Peerless Power of Comics!

The following analysis concludes my two-part examination on the early Dr. Strange stories. Please note: this is heavily revised and updated from its original presentation in Ditkomania # 73, June 2009.   Strange Tales # 111 (August, 1963), Dr. Strange’s second episode, introduces another recurring menace, Baron Mordo. It is quickly established that Mordo was a disciple of “The Master” and intends to use his powers for evil. Although the two battle in spirit form, they continue to throw punches in a traditional manner. Ditko was still exploring new ways to develop the strip's language.  Strange and Mordo initially didn't hurl spells but took to fisticuffs! Terry Szenics letters; Stan Goldberg probable coloring. Strange Tales # 111, August 1963.  The feature went on hiatus for two issues (ST #'s 112-113), ostensibly to gauge reader interest, returning in Strange Tales # 114 (November 1963). In the interim Lee looked to reader reaction coming from letters and through fanzin...

This is an expansion and revision of an article that originally appeared in Ditkomania # 73, June 2009.   Just four months after Spider-Man’s debut Steve Ditko created a new hero, who, in many respects, was more offbeat than his teenage adventurer. Nestled in the back pages of Strange Tales , which headlined the "Human Torch” feature, Dr. Strange  made his debut. Under the supervision of editor Stan Lee and artist/collaborator Jack Kirby (with assistance from Larry Lieber, who scripted many early stories) the Marvel Comics Group published a steady stream of superheroes in the early 1960s. In that period Steve Ditko continued to draw five page fantasy fillers in the back of the anthology titles. After four years of working on these stories perhaps it was time for a change* . In his essay “He Giveth and He Taketh Away” ( The Avenging Mind , Robin Snyder, 2007) Ditko stated: "On my own, I brought in to Lee a five page, penciled story with a panel/pag...

Charlton's comics line was always on the fringes - never to be confused with any other company, with a look, feel and smell all their own. Despite the indifference of management, their low budget fare had a distinctive charm and, from time to time, they took a swing at bat and hit it out of the park.  If DC, Dell, Harvey and Archie were the Saks or Macy's of their period, Charlton was akin to Woolworth's or John's Bargain Store (those of you of a more tender age won't get the reference, but they were precursors of modern day 99 cent stores). Finding a Charlton comic book could be a chore - at least for this kid from Brooklyn - even though candy stores could be found on every other block in the mid-1960s. My brother John managed to wrangle a few, usually hero types like  Thunderbolt , Capt. Atom  and  Blue Beetle. They were   often stacked on a shelf in a far off corner of those aforementioned stores, or sometimes found in one of the local used bookstores. I...