en 1947. ators were the artist responsible for Tarzan, Sus creadores fueron el dibujante de Tarzán Things to Come Tales of Suspense #1 Cameron Menzies, 1936. Marvel, 1959. Burne Hogarth, and philologist Silas H. Rhodes. Burne Hogarth y el filólogo Silas H. Rhodes. Mort Lobby card. “Prisoner of the Satellites.” Mort Meskin had been hired to give some classes Meskin había sido contratado para dar algunas Fotograma de la película. Panel from page 3. but because he was so shy, he asked a friend with clases pero debido a su timidez pidió a un amigo whom he shared a studio to accompany him.7 con quien compartía estudio que le acompa- Jerry Robinson stayed there for ten years 8 and ñara 7. Jerry Robinson permaneció allí diez años 8 it was he who pushed for Ditko to be awarded a y fue quien presionó para que Ditko consiguiera grant so that he could stay on for a second year la beca que le permitió estudiar un segundo at the school. curso en la Escuela. Ditko: “I was working during the day (non-art Ditko: “Trabajaba durante el día (en tareas sin job) and going to C&I at night. Periodically, I relación con el arte) e iba a la Escuela por la made the rounds of all the comic publishers and noche. Periódicamente hacía la ronda de editores was turned down by all.” 9 de cómics y todos me rechazaban.” 9 It took three years, but he was finally commis- Tardó tres años pero finalmente consiguió un sioned with a job. On repeated occasions he has encargo. Ha expresado en repetidas ocasiones su expressed his acknowledgement of his teachers. reconocimiento hacia sus profesores. Ditko: “Jerry Robinson was a great teacher for Ditko: “Lo que se aprende de maestros como teaching fundamentals in how to tell/show Jerry es a emplear tu propio cerebro partiendo comic book story/art. (...) What one learns from de unos sólidos principios sobre las viñetas y a teacher like Jerry is how to use one’s mind with secuencias del cómic.” 10 solid comic book panel/sequence principles.” 10 Su profesor le devolvió los cumplidos. Robinson: “Asimilaba todo lo que intenté trans- 5 “An Interview With Steve Ditko” His teacher returned the compliment. by Bob “Keith” Greene in issue #2 of Robinson: “He really took in everything that mitirle y además se lo tomaba muy en serio. Lo Rapport. Robert K. Greene, 1966.
I tried to convey to him and was very serious consiguió en gran medida gracias a su profunda 6 Commentary by Ditko in issue #42 of about it. A good part of making it was the depth dedicación y al trabajo duro.” 11 The Reader. Derrill Rothermich, 1965. 11 of dedication and the hard work put in.” Acudió a su clase cuatro o cinco días a la 7 Brower, Steven. From Shadow to semana, cinco horas cada día, durante dos años. Light. The Life and Art of Mort Meskin. Ditko attended classes four or five days a week Fantagraphics Books, 2010. for five hours a day over a period of two years. Allí tuvo como compañero al también dibu- 8 Couch, N. C. Christopher. Jerry One of his classmates there was the comic art- jante Eric Stanton. Un aspecto a tener en cuenta Robinson, Ambassador of Comics. ist Eric Stanton. One point to bear in mind was era el interés de Robinson hacia los movimien- Abrams, Comicarts, 2010.
Robinson’s fascination for avant-garde move- tos de vanguardia, especialmente el surrealismo. 9 Declarations by Ditko in “The Spider’s Inspirado por artistas como Dalí o Duchamp, Man. The Life Story of Steve Ditko” in ments, particularly Surrealism. Inspired by art- issue #6 of Komik Heroes of The Future. ists like Dalí or Duchamp, some splash pages construyó algunas splash cargadas de elementos Don Schank, 1964. full of symbolic or psychological elements were simbólicos y psicológicos, cuyos ecos resonaron 10 Couch, N. C. Christopher. Jerry Rob- drawn by Robinson, echoes of which can be found en ciertas planchas de Ditko. También el com- inson, Ambassador of Comics. Abrams, Comicarts, 2010. on some of Ditko’s plates and in the grotesque ponente grotesco de sus personajes. Robinson side to his characters. Robinson gave seminars on impartía con Hogarth conferencias sobre distin- 11 “Student and Teacher.” Article by Jerry Robinson in The Art of Ditko. Yoe different subjects, together with Hogarth. tos temas. Books and IDW, 2009.
12 | 13 The Spectator Johnstown High-School Yearbook 1944. Mechanical drawing class. Ditko is the smiling boy in glasses. Clase de Dibujo Técnico. Ditko es el sonriente muchacho con gafas.
Robinson: “The whole school used to come; we Robinson: “La escuela entera solía acudir, los agru- booked them into the largest auditorium. Burne pábamos en un gran auditorio. Burne y yo podía- and I would spend several hours going back and mos pasarnos horas de acá para allá, analizando el forth, exploring the subject from every angle and asunto desde todos sus ángulos y contestando a answering students’ questions.” 12 las preguntas de los alumnos.” 12 The talks were accompanied by charcoal draw- Acompañaban las charlas con dibujos al car- ings on large pieces of paper, which were much bón sobre grandes papeles muy apreciados por appreciated by the students. In photos taken in los estudiantes. En fotos tomadas en el estudio Ditko’s studio, behind his drawing board, ana- de Ditko, detrás de su mesa de dibujo aparecían tomical illustrations by Hogarth can be seen. We colgadas ilustraciones anatómicas de Hogarth. can speculate on the influence that he had on Se puede especular sobre la influencia que tuvo the young artist. Tarzan’s comic creator defined sobre el joven creador. El dibujante de Tarzán his own work as “romantic,” claiming that he definió su trabajo como “romántico”, afirmando had elevated the hero to legendary proportions. que había llevado al héroe a un plano mítico. No Black Magic Vol. IV #5 (29) Prize Group, 1954. He did not regard legends as lies, believing that estaba de acuerdo con la idea de mito como men- “Madame Cyanide and they served to define our origins and our end tira, opinaba que más bien servía para definir de Master Tricks!” Panel from page 5. goal. Rand 13 and Ditko would believe in some- dónde venimos y hacia donde queremos ir. Rand 13 thing similar. y Ditko emplearían conceptos similares. They did not coincide in everything. Hogarth No todo eran coincidencias: Hogarth cuestionó a questioned masked superheroes’ vigilante role los superhéroes enmascarados (de Spirit a Spider- (from Spirit to Spider-Man) – the character on Man) como vigilantes, tipos al margen de la socie- the fringes of society who lays down his own dad que establecían sus propias leyes. Le preocu- laws. He was concerned about the cultural shift paba el giro cultural que llevaba del héroe clásico from the classic hero to the superhero forced to al superhéroe que debía ocultar su identidad. hide his own identity. La jerarquía de valores que Ditko asumió tras su The rules that Ditko adopted, following his stud- paso por la Cartoonist And Illustrators School se ies at the Cartoonist and Illustrators School, can resumía en los consejos que dirigió a los jóvenes be encapsulated in the advice given to young dibujantes de cómics. 14 12 Couch, N. C. Christopher. Jerry Robinson, Ambassador of Comics. comic artists.14 Ditko: “1. Así que estudia las bases. Abrams, Comicarts, 2010.
Ditko: “1. So study the basics. 2. Mira cómo se presentan en la vida real. 13 Rand, Ayn. The Romantic Manifesto. 2. See how it appears in life. 3. Cómo otros las interpretan. New American Library, 1969.
3. How others interpret it. 4. A partir de ahí, hazlo de una forma que per- 14 Gary Martin’s interview with Ditko. sonalmente consideres que es correcta o que “Steve Ditko: A Portrait of The Master” 4. And from it all, do it in a way that you person- in issue #2 of The Comic Fan. Larry ally feel is right or good.” está bien.” Herndon, Aug. 1965.
1927-1966 | FIGHTING EVIL | COMBATIR EL MAL 1953-1954 First Round Primer asalto
The young student’s first commission was “with El joven estudiante consiguió su primer encargo a very small comic publisher.” 1 “Stretching “con un editor de cómics muy pequeño” 1. Things” had an eventful history. Its scriptwriter, “Stretching Things” tuvo una accidentada tra- Bruce Hamilton, said that although it was the yectoria. Su guionista Bruce Hamilton contó que, first comic that Ditko sold to a publisher, it was aunque fue el primer cómic que Ditko vendió a un not the first of his to be published.2 Stanmore – editor, no fue el primero en publicarse 2. Stanmore, considered to be the publisher with the lowest considerada la editorial con los precios más bajos prices on the market – bought it. When they saw del mercado, lo compró. Cuando vieron su cali- the quality, they sold it on to another company. dad se lo revendieron a otra empresa. Salió diez It was published ten months later in 1954 in meses después en Fantastic Fears (Ajax), en Fantastic Fears (Ajax). It was a superb first story, 1954. Era una excelente primera historia, con with marvelous illustrations and a strong dose un humor muy negro y un grafismo estupendo. of black humor. Although there were clear traces Aunque la huella de Eisner y Meskin era inne- of Eisner and Meskin, it was also influenced by gable, tenía también un aire a lo Kubert. Son Kubert. Many people, including Mike W. Barr,3 muchos, como Mike W. Barr 3, quienes consideran believe that his early work had much in common que al principio se parecía mucho a Kubert. Estoy with that of Kubert. I agree. de acuerdo. Hamilton also wrote the amazing script of “Hair Hamilton escribió también el alucinante guión de Yee-eeee” for issue #9 of Strange Fantasy (Ajax, “Hair Yee-eeee”, para Strange Fantasy nº 9 (Ajax, Captain 3-D #1 Dec. 1953). Ditko drew the sketches for the story Dic. 1953). Ditko abocetó aquel relato sobre el Harvey, 1953. Cover. – about a guy’s hair that grew and took on a life pelo de un tipo que crecía cobrando vida pro- Pencils by Jack Kirby; Inks by of its own. It was finished off in pencil and inked pia. Fue terminada a lápiz y entintada por Sy Mort Meskin and Steve Ditko. Ditko’s contributions are not very by Sy Moskowitz, and so Ditko’s contributions Moskowitz así que apenas se apreciaba al pri- noticeable, but some of the inside mero, más allá de la correcta narrativa. Aunque 3-D effects were spectacular. were barely perceptible aside from his correct No se aprecia mucho la intervención use of narrative. Although he would devote much dedicaría gran parte de su talento a los géne- de Ditko, pero algunos de los efectos de relieve en el interior eran of his talent to horror and fantasy, one of his first ros del horror y la fantasía, una de sus prime- espectaculares. stories was romantic, a genre that was rare for ras historias fue romántica. No salió mal parado him. He did not come out of it badly, and “Paper del intento y “Paper Romance” en Daring Love nº Romance,” published in issue #1 of Daring Love 1 (Sep.-Oct. 1953) permanecerá como una obra (Sept-Oct 1953), is a decent piece of work, with correcta, con las imágenes casi sepultadas por pictures almost buried under the weighty text. los numerosos textos. Some similarities have been pointed out between Se han señalado algunos parecidos entre la obra Meskin’s and Ditko’s work, like the former’s de Meskin y la de Ditko, como la portada del pri- cover for issue #3 of Golden Lad, with a back- mero para Golden Lad nº 3, cuyo fondo está ground filled with a whole army of faces: a tech- poblado por un ejército de caras, recurso que nique that his disciple would go on to use. luego repetiría su discípulo. Ditko: “The function of a comic artist is to TELL A Ditko: “¡La función de todo dibujante de cómic STORY! He must get across an idea or point of the es CONTAR UNA HISTORIA! Tiene que ser capaz de
Fantastic Fears #5 Ajax, 1954. “Stretching Things.” Panels from page 2. It contained many features of his later work for Warren, like the grotesque theme and bloodcurdling ending. The finishes were professionally done and typical of the artist. Many things were worthy of note: the long vertical panels, the characters’ faces and expressions, and his way of framing or else framing within a frame, as in the panel where the police officers could be seen through a sloping skylight. Contenía muchos elementos de sus posteriores obras para Warren, como su tema grotesco y el final sangriento. Los acabados eran profesionales y característicos. Tenía muchos aspectos destacables: viñetas alargadas en vertical, las caras y expresiones de los personajes o su forma de encuadrar y reencuadrar, como en la viñeta en que se veía a los policías a través de una claraboya inclinada.
1 The Reader #42. Derrill Rothermich, 3 In the introduction to The Steve Ditko Oct. 1965. Omnibus, Vol. II. DC Comics, 2011.
2 Greg Theakston in “A Paper Romance with the Comics” in Ditko, Edge of Genius. Pure Imagination, 2004.
14 | 15 The Thing! #14 Charlton, 1954. “Rumpelstiltskin.” Panel from page 4.
Black Magic Vol. IV #4 (28) Prize Group, 1954. “Buried Alive!” Page 6.
Black Magic Vol. IV #3 (27) Prize Group, 1953. “A Hole in His Head.” Page 5. Retouched by Jack Kirby. A strange story about paradoxes related to time, with a claustrophobic storytelling. Con retoques de Jack Kirby. Extraña historia de paradojas temporales y narrativa claustrofóbica.
story and he should do it clearly so a reader knows desarrollar una idea o un momento del relato y what is going on and in this Meskin ranks very hacerlo de manera clara para que el lector esté high. No one who reads a Meskin-drawn story is siempre bien situado y en esto Meskin puntúa ever in a fog as to what is happening.” 4 muy alto. Nadie que lea una historia dibujada por Ditko joined Meskin in the incursion into 3-D com- él se sentirá confuso respecto a lo que pasa.” 4 ics. Captain 3-D was drawn by Simon and Kirby. Participó con él en la aventura de los cómics en Ditko: “I was called in to ink the first issue with tres dimensiones. Captain 3-D estaba dibujado Mort and Mort started to pencil the second issue por Simon y Kirby. that I was supposed to ink myself, but the book Ditko: “Me llamaron para entintar el primer never took off.” 5 número con Mort y él empezó a dibujar el Robinson and Meskin shared a studio with Simon segundo que se suponía que yo entintaría solo. and Kirby and, through them, Ditko was commis- Pero la serie no despegó.” 5 sioned with other jobs for Prize. He did a comic Robinson y Meskin compartían estudio con story for issue #3 of Black Magic, retouched by Simon y Kirby y a través de ellos consiguió otros Kirby, which took place “90 km from Madrid!” encargos de Prize. En Black Magic nº 3 publicó and another Expressionist one, “Buried Alive!”, un cómic con retoques de Kirby que tenía lugar was featured in issue #4 of the same magazine, “a 90 Km. de Madrid!” y en el nº 4 “Buried with a dynamic panel structure, compelling light- Alive!”, una historia expresionista, con gran- ing effects, and shadows that blurred some of the des efectos de iluminación, sombras que anula- outlines. ban algunas líneas de contorno y una animada He did a western for issue #1 of Blazing Western estructura de viñetas. (Jan. 1954): a rather convoluted episode with Realizó un western para el nº 1 de Blazing no lack of narrative surprises where he demon- Western (Ene. 1954), un episodio un poco enre- strated his capacity to create weirdly distinctive vesado donde no faltaron las sorpresas narrati- characters, like the villain. vas y demostró su capacidad para crear perso- Racket Squad in Action #12 Charlton, 1954. Ditko: “Later in 1953, I became a regular art- najes peculiares y diferenciados, como el villano Cover. ist for CHARLTON PRESS, working in their line of protagonista. A bomb exploded, destroying two characters, seen frozen in mid-air. fantasy books including THING and THIS MAG IS Ditko: “Más tarde, en 1953 me convertí en cola- One was a young boy. HAUNTED.” 6 borador habitual de Charlton Press, trabajando Una bomba destrozaba a dos personajes que parecían detenidos en el aire. Uno de It was not a publisher with a good reputation. en su línea de cómics de fantasía, incluyendo ellos era un niño. Due to the low rates that Charlton paid, art- Thing y This Mag Is Haunted.” 6 ists were forced to produce many pages if they No era una editorial con buena reputación. Sus wanted to earn a decent wage. In exchange, there reducidas tarifas obligaban a los artistas a pro- was no interference and quality was unimport- ducir muchas planchas si querían obtener un ant. Ditko, however, did not think like that, and sueldo digno. A cambio, no había ninguna inter- he drew a superb series of stories during his first ferencia, la calidad no tenía importancia. Pero stage at Charlton. He arrived just in time to col- Ditko no pensaba así y facturó un estupendo laborate in its final stage of black humor, dis- conjunto de historias en su primera estancia en Charlton. Llegó a tiempo de participar en la 4 Ditko, Steve. “Why Steve Ditko membered bodies and sexy vampires, before all Likes Mort Meskin” in From Shadow to of them were deemed harmful to young people. última ola de humor negro, descuartizamien- Light. The Life and Art of Mort Meskin. Fantagraphics Books, 2010. “Cinderella,” in issue #12 of The Thing! (Feb. tos y vampiras sexies, justo antes de que todos 1954), was hysterically bloodthirsty. The blood- esos asuntos se considerasen perniciosos para la 5 Brower, Steven. From Shadow to Light. The Life and Art of Mort Meskin. curdling frenzy worsened in issue #13 with juventud. Fantagraphics Books, 2010. “Avery and the Goblins” (April 1954). There were “Cinderella”, en The Thing! nº 12 (Feb. 1954), era 6 The Reader #42. Derrill Rothermich, much more than just macabre jokes during this tan histérica como brutal. El frenesí sangriento Oct. 1965.
1927-1966 | FIGHTING EVIL | COMBATIR EL MAL