Comics Steve Ditko Documentary?

[Kirk Langstrom]

So all in all, is the documentary worth seeing, or what?

 

[gildea]

So all in all, is the documentary worth seeing, or what?

Twas utterly essential just for the stan lee interview alone. Stan Lee basically says that he feels he is the creator of spiderman but refers to steve as the co-creator because he brought so much to the character in spite of stan not actually believing it fully.

 

[Parker756]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/comicsbritannia/ross-ditko.shtml

There's a link to part of the Stan Lee interview. Pretty interesting, I didn't know he was writing complaint letters even til 1999. Would really be interested in his opinion of the movie fiasco. Though I didn't seem like Stan was as bad as Ditko claims. If the letter was true then it seems sincere and I would assume Ditko just has some bad history with Stan from their early days that he wont let go.

 

[gildea]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/comicsbritannia/ross-ditko.shtml

There's a link to part of the Stan Lee interview. Pretty interesting, I didn't know he was writing complaint letters even til 1999. Would really be interested in his opinion of the movie fiasco. Though I didn't seem like Stan was as bad as Ditko claims. If the letter was true then it seems sincere and I would assume Ditko just has some bad history with Stan from their early days that he wont let go.

The letter isn't entirely sincere in that stan really does consider himself the creator because it was his idea and considers ditkos credit a reward for good work and not really actual creation.

I should point out I'm not here to bash lee this is literally what he says and It's fair enough if thats what he believes (he does say right after that he wished he hadn't just said that).

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

The letter isn't entirely sincere in that stan really does consider himself the creator because it was his idea and considers ditkos credit a reward for good work and not really actual creation.

I should point out I'm not here to bash lee this is literally what he says and It's fair enough if thats what he believes (he does say right after that he wished he hadn't just said that).

Well sure; that's no big news though. He said the same thing when he was interviewed by Kevin Smith, five years ago...

 

[Dangerous]

Just finished watching and the show was great.
The only thing I did not love was the occasional use of SM2 clips and it's score.

SPOILERS-












The show's first half details Ditko arriving in NYC, his start in comics and then onto to Spider-Man and Dr Strange. The stuff we already know, but captivating none the less due to the commentators featured on the show. Amazingly- Ross speaks to Steve Ditko's tutor at the illustration school he attended in NYC, who was also the guy who hooked him up w/ Stan Lee and Marvel. The second half focuses on Ditko post Marvel- his objectivist comic- Mr A, his political perspective and later on the dispute over being co creator of Spider-Man.

Commentators included- Joe Quesada, Neil Gaiman, Ralph Macchio, Alan Moore and Mark Millar (briefly). Ross also speaks to Stan Lee about the beef that Ditko had w/ Stan in the late 90's over being co creator of Spidey. As I highlighted earlier in this thread- When pushed to to tell it how he see's it (and Ross does push Lee), Stan admits that in his mind since he was the guy that thought of the idea- he considers himself the main creator of Spider-Man.

At the end of the show Ross reveals that he has attained Ditko's phone number after learning he still has an office on 51st street. Ross and Neil Gaiman stand outside and call him up. Ditko declines to be interviewed and so Ross and Gaiman decide to go up and knock for him leaving the film crew outside. 25 minutes later Ross and Gaiman re-emerge on the street after having talked to Ditko, who answered all Ross' Spider-Man questions and even gave them free Mr A comics. Lucky bastards.

Awesome show- I got a real insight into what type of person Ditko is, that is a hell of a lot more entertaining than reading through his wikipedia entry. Plus I even learned something about Spider-Man I did not know- The web head was the subject of a bizzare live action Turkish TV show in the 70's/80's in which Spider-Man was a villain that seemed to kill people, and the show even featured bloodletting. Weird!

I did not have the technology to record this digitally and thus upload to Youtube but I'm sure it will be up there soon enough. I would give the show a 9/10. If we got a recorded Ditko interview then it would be 11/10.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

That's wild, man. Questions;

1) Where did Ditko arrive to New York FROM? His name sounds Polish, or Romanian...

2) Someone said earlier that Stan got irate about being pressed on the issue of Spidey's origins...is that true, and if so, isnt it a bit much to be hassling an 84 year old man?

3) Did Ross give any details about the 25 minute off camera interview?

Thanks.

 

[mre]

I don't have cable. Does anyone know of a torrent site I can download this from?

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Thanks for posting that, Dangerous. I'm really glad they got ot ask Steve Ditko questions, because Steve Ditko never really gets interviewed or even wants to get interveiwed. Did they say anything about how Ditko learned how to draw with such great style?

By the way, I tired to play that Stan Lee interveiw, and I downloaded real player, but it said error. please help.

 

[UK_Stu]

I watched the show last night - very good. The thing that suprised me the most was the comic writers who were fans - Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Mark Millar all waxed lyrical about Ditko, but they all struck me as very liberal/left wing - unlike Ditko who seemed the reverse of their politics.

I do like Stan 'the man' Lee, and it was good to see him answer a few questions "out of character". I actually think he makes a good point about exactly constitutes a creator

 

[arachnid-guy]

I watched the show last night - very good. The thing that suprised me the most was the comic writers who were fans - Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Mark Millar all waxed lyrical about Ditko, but they all struck me as very liberal/left wing - unlike Ditko who seemed the reverse of their politics.

I do like Stan 'the man' Lee, and it was good to see him answer a few questions "out of character". I actually think he makes a good point about exactly constitutes a creator

Although I think he should give credit to Ditko, I believe Stan was exactly right. He dreamed/created of the character in his head. Ditko put it down on paper.

 

[Brick]

It was great.Alan Moore was funny as hell in it

 

[arachnid-guy]

It was great.Alan Moore was funny as hell in it

LOl.

When he sang that song.

 

[Brick]

To the tune of Sister Ray t:

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Although I think he should give credit to Ditko, I believe Stan was exactly right. He dreamed/created of the character in his head. Ditko put it down on paper.

Agreed. So in effect; the character we all know and love today is really the product of BOTH men.

 

[arachnid-guy]

Agreed. So in effect; the character we all know and love today is really the product of BOTH men.

Yup.

As much as Superman was created by Joe Shuster & Jerry Siegel.

Or Captain America was created by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.

 

[Dangerous]

That's wild, man. Questions;

1) Where did Ditko arrive to New York FROM? His name sounds Polish, or Romanian...

..Sorry, must have glazed over the part when Ross mentioned where he came from. However.. according to wiki- 'Ditko was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the son of Ukrainians immigrants who settled in Western Pennsylvania.'

2) Someone said earlier that Stan got irate about being pressed on the issue of Spidey's origins...is that true, and if so, isnt it a bit much to be hassling an 84 year old man?

He did not get irate,- after he said he considered himself the main creator, he then said he wished he had not said it, because he is happy to call Ditko the co creator. Initially I thought hmm, -Ross is kinda hassling him, but then I thought it was justified. After all- it was a significant point and Ross just wanted to know what Stan's personal thoughts were.

3) Did Ross give any details about the 25 minute off camera interview?

Thanks.

Unfortunately not.
He likened it to the first rule of fight club.
He did however say that Steve seemed genuinely touched by his and Gaiman's appreciation of his work.

 

[Donald Thomas]

Yup.

As much as Superman was created by Joe Shuster & Jerry Siegel.

Or Captain America was created by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.

Aloha,
Exactly.The creators of Spider-Man will always be Lee/Ditko. Anything else is grossly inaccurate.
Spidey rules with the truth

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Agreed. So in effect; the character we all know and love today is really the product of BOTH men.

Exactly, they both deserve to be honored by us fans.

 

[Dangerous]

That's wild, man. Questions;

1) Where did Ditko arrive to New York FROM? His name sounds Polish, or Romanian...

..Sorry, must have glazed over the part when Ross mentioned where he came from. However.. according to wiki- 'Ditko was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the son of Ukrainians immigrants who settled in Western Pennsylvania.'

2) Someone said earlier that Stan got irate about being pressed on the issue of Spidey's origins...is that true, and if so, isnt it a bit much to be hassling an 84 year old man?

He did not get irate,- after he said he considered himself the main creator, he then said he wished he had not said it, because he is happy to call Ditko the co creator. Initially I thought hmm, -Ross is kinda hassling him, but then I thought it was justified. After all- it was a significant point and Ross just wanted to know what Stan's personal thoughts were.

3) Did Ross give any details about the 25 minute off camera interview?

Thanks.

Unfortunately not.
He likened it to the first rule of fight club.
Ross did say however, that Ditko seemed genuinely touched by his and Gaiman's appreciation of his work.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

I found this on Youtube! This is the first time I have ever heard Steve Ditko's voice.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GoO2ep4KXDM

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Awesome. The whole documentary needs to be released to DVD....

 

[Web-Head408]

I found this on Youtube! This is the first time I have ever heard Steve Ditko's voice.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GoO2ep4KXDM

Same here, nice find, but I must watch the rest of this somehow. Hopefully it'll be on TV in america soon.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Same here, nice find, but I must watch the rest of this somehow. Hopefully it'll be on TV in america soon.

Thanks, and I hope so to. I really wanted to see the whole thing.

 

[Dangerous]

The show was 60 minutes long w/ no ad breaks, it rocked.
BBC4 tend to repeat stuff, I'm sure someone in the UK will get this recorded digitally and upload it to youtube.

I'd like it on DVD too.
Maybe a version of the upcoming SM3 dvds will feature it...