My Ditko Pilgrimage

Visiting the Original Art for Amazing Fantasy #15

Happy Friday! You made it through another week without dying, great job.

Last October, I was a guest of the always terrific Baltimore Comic-Con, where my high-class convention sign was again defaced by one Garth Ennis, who insists on referring to Saga, its characters, and now me personally, only as “Space Elf.” Isn’t that some sort of hate crime?

Anyway, while I was in town, I took a day trip to D.C. to visit the Library of Congress (but not its Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room, close-but-no-cigar guessers from the comments!). Inspired by a similar pilgrimage taken by brilliant writer/King of Collectors David Mandel, I hoped to get an up-close look at the original 24 pages of Steve Ditko art for Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, which an anonymous donor bequeathed to our oldest federal cultural institution in 2008.

Of all the incredible things to do and see in our nation’s capital, why the hell did I pick this? Time for a numbered list, effendi!

1. I’ve only written the character in one story, but I—like all carbon-based forms of life—fucking love Spider-Man. How much? While all the newly hired newspaper delivery girls in my Cleveland suburb were having cool adventures on Halloween of 1986, my Mom was sewing 10-year-old me into this homemade number:

   

   Looking a bit snug in the midsection, Web-Head.

2. Also, I’m endlessly fascinated by the life and works of Stan Lee, a towering historic figure who was obviously far more complicated than the persona he created.

   

   

   My official Marvel No-Prize, signed by “The Man” 15 or so years ago. I was very excited, until I finally looked up the definition of “bombastic.”

3. But mostly, I made this pilgrimage for Steve Ditko, an artist I never properly appreciated until I started working on a Doctor Strange book, and my collaborator Marcos Martin insisted that I go back and do my homework. I’ve been a huge admirer ever since, and with my newfound obsession for original comic art, I was curious to see some Ditko line work in person…

So how was it?

And how can you book your own appointment??

Oh, and what were the Top Three Most Fascinating Things I learned from my visit???

Answers to all of these burning question (as well as a look at the one piece of original Ditko artwork in my own collection) lurk just beyond the gossamer veil of this gentle paywall, aspiring Tower members!

Join us, won’t you? Otherwise, we’ll see you back here on Monday for more free comics, thanks again…