• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

A letter to Steve Ditko
1 1

Started by AnkurJ,

216 posts in this topic

Jimmy Linguini

Jimmy Linguini

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I'd be interested in writing him a letter... But to get a letter back do I have to ask him a question that he doesn't want to answer? I want to be nice to the guy lol

 

I asked about Mr. A's  origin and asked him his favorite work for Charlton Comics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BlowUpTheMoon

BlowUpTheMoon

Posted
Posted
On 4/17/2017 at 4:08 PM, kav said:

Once again i will point out he solicits letters.  If he didn't, what you say would be entirely legitimate.  

Proof that he "solicits letters" please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Turtle

Turtle

Posted
Posted

I just did a random ebay search to see if there were any Ditko-signed items out there.  I was sad to see at least 2 of the letters he had written to people being auctioned off.  One was dated about 2 weeks ago. 

I realize that buying and selling are a big part of this hobby, but this feels different than normal commerce or even flipping.  I'm not a fan of these kinds of opportunistic endeavors.  They seem too predatory for my taste.  Bad form.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Turtle

Turtle

Posted
Posted

I should note that one of the items was pretty old and possibly held some historical significance, though I'm unfamiliar with the subject matter. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
Aliens

Aliens

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

His legacy cannot be said. From his beautiful work to his quirky ways of being... well ditko, he was a one of a kind. He lived on Ditko's terms no one else's. He gave this world so much happiness, he inspired so many. From Spider-Man to doctor strange, from Mr. A to the question, no matter what, he impressed so many with the way he can tell a story with his art. He said countless times the reason why he does speak on his work is because he wants his work to speak for itself... and it does. The world never understood ditko, I don't believe they ever will. He was different in the best way. He was not a man of words rather a man of art. We never really knew his personal life and maybe we never will, but he did let us in on something bigger, "HIS" world. The world that lived in his head and that he copied onto paper. DITKOS style was his own. He said many times that copying someone's style is not art, to know what art is you have to explore your own mind, find your style, understand your style, he knew his style and he embraced it for decades. He never really changed, when you look back from the early marvel/Atlas days to some of his final work with Mr. A it was what's his own. His imagination was as feat as his art. But that's just it ditko Thoth a brilalint artist was not brilliant for his art, it was the way he made you see it, how he made you read his art. This word will never have another ditko and that is the way he would of wanted it, he would of wanted another artist to be that artist, a new comer named joey... well let joey be joey not joey be ditko. Thank you ditko. It is truly impossible to say what he did. The greatness he left behind. I do believe Ditko said what he had to say. His life was lived to the fullest. Thank you Mr. Ditko. As he would of said Regards, Steve Ditko.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mercury Man

Mercury Man

Posted
Posted
On 10/2/2017 at 12:43 PM, Turtle said:

I just did a random ebay search to see if there were any Ditko-signed items out there.  I was sad to see at least 2 of the letters he had written to people being auctioned off.  One was dated about 2 weeks ago. 

I realize that buying and selling are a big part of this hobby, but this feels different than normal commerce or even flipping.  I'm not a fan of these kinds of opportunistic endeavors.  They seem too predatory for my taste.  Bad form.

Just wait until the day after Stan Lee passes on.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Turtle

Turtle

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Mercury Man said:

Just wait until the day after Stan Lee passes on.  

I don't know.  Stan has been signing for a fee for years.  In any such event, there will be those who are there to get something very personal signed and those who are getting things signed to make money (or sometimes both).  I expect the market will be flooded with Stan Lee signed comic books when Stan passes (hopefully a long time from now). 

In Steve Ditko's case, there were no public signings and he wasn't compensated for his time.  People found his address and wrote him a letter not because they were interested in what he had to say, but rather to have something that he signed so they could turn around and sell it.  Maybe it's not different from Stan's situation, but it feels very different to me. 

I have no issues with people who wrote him a letter either to express gratitude (not that he was into that sort of thing) or ask him a question.  I've got no problem with them posting it publicly to show off a bit.  A hand-written letter from Steve Ditko?  That's cool!  But if the motivation for writing the letter is just to receive an item that you can turn around and sell days after receiving it, it doesn't sit well with me. 

Stan and Steve's situations aren't comparable in my mind. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NoMan

NoMan

Posted
Posted (edited)
8 hours ago, Turtle said:

I don't know.  Stan has been signing for a fee for years.  In any such event, there will be those who are there to get something very personal signed and those who are getting things signed to make money (or sometimes both).  I expect the market will be flooded with Stan Lee signed comic books when Stan passes (hopefully a long time from now). 

In Steve Ditko's case, there were no public signings and he wasn't compensated for his time.  People found his address and wrote him a letter not because they were interested in what he had to say, but rather to have something that he signed so they could turn around and sell it.  Maybe it's not different from Stan's situation, but it feels very different to me. 

I have no issues with people who wrote him a letter either to express gratitude (not that he was into that sort of thing) or ask him a question.  I've got no problem with them posting it publicly to show off a bit.  A hand-written letter from Steve Ditko?  That's cool!  But if the motivation for writing the letter is just to receive an item that you can turn around and sell days after receiving it, it doesn't sit well with me. 

Stan and Steve's situations aren't comparable in my mind. 

Steve's letters are starting to have market value. Look on ebay, sold listings. At the con I worked this last sunday with my LCS owner in Los Angeles someone came up to the table and proudly showed off a letter he bought at the show (normal Ditko half page letter with about 12 words total) from someone at the con. I laughed and, really the words fell out of my mouth before thinking, I said, "You bought that? I've got, like, twenty Ditko letters. All you had to do was write him and he'd write you back." The fellow looked hurt and said he payed around 300 bucks for it. I shouldn't have said anything as I was just a helper at the table. I really had no business speaking to the customers but I just couldn't believe it. You payed money for that? Than the kicker: The guy said someone was walking around the con with an AF15 signed by Ditko. Again my mouth fell open and words came out. "Where?" Show him to me." The fellow scanned the room and said he no longer saw him. Anyways the guy shuffled off probably thinking to himself, "Why didn't I think to write someone a letter?"

Anyways. There are lots of SL signatures out there and there are alot of SD letters out there. (I'm perfectly aware there are less SD letters than SL signatures, but here are alot of SD letters.)

 

Edited by NoMan
Link to comment
Share on other sites
kav

kav

Posted
Posted

I just stumbled on the last photo of Steve Ditko-its a copyrighted image so I'm not gonna post it but its on youtube.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
1 1
Go to topic listing