Happy Birthday Steve Ditko!

It's Steve Ditko's 87th birthday today.  One of the BIGGEST names in the hall of legends of comic book history, a master story-teller and cartoonist par excellence'! 

Mr. Ditko is a very private person who prefers his work to speak for him.  He prefers us to know him for what he does that what we might perceive from him in sound-bites as a public persona.  He was that way just starting out in the 1950's and he's still like that today.

So let's let his work speak volumes.

He has done many, many, many amazing things in his career (that is still going strong today) but the young-uns out there may be most fixated on the fact that he is one of the cornerstones of the creation of modern day comics/

I'mma let his work speak now.  For Charlton Comics he created THIS little character back in 1960.  From "Space Adventures" #33, here's the premiere of Captain Atom.

The good Captain is still published today as a mere shadow of his former fantastic-ness by DC comics.  We shant speak of this anymore.

Most folks are aware that he's also the co-creator and original plotter and artist on Marvel Comics Spider-Man.  Most folks know that Spidey debuted in Marvel's "Amazing Fantasy" #15 from 1962.  A LOT of folks have even read the reprints of the wall-crawler's first appearance.

But, AF was an anthology title...there were a couple MORE stories packed in there...ALSO done by Ditko.  After you re-live Spider-Man's debut...stick around for a few more pages and dig on the Ditko goodness.

Here's a forgotten classic!

AND another!

Ooooooooooooooh!  and ANOTHER!

Lastly, but not leastly.  More Ditko love is felt here in the last week or so as Marvel Studios/Disney has announced an upcoming Doctor Strange solo movie in the works to flesh out even more of the already grand Marvel Cinematic Universe!  Stephen Strange's name is even mentioned by S.H.I.E.L.D.-turned-HYDRA Agent Sitwell in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" earlier this year.

I've been salivating ever since.

From "Strange Tales" #110 and 1963,  Here's Doctor Strange's first ever appearance.

He did (and DOES) more genres than just super-heroes.  A master of fantastic imagery in everyday and realistic settings, we all love him dearly.

Here's wishing you the best of birthdays Mr. Ditko.

And wishing US another 87 years of your great work to fill our hungry minds!

Talk to you soon.

Marvel Trading Cards 1966!

Golden age Comics, Silver Age Comics, Bronze Age, Atomic Age, Copper Age, Modern Age, Plastic Age, what-have-ya...I reckon we're in the age of the cinematic universe age now, what with Marvel Studios partnered with Disney is kicking ass and taking names.

Toys and video games galore are the prize for kiddoes today who only know Tony Stark as Robert Downey Jr. and for whom Ultron will be a new concept.

In 1966, comic book product tie ins were few and far between and the fans glommed onto whatEVER came along. 

And they loved them.

Here's a collection of Marvel Trading Cards from 1966,  Plot lines within are most certainly bastardized into the 'Ultimate Marvel Universe" and heading for a movie screen near you.

Ah, simpler times.  I LOVE the Marvel movies, don't get me wrong, but I'll bet these cards brought some kind of joy that we may have trouble accessing today,

Enjoy!

Don't fret fan boy!  Ben Affleck's bloated fingerprints will soon be wiped from our precious Daredevil.  Marvel Studios is bringing him to NetFlix and hopefully work their magic on ol' Horn Head.

Someone does need to bug bomb Sony's hold on our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and let Marvel and Disney do him right.

Iron Man in all his ill-health and sickly glory!

Kids got to put their words in Captain America's mouth.

Spidey Sense tells me that Sony's gonna keep making shitty movies!

Shell-Head is speechless...

Could certainly do better than the brain-trust at Sony.  I'd rather have Disney do it, though.

Cap and The Winter Soldier, back when he was plain ol' Bucky Barnes,

Sony's DIY movies.

Pulls on my short hairs too, Peter.  Someday,

OK, OK, OK, Hulk movies aren't very good...but he kicks some serious butt when he's with the Avengers.

The Thunder God.

Sooooooooooo looking forward to NetFlix!

Cap knocking down some Kirby style gangsters.

SAY SOMETHIN'!

For a year of comics back then.  Won't even buy you one issue nowadays.

Hulkster just wants to cuddle.

The Golden Avenger and The Black Knight when he was a baddie.  Where's HIS movie?

And anguished Hulk.

Remember when Robert Downey Jr. tricked Jeff Bridges into flying too high?  Me too.

Speechless Cap.

Poor Bucky.

Wally Wood goodness.

Hulk getting more no-love.

I dunno.  You?

Hulk joins the Mets and makes a bad pun.

Probably "Hulk Smash!", or somethin'...

Loki's been in 4 movies (2 Thors, Avengers + a cameo in Cap's first) 

Silly Nazis.  Wing Head's got 'em!

Party in Asgard!

um...when that bomb went off in the first movie.  Weren't you watching?

Kirby machinery.  sigh.

You just can't kill a good bug.  Even after he's been in 3 shitty movies in a row.  (the first 2 were alright)

Don Heck's Iron Man throws a hissy fit.

Kirby Auto repair.

...come ON!  You MUST have seen the first movie!  I got blowed up with one of my own bombs!  EVERYone saw it!

Cap leaves the bargain basement.

I sure hope Daredevil's a good show.  He deserves it.

I don't think all of the image choosers for these cards actually read comics.

Thor's a horn dog.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Hee hee.  He said "No. 2" snicker...

Ditko!!!

Ditko!!!

Ditko!!!  You'll note The Human Torch's hand has been recolored to be blue instead of flaming and even the blue of his shirt and glove are the wrong blue.  I'm guessing that since Hanna-Barbera were doing the Fantastic four cartoon at the time, his character was under a different licensing agreement and wasn't supposed to be here,

Reminds you on present day and how Fox CONTINUES to shit on Fantastic Four.  This is the biggest tragedy on the properties outside of Disney.  FF in really the flagship of all modern Marvel comics and should really join the fold over at Disney, especially with the abominations that they call movies that they've done at Fox and promise to continue doing.

Tony's gassy.

Angry old man Cap.

Ditko!

Wood!

The Leader had a brief appearance in "The Incredible Hulk".  Disney's one bomb which they've only loosely hold in their continuity,

More Kirby.  The ray-gun probably says, "BrrrZAP!"

More Wood!

Kirby Asgard goodness!

Daredevil eye-balls a baddy...

...annnnnnnd another.  Lots of eye-balling for a blind guy.

ooooo DITKO oooo

The Leader doesn't make the movies and he didn't even get to be green in the cards.

I can't even afford the box tops.

Hulk gets a manicure.

Winter Soldier takes a steam.

STILTMAN!  Yeah, I said it.

What Disney should say to Sony and Fox.

Spidey's most unflattering pose,  At least until Amazing Spider-Man 2 came out.

How vikings had fun.

Kirby rocks.

Imagine it's the summer of '66.  You lie on your bed anxiously awaiting next months comics AND the Marvel Super Heroes syndicated animated series about to debut, flipping through these cards and lost in the majesty of it all.

Like I said.  Simpler times.

Now you have to flip through them on your computer/phone/tablet.

Same times.

Talk to you soon.