In Search of Steve Ditko

Last updated

In Search of Steve Ditko
Created byHot Sauce
Starring Jonathan Ross
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes1
Production
Running time60 Minutes
Release
Original network BBC Four
Original release16 September 2007 (2007-09-16)

In Search of Steve Ditko is a BBC Four documentary. It was first shown on Sunday 16 September 2007.

Contents

The documentary is part of the Comics Britannia season and follows Jonathan Ross' attempts to track down comics artist Steve Ditko (known for Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Mr. A etc.).

Overview

The programme featured interviews with comics creators, editors and others including Jerry Robinson, John Romita Sr., Neil Gaiman, Joe Quesada, Ralph Macchio (comics), Flo Steinberg, Alan Moore, Mark Millar, Stan Lee, and Cat Yronwode.

Ross, accompanied by Gaiman, met Steve Ditko at his New York City office but he declined to be photographed or interviewed for the show. He did however give the two a selection of some of his old comic books. At the end of the show Ross said he had since spoken to Ditko on the telephone and was now on first name terms with him.

Reception

Comics historian Peter Sanderson said of the documentary:

A knowledgeable comics aficionado, Ross infuses the documentary with his passion for Ditko and American Silver Age comics. The show has an amazing roster of interviewees ... Wittily and intelligently written, without a trace of condescension towards comics, this program is a model of what documentaries about comics should be like. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Amazing Spider-Man</i> Comic book series

The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the fictional superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly periodical and was published continuously, with a brief interruption in 1995, until its relaunch with a new numbering order in 1999. In 2003 the series reverted to the numbering order of the first volume. The title has occasionally been published biweekly, and was published three times a month from 2008 to 2010.

Spider-Man Comic book superhero

Spider-Man is a superhero created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 in the Silver Age of Comic Books. He appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as in a number of movies, television shows, and video game adaptations set in the Marvel Universe. In the stories, Spider-Man is the alias of Peter Parker, an orphan raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben in New York City after his parents Richard and Mary Parker died in a plane crash. Lee and Ditko had the character deal with the struggles of adolescence and financial issues, and accompanied him with many supporting characters, such as J. Jonah Jameson, Harry Osborn, Max Modell, romantic interests Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson, and foes such as Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin and Venom. His origin story has him acquiring spider-related abilities after a bite from a radioactive spider; these include clinging to surfaces, superhuman strength and agility, and detecting danger with his "spider-sense." He then builds wrist-mounted "web-shooter" devices that shoot artificial spider-webbing of his own design.

Steve Ditko American comic-book artist

Stephen J. Ditko was an American comics artist and writer best known as the artist and co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics superheroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange.

The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Daily Bugle is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media. The newspaper first appeared in the Human Torch story in Marvel Mystery Comics No. 18, returned in Fantastic Four No. 2, and its offices first shown in The Amazing Spider-Man No. 1. The Daily Bugle was first featured on film in the 2002 film Spider-Man. The fictional newspaper is meant to be a pastiche of both the New York Daily News and the New York Post, two popular real-life New York City tabloids.

Doctor Strange Comic book superhero

Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Strange Tales #110. Doctor Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme, the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats. Inspired by stories of black magic and Chandu the Magician, Strange was created during the Silver Age of Comic Books to bring a different kind of character and themes of mysticism to Marvel Comics.

Jonathan Ross English television and radio presenter

Jonathan Stephen Ross is an English television and radio presenter, film critic, actor and comedian. He presented the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross during the 2000s, hosted his own radio show on BBC Radio 2, and served as film critic and presenter of the Film programme. After leaving the BBC, Ross hosted a chat show on ITV, The Jonathan Ross Show. Other regular roles have included being a panellist on the comedy sports quiz They Think It's All Over and being a presenter of the British Comedy Awards.

Dormammu

Dormammu is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126, and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

<i>Marvel Team-Up</i> Marvel Comics team-up series

Marvel Team-Up is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story. The series was originally published from March 1972 through February 1985, and featured Spider-Man as the lead "team-up" character in all but ten of its 150 issues, and in six of its seven Annuals. It was the first major ongoing spin-off series for Spider-Man, being preceded only by the short-lived The Spectacular Spider-Man magazine. Of the issues that did not star Spider-Man, the Human Torch headlines six issues ; the Hulk, four ; and Aunt May, one (#137). Publication of most of the issues starring the Human Torch coincided with that of Giant-Size Spider-Man, an alternate Spider-Man "team-up"-themed series by the regular Marvel Team-Up creative team. When cancelled with #150 in 1985, the title was replaced by Web of Spider-Man.

<i>Marvel Spotlight</i>

Marvel Spotlight is a comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics as a try-out book. It stood out from Marvel's other try-out books in that most of the featured characters made their first appearance in the series. The series originally ran for 33 issues from November 1971 to April 1977. A second volume ran for 11 issues from July 1979 to March 1981.

John Romita Sr. American comic book artist

John V. Romita is an American comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man and for co-creating characters including the Punisher and Wolverine. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002. Romita is the father of John Romita Jr., also a comic book artist and husband of Virginia Romita, for many years Marvel's traffic manager.

Mr. A Fictional character

Mr. A is a fictional comic book hero created by Steve Ditko. Unlike most of Ditko's work, the character of Mr. A remained the property of Ditko, who wrote and illustrated the stories in which the character appeared entirely himself. The character first appeared in Wally Wood's witzend #3 (1967).

Tinkerer (Marvel Comics)

The Tinkerer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the superhero Spider-Man and the father of Rick Mason. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #2. The Tinkerer is generally depicted as a genius in engineering who is able to create gadgets from nothing more than spare parts left over from ordinary household appliances. While in his initial appearances he sought to personally eliminate Spider-Man, more recent storylines depict him under the employ of other supervillains, whom he supplies with his gadgets for their personal vendettas against Spider-Man or other heroes.

Ralph Macchio (editor) American comic book editor and writer

Ralph Macchio is an American comic book editor and writer who has held many positions at Marvel Comics, including executive editor. Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Man line of comics, and the Ultimate Marvel line.

Looter (comics)

The Looter is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character primarily appears in comic books featuring Spider-Man. The character first appeared in 1966.

Stan Lee American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer

Stan Lee was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business to become Marvel Comics' primary creative leader for two decades, leading its expansion from a small division of a publishing house to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics and movie industries.

Norman Osborn Fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics publications and related media

Norman Osborn is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 as the original and best-known incarnation of Green Goblin.

Green Goblin Supervillain appearing in Marvel Comics publications and related media

The Green Goblin is the alias of several fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first known incarnation, Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally considered to be the archenemy of Spider-Man. Originally a manifestation of chemically induced insanity, others such as Norman's son Harry Osborn would take on the persona. The Green Goblin is a Halloween-themed supervillain whose weapons resemble bats, ghosts and jack-o'-lanterns and in most incarnations uses a hoverboard or glider to fly.

If This Be My Destiny...!

"If This Be My Destiny...!" is a story arc featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man. It spans the issues The Amazing Spider-Man #31–33 (1965-1966), and was written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the latter of whom also did the art. The story is best known for the introduction of supporting characters Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, Doctor Octopus temporarily assuming the Master Planner alias, and Spider-Man being pinned under heavy machinery, which he lifts after gathering enough will power through thoughts of his family. The lifting scene has become one of the most iconic moments in Spider-Man's history.

Peter Parker (Marvel Cinematic Universe) character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Peter Parker is a fictional character portrayed by Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise—based on the character of the same name by Marvel Comics—commonly known by his alter ego, Spider-Man. Holland's version of the character is the successor to the Peter Parker played by Tobey Maguire in the Sam Raimi trilogy (2002–2007) and the Peter Parker of The Amazing Spider-Man duology (2012–2014) played by Andrew Garfield. In the MCU, Parker is a high school student at Midtown School of Science and Technology who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider and since then has secretly operated as a vigilante. He is later recruited by Tony Stark and joins the Avengers.

References

  1. Sanderson, Peter (7 January 2008). "Comics in Context #208: Creative Differences". Quick Stop Entertainment. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009.