A BIRTHDAY SALUTE in 13 COVERS AND PAGES…
By PETER BOSCH
Steve Ditko (born November 2, 1927) gave us everything we wanted from a comic book hero. Adventurous, gymnastic, and fun personified. His 38-issue run (plus Amazing Fantasy #15 and a few annuals) on The Amazing Spider-Man was… well… amazing, and when he walked away from Marvel in 1966, we might have thought, “That’s it, it’s done. Sigh. No more joy.”
But we were wrong: Ditko gave us exactly that kind of hero again just a few months later.
The hero was the Blue Beetle. No, not the one that began in 1939. Well, not exactly. Ditko revamped the Beetle in Charlton’s Captain Atom #83 (Nov. 1966) with scientist Ted Kord taking up the mantle of the hero with the end of Dan Garrett, the original. The new Blue Beetle pounced on bad guys like Spider-Man, he had a secret identity (Ted Kord) who was deep into science like Peter Parker, and he wisecracked at every moment. It was like Parker had grown into an adult and took on a new superhero name and costume.
Preliminary Steve Ditko drawing of the new Blue Beetle, with color guide
The new Blue Beetle appeared in the backup stories of Captain Atom #83 through #86 (June 1967), then went on to his own series for five issues (June 1967 to Nov. 1968). (A sixth issue of Blue Beetle was completed but the series was cancelled after #5. The story went unpublished until the double issue of Charlton Portfolio #9-#10 (1974), which was reprinted in DC’s The Action Heroes Archives Vol. 2.
Below are 13 COVERS AND PAGES of Steve Ditko’s great work on the Blue Beetle:
First new Blue Beetle. Captain Atom #83 (Nov. 1966). Pencils: Steve Ditko. Inks: Rocke Mastroserio.
Splash page of first appearance of the new Blue Beetle. Captain Atom #83. Concept, plot, and art by Ditko. Dialogue: Gary Friedrich.
Blue Beetle #1 (June 1967). Ditko art.
Blue Beetle #2 (Aug. 1967). Ditko art.
Splash page from Blue Beetle #2 (Aug. 1967). Script and art: Ditko. According to the Grand Comics Database, Ditko claims he wrote the stories where D. (or D.C.) Glanzman is credited.
Ted Kord’s villainous Uncle Jarvis causes the end of the original Blue Beetle, Blue Beetle #2.
Ted Kord and the death of Dan Garrett, Blue Beetle #2.
Great page of the new Blue Beetle and his weaponry, Blue Beetle #2.
Another terrific full-pager. Blue Beetle #3 (Oct. 1967). Script and art: Ditko.
Action page similar to Ditko’s Spider-Man days, Blue Beetle #3.
Unused cover art by Ditko planned for Blue Beetle #6.
Unused story page intended for Blue Beetle #6.
Unused story page intended for Blue Beetle #6.
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MORE
— 13 COVERS: A STEVE DITKO Birthday Celebration. Click here.
— The TOP 13 STEVE DITKO SPIDER-MAN Covers — RANKED. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. A sequel, about movie comics, is coming soon. Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
November 2, 2024
Wow! Ditko! ‘Nuff said!
November 2, 2024
Charlton’s lettering never did anyone’s art any favors. I’d love to see this art without it
November 2, 2024
Ditko was a master storyteller in his day. I wish these Charlton issues get facsimile treatment someday. How awesome would that be?!
November 2, 2024
Whenever I see a Charlton character I get reminded of the film CHARLTON COMICS : The MOVIE that has been stuck in post production for years. Has interviews with some comic greats that have since passed.
November 2, 2024
Love Ditko! Did the unused Blue Beetle #6 story ever get published anywhere?
November 2, 2024
Hi, Kelly. As I mentioned in the article above: “The story went unpublished until the double issue of Charlton Portfolio #9-#10 (1974), which was reprinted in DC’s The Action Heroes Archives Vol. 2.”
November 2, 2024
Ditko at the height of his powers. Wonderful stuff, the fun, the energy. Who else could have designed the Specter?
His humor was pretty poignant, as well. In Blue Beetle #1, the Question’s story ends with Vic making a principled stand to name names of the gambling ring’s criminals on air, followed by a 3-part panel of a guy sleeping as the broadcast plays, another guy ignoring the broadcast, focused on his crossword, and a voice calling out to make a bet.
November 3, 2024
One of my all-time favorite super-hero costume designs!~