Steve Ditko: Dr. Strange in Best Spider-Man Team-Up, 1965 R.I.P.
Spider-Man and Dr. Strange share co-creators, but once alone did those creative minds blend the mystic and the meddler: in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2. These Ditko aces were held all along, now- how would Stan Lee deal?
Both characters had been introduced, Spider-Man in 1962, and Doctor Strange in 1963, under the creative guidance of the duo of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. While Steve drew other characters (and Lee, never any), these two were driven by his ideas and influence. By this year, most of the plotting of both strips seems to have fallen into the artist's purview. I wonder whether Lee or Ditko thought of teaming these two, first? At what point did this become the story -which would be the only one featuring them both, again, by their original co-creators?
Fifty three years ago, a summer visit to the comics rack just might’ve contained a copy of the one, the only, Steve Ditko-created adventure pairing his two enduring characters with Stan Lee, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange! The cover’s colored so Spidey’s eyes practically glow. Such life. It’s the cover to a twenty-five cent, seventy-two page comic book called an annual. This is the second annual produced for the hit series, The Amazing Spider-Man- the summer the company billed themselves “Marvel Pop Art Productions”!
The lead story is the perfect example of how to do a Marvel Team Up.
Spider-Man begins the story heading into the shadows, himself, in search of stimulation. He stumbles upon a mystery man named Xandu’s plot to unite his newly-obtained half of an occult object, the Wand of Watoomb, by robbing Doctor Strange. The entire way, Spider-Man stays in over his head! He wise cracks his way through what becomes the weirdest adventure of his career to this point. Here, the Ditko darlings make lasting friends. He knew the limitations of his characters, played up an antagonist whose modus operandi would engage them both.
Seemed so cool to find how Spanish readers pages looked- I wonder what year?
His visuals unite the seedy world of the harbor and petty crime (such as the roughnecks Xandu recruits after a bar fight) with a vision of mystic realms, half-realized or fully enveloping the conscience, menacing and wonderful at once. Dr. Stephen Strange’s search for healing took him originally to the docks, to the sea faring travelers, to desperately seek legends for a way to restore his lost self. The man of logic and medicine was gone for good, as soon was his arrogance and greed. I love how he continues wrestling with humility in the best DR. Strange stories over the years, weighing wisdom in times of crisis and mysterious powers at work.
He’s no match for a pair of common thugs, why? Because, powerful as he continues to grow into being from disciple to new master, Stephen Strange is also a vulnerable man with no innate physical super ability for protection or reaction. He can only do his best to discern each bizarre threat! Surprise and initiative, those are Xandu's advantages. ONce the Wand is in play, Ditko cuts loose on his brand of special effects.
The heroes here lose and lose -until they win!
No words of mine can replace a look on your own.
Spider-Fans, this was tough news, on Sturdy Steve's passing. But even between the panels of the confrontation itself, you can imagine even more awesome poses and fighting, what could've been a couple pages more of Strange and Spider-Man finally facing down Xandu himself, a sense of time, the matter of maybe an hour, a mind-blowing struggle for reality nestled in the shadows of New York. I'd surely love to have seen these two work together in more stories by Steve, but leave Marvel he did, in 1966. So, we get this one life, and here, we get this one classic. I think of it as a highlight: not a face-off with an existing rogue, or even one we'd see again until 1974. But wow, merging the worlds of Spider-Man and Dr. sTrange in one adventure? And every month, those two very different story lines were gestating in STeve Ditko's mind, as he tried to find new, interesting ways to play out what he saw, in that light that was his own and has gone out in mortal man. More on this illustrating hero, I will share later, but for now, let me borrow the parting lines of the new friends:
Pete wonders: will he believe any of this, real- in the morning?
Both characters had been introduced, Spider-Man in 1962, and Doctor Strange in 1963, under the creative guidance of the duo of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. While Steve drew other characters (and Lee, never any), these two were driven by his ideas and influence. By this year, most of the plotting of both strips seems to have fallen into the artist's purview. I wonder whether Lee or Ditko thought of teaming these two, first? At what point did this become the story -which would be the only one featuring them both, again, by their original co-creators?
(I'd written this the morning of July 6th, the last time all of us didn't know Steve Ditko died. I then re-read my precious issue as I've planned now for weeks, to coincide with the week my family always took vacation in the mid-80s. The 1985 roadtrip began for me, at Len's Kwik Shop two blocks from 'the house' (a single wide trailer on a country acre), with the folded-up copy of Marvel Tales, still sporting its pre-price hike sixty cent cost, no less! Missed by the magazine shippers, I didn't mind it being rolled up, asked the clerk if the price on it was still valid, then spent the first of my vacation money- which wasn't much, a few dollars- on a masterpiece in classic comics."
Fifty three years ago, a summer visit to the comics rack just might’ve contained a copy of the one, the only, Steve Ditko-created adventure pairing his two enduring characters with Stan Lee, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange! The cover’s colored so Spidey’s eyes practically glow. Such life. It’s the cover to a twenty-five cent, seventy-two page comic book called an annual. This is the second annual produced for the hit series, The Amazing Spider-Man- the summer the company billed themselves “Marvel Pop Art Productions”!
The lead story is the perfect example of how to do a Marvel Team Up.
Spider-Man begins the story heading into the shadows, himself, in search of stimulation. He stumbles upon a mystery man named Xandu’s plot to unite his newly-obtained half of an occult object, the Wand of Watoomb, by robbing Doctor Strange. The entire way, Spider-Man stays in over his head! He wise cracks his way through what becomes the weirdest adventure of his career to this point. Here, the Ditko darlings make lasting friends. He knew the limitations of his characters, played up an antagonist whose modus operandi would engage them both.
His visuals unite the seedy world of the harbor and petty crime (such as the roughnecks Xandu recruits after a bar fight) with a vision of mystic realms, half-realized or fully enveloping the conscience, menacing and wonderful at once. Dr. Stephen Strange’s search for healing took him originally to the docks, to the sea faring travelers, to desperately seek legends for a way to restore his lost self. The man of logic and medicine was gone for good, as soon was his arrogance and greed. I love how he continues wrestling with humility in the best DR. Strange stories over the years, weighing wisdom in times of crisis and mysterious powers at work.
He’s no match for a pair of common thugs, why? Because, powerful as he continues to grow into being from disciple to new master, Stephen Strange is also a vulnerable man with no innate physical super ability for protection or reaction. He can only do his best to discern each bizarre threat! Surprise and initiative, those are Xandu's advantages. ONce the Wand is in play, Ditko cuts loose on his brand of special effects.
The heroes here lose and lose -until they win!
No words of mine can replace a look on your own.
Spider-Fans, this was tough news, on Sturdy Steve's passing. But even between the panels of the confrontation itself, you can imagine even more awesome poses and fighting, what could've been a couple pages more of Strange and Spider-Man finally facing down Xandu himself, a sense of time, the matter of maybe an hour, a mind-blowing struggle for reality nestled in the shadows of New York. I'd surely love to have seen these two work together in more stories by Steve, but leave Marvel he did, in 1966. So, we get this one life, and here, we get this one classic. I think of it as a highlight: not a face-off with an existing rogue, or even one we'd see again until 1974. But wow, merging the worlds of Spider-Man and Dr. sTrange in one adventure? And every month, those two very different story lines were gestating in STeve Ditko's mind, as he tried to find new, interesting ways to play out what he saw, in that light that was his own and has gone out in mortal man. More on this illustrating hero, I will share later, but for now, let me borrow the parting lines of the new friends:
Dr. STrange: May the Vishanti WAtch Over Thee!
Spider-Man : And May your Amulet never Tickle!
Pete wonders: will he believe any of this, real- in the morning?
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