My Steve Ditko Story 2 2

[Math Teacher]

I used to frequent a message board called Marvel Masterworks Resource Page (http://www.marvelmasterworks.com/). When I was active there, a thread came up getting an autograph from or meeting Steve Ditko. Another user commented, "It shouldn't be too hard. His studio address is in the phone book."

Well, once I had read through that thread, I thought to myself, "What do you have to lose?" I printed out a color copy of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (IMO, one of the greatest comics ever), and I mailed it to Steve Ditko's studio, along with a SASE. I thanked him for all the years of enjoyment I had gotten from his Spider-Man work. I then asked him if he would be willing to autograph the color print that I had included, and I asked him to mail it back to me.

Well, several weeks went by, and then my SASE showed up in our mailbox. I carefully opened it, and this is what I got.

 

 

It is a little hard to read, but it says,"Joe, if I sign for one request, then I have to sign for everyone who has a request." If you noticed, he was crafty enough to sign it with "S D" rather than "Steve Ditko". I've even attached the return address label.

I've kept this up on my bulletin board ever since it was returned to me. I guess I realized that I wouldn't have any success, but, as I said, "What do you have to lose?"

While I was still on the Marvel Masterworks board, a relative of Steve Ditko stated that it looked like his handwriting. I think it was a niece, I think.

If you click below, you can see responses from Steve Ditko, including mine. I don't want to get into a debate about the authenticity of this note. If it came back in the envelope I sent, and it included Ditko's return address label, that's good enough for me!

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Joe Ankenbauer

[Frisco Larson]

That's a fantastic story!!! Yeah, he didn't sign your print, but you got a handwritten note addressed TO YOU instead!!! I think that might be better! It has a personalized touch to it! Well done on your, "What have I got to lose?" quest for contact!!!  

[NoMan]

3 hours ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

I used to frequent a message board called Marvel Masterworks Resource Page (http://www.marvelmasterworks.com/). When I was active there, a thread came up getting an autograph from or meeting Steve Ditko. Another user commented, "It shouldn't be too hard. His studio address is in the phone book."

Well, once I had read through that thread, I thought to myself, "What do you have to lose?" I printed out a color copy of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (IMO, one of the greatest comics ever), and I mailed it to Steve Ditko's studio, along with a SASE. I thanked him for all the years of enjoyment I had gotten from his Spider-Man work. I then asked him if he would be willing to autograph the color print that I had included, and I asked him to mail it back to me.

Well, several weeks went by, and then my SASE showed up in our mailbox. I carefully opened it, and this is what I got.

 

 

It is a little hard to read, but it says,"Joe, if I sign for one request, then I have to sign for everyone who has a request." If you noticed, he was crafty enough to sign it with "S D" rather than "Steve Ditko". I've even attached the return address label.

I've kept this up on my bulletin board ever since it was returned to me. I guess I realized that I wouldn't have any success, but, as I said, "What do you have to lose?"

While I was still on the Marvel Masterworks board, a relative of Steve Ditko stated that it looked like his handwriting. I think it was a niece, I think.

If you click below, you can see responses from Steve Ditko, including mine. I don't want to get into a debate about the authenticity of this note. If it came back in the envelope I sent, and it included Ditko's return address label, that's good enough for me!

 

His niece is cool. She works with my wife. I got a bunch of letters from Ditko. The trick and the thrill was keeping him in a correspondence without him blowing his stack and putting you on blast, as the kids say today. You know get him to ride the line just at the edge of Defcon-4. It's funny how much some of these Ditko letters go for. He'd write anybody that wrote him saying, or course, that "if everyone asked for a signature then he'd have to do it for everyone" and then give you a signature at the end of the letter.

My wife did push it by insisting we knock on his studio door while in NYC. I said that was kinda not cool, but my wife is a spit-fire hottie red-head so you just kinda do what you're told.

[01TheDude]

1 hour ago, NoMan said:

His niece is cool. She works with my wife. I got a bunch of letters from Ditko. The trick and the thrill was keeping him in a correspondence without him blowing his stack and putting you on blast, as the kids say today. You know get him to ride the line just at the edge of Defcon-4. It's funny how much some of these Ditko letters go for. He'd write anybody that wrote him saying, or course, that "if everyone asked for a signature then he'd have to do it for everyone" and then give you a signature at the end of the letter.

My wife did push it by insisting we knock on his studio door while in NYC. I said that was kinda not cool, but my wife is a spit-fire hottie red-head so you just kinda do what you're told.

Well--- how did it go-- what happened? You don't just say "we knocked" and leave it at that!

[Jasonmorris1000000]

1 hour ago, 01TheDude said:

Well--- how did it go-- what happened? You don't just say "we knocked" and leave it at that!

Yeah NoMan, don’t leave us in suspense.  Did Ditko chew you out?  I don’t know if I’d like being cussed at by my childhood idol.

[NoMan]

There was no answer at the door.

his niece did tell me to write him and tell him that she recommended I write asking to visit him. 
 

I did. You wanna talk about an angry response. 
 

btw- hope you’re feeling better mr. dude

Edited July 3, 2020 by NoMan

[KCOComics]

Very cool story! 

[gunsmokin]

I wrote Ditko three times and got two very nice responses with a full signature. I think the key was not to ask for a signature but simply pose a few questions that aren’t too personal to get a response. His nephew Mark runs a Facebook page and has shown a few personal photos lately.

[gunsmokin]