Marvel Comics pauses to reflect upon the passing of the legendary Stephen J. Ditko and his amazing accomplishments as both an artist and creator. Steve was one of the original architects of the Marvel Universe, and his creations reflected his unique vision and philosophy. He lived to be 90 years old.

Hailing from Pennsylvania, young Steve’s love for comic strips expanded to comic books through characters like Batman and Will Eisner’s The Spirit. During his U.S. Army service in postwar Germany, he began his art career by drawing comics for the Army newsletter and, after his discharge, found his way into the tutelage of one of his idols, Batman artist Jerry Robinson. By the early 1950s, Steve’s first work appeared in print: a short romance tale in DARING LOVE #1 from Gilmore Magazines and a science-fiction story in FANTASTIC FEARS #6 from Farrell.

Steve found further mentoring in the celebrated circle of the prolific Joe Simon and Jack Kirby team, and he began gravitating toward more macabre and atmospheric types of stories, which would soon become his specialty. Working alongside one of his idols, artist Mort Meskin, Steve produced more published work, including a 1953 story he penciled and inked for Simon and Kirby’s BLACK MAGIC.

Steve found a home at Charlton Comics beginning in 1954, the start of a long association with the company. There, he created the character of Captain Atom with writer Joe Gill. Shortly thereafter, Steve made his way to Atlas Comics, the precursor of Marvel, where he would make history.

Steve’s first work at Atlas/Marvel appeared in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #33, and from there he would make his mark on classic sci-fi, horror and mystery titles such as STRANGE TALES, AMAZING ADVENTURES, STRANGE WORLDS, TALES OF SUSPENSE and TALES TO ASTONISH. Later, Stan Lee rechristened AMAZING ADVENTURES as AMAZING ADULT FANTASY (later AMAZING FANTASY) in order to showcase Steve’s talents on these short fantasy tales. In 1962, that collaboration led to one of the most popular comic book characters of all time.

The introduction of Spider-Man in AMAZING FANTASY #15 stands as one of the landmarks of both Steve’s career and Marvel history. Steve and Stan breathed life into the character of Peter Parker, giving him myriad personal traits and visual cues that would cement themselves in readers’ minds around the globe.

Steve’s design for Spider-Man’s costume was innovative and unique. The character is identifiable even when seeing any small part of his figure, and since he was covered from head to toe, broader audiences could personally identify with the character because Spider-Man could really be anyone underneath that costume.

Spidey Sense by Steve Ditko

More Marvel work followed for Steve, and while Spider-Man was the main focus of his efforts, he also lent his talents to other characters at the House of Ideas. Steve redesigned Iron Man’s armor into the red-and-gold design the character still dons to this day. In the Hulk comics, he codified Bruce Banner’s transformations into the Hulk to be a function of his anger—before that, the transformation happened in a variety of ways.

It is perhaps with Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts, that Steve truly expressed his visionary impulses in work that predated and influenced the burgeoning world of psychedelic art. The early Doctor Strange stories in STRANGE TALES could only have come from the mind of Steve Ditko.

Steve also designed the first Marvel trade dress and corner box.

After more than four years on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and other Marvel titles, Steve left to pursue work at Charlton and then DC in the mid- to late 1960s. He created and drew a bevy of characters during the period, including the Question, Blue Beetle, the Creeper and Hawk and Dove. Steve also became a devotee of objectivist philosophy, which would become a very important touchstone in his life and work. Inspired by these concepts, Steve applied them to a new character, Mr. A, who appeared in Wally Wood’s witzend magazine.

Returning to Marvel in 1979, Steve worked on books such as MACHINE MAN, ROM and THE MICRONAUTS. In the 1990s, Steve helped create new characters for Marvel, including Speedball and Squirrel Girl.

Eschewing interviews or publicity, Steve continued to work on his own personal projects. Though he had been the recipient of numerous awards over the years, he had refused many of them on the grounds that his work should speak for itself.

Steve was one of the greatest talents in comic book history and an artist-writer whose unparalleled vision produced some of the most legendary works of all time. The comic book industry was forever changed by his imagination and ideas.

Statement from Marvel Entertainment President Dan Buckley:

“Today, the Marvel family mourns the loss of Steve Ditko. Steve transformed the industry and the Marvel Universe, and his legacy will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and fans during this sad time.”

Statement from Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada:

“Only a small group of individuals can claim that they have effected and redefined not just an industry, but popular culture worldwide. Steve Ditko was one of those few who dared to break molds every time his pencil and pen hit a blank sheet of paper. In his lifetime he blessed us with gorgeous art, fantastical stories, heroic characters and a mystical persona worthy of some of his greatest creations. And much like his greatest co-creation, Steve Ditko’s legend and influence will outlive us all.”

Statement from Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski:

“It’s impossible to put into words the impact that Steve Ditko had not just on comics, but on modern pop culture. With ink and imagination, he thrilled readers with amazing and awe-inspiring adventures. Ditko didn’t just create characters – he built worlds. But today it is our world that is saddened by his loss. While he may no longer walk this mortal plane, Steve’s legacy will continue to endlessly inspire us all.”

Statement from Marvel Executive Editor, Spider-Man Office and VP of Content, Digital Publishing Nick Lowe:

“Steve Ditko’s hands and soul are all over the best character in all of fiction. He was a pillar of the House of Ideas who not only co-created Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, but many of the best villains in comic book history. Steve was the first to make Marvel truly weird, and for that we are forever grateful.”

The Wasp has been through a lot—big and small—emotionally and physically. Her strong will has always carried her through, from her beginnings as a flighty teen seeking justice for her father to her influential role in the Avengers.

Not only was she a founding member of the team, Janet was also responsible for naming the Avengers and also eventually became their leader.

Through it all, The Wasp’s stalwart determination has made her one of the greatest Marvel heroes. Find out more about her astonishing adventures with these essential reads.

TALES TO ASTONISH #44 (1963)
Stan Lee, H.E. Huntley, Jack Kirby  

Tales to Astonish (1959) #44

• Published: June 10, 1963
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: April 28, 2007
• Writer: Ernest Hart
• Penciller: Jack Kirby
• Cover Artist: Jack Kirby

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

Henry and Janet weren’t meant to be from the beginning; Henry’s first wife Maria died tragically. Lonely, he wanted to bestow his powers to someone else so they could fight crime as a duo. When Professor Vernon van Dyne was killed, he accidentally summoned an alien to earth. It’s Vernon’s daughter Janet whose determination convinced Henry to ask her to join him as The Wasp, and thus begins a pairing for the ages.

AVENGERS #1 (1963)
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby 

Avengers (1963) #1

• Published: September 10, 1963
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: November 13, 2007
• Penciller: Jack Kirby
• Cover Artist: Jack Kirby

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

This issue has everything and everyone. Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and the Fantastic Four, work with Ant-Man and The Wasp, all trying to thwart Loki’s tricks. In the end, our heroes are successful, prompting Wasp to suggest they work together as a team and call themselves…the Avengers.

SECRET INVASION (2008)
Brian Michael Bendis, Leinil Yu

Secret Invasion (2008) #7

• Published: October 22, 2008
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: April 07, 2011
• Rating: Rated T
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Penciller: Gabriele Dell'otto, Leinil Francis Yu

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

Fighting the Skrulls is never easy, especially when a Skrull Hank Pym is involved. With an evil serum, Janet’s corrupted Pym particles turn her into a bio-bomb. Sacrificing herself to defeat the Skrulls, Thor tries in vain to use Mjonir to help—seemingly killing Janet in the process. In a twist, after Janet’s death, Hank Pym becomes The Wasp.

AVENGERS #32 (2010)
Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Mayhew, Brandon Peterson

Avengers (2010) #32

• Published: October 24, 2012
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: April 22, 2013
• Rating: T+
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Penciler: Mike Mayhew, Brandon Peterson

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

The Avengers receive a mysterious emergency signal which becomes a scientific find. Did Janet actually perish during the Secret Invasion? Or did a mishap with a certain Asgardian’s powers send her elsewhere? Janet’s whereabouts are revealed and we learn about her time in the Microverse.

THE UNSTOPPABLE WASP (2017)
Jeremy Whitley, Elsa Charretier  

The Unstoppable Wasp (2017) #1

• Published: January 04, 2017
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: July 10, 2017
• Writer: Jeremy Whitley
• Penciller: Elsa Charretier
• Cover Artist: Elsa Charretier

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

Nadia is the child of Hank Pym and his first wife, Maria Trovaya. Escaping from the Red Room—a Soviet training facility where she’s spent most of her life—and with both parents gone, Janet van Dyne takes Nadia under her wing with Nadia even taking on her surname. This story follows the beginnings of a truly inspiring hero who is a leader by example with Nadia starting the G.I.R.L. (Genius In action Research Labs) program as a promoter of STEM.

Can’t get enough our tiny heroes and want to read all these digital comics? Check out Marvel Unlimited!

Find out if Janet van Dyne makes it out of the Quantum Realm when Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp” debuts in theaters on July 6. Get tickets on Fandango now!

Follow @AntMan on Twitter and like Ant-Man on Facebook for the latest on “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” and as always keep your eyes peeled to Marvel.com!

When writer Seanan McGuire was a kid living in California in the late 1980s, she was a regular customer at Flying Colors Comics in Concord. According to the shop’s owner, Joe Field, the young comics fan had latched onto the X-Men and became “so single-minded about wanting to write these characters.” She also made a promise, which Field shared with Marvel.com: “At 12 years old, she told me ‘When I write the X-Men, the first place I want to sign my first issue is right here in Flying Colors.'” Fast forward to the present and McGuire is about to make her debut as a writer for her favorite characters in X-MEN GOLD ANNUAL #2! Not only is she fulfilling her lifelong dream, but she’s also making good on her promise.

After surprising Field at Flying Colors, the shop owner shared the heartwarming details of McGuire’s visit on Twitter:

THREAD:
1) Last night I was told by my wife Libby to stay off social media until at least 11AM this morning. She told me “There’s going to be a surprise for you…” pic.twitter.com/wjKwEt10oq

— Joe Field (@flycojoe) May 23, 2018

Marvel.com asked both McGuire and Field to share more about their visit, the comic, and the upcoming signing event at Flying Colors next month. Field said that he saw all the signs that the award-winning writer was on her way to writing for her favorite comic:

“In 2010, when she was the recipient of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer at the World Science-Fiction Convention, on her way back home from that event, her first stop was Flying Colors to share the news with me. I’ve proudly watched acclaim grow for her work, and with her winning the 2017 Hugo and Nebula Awards for her Every Heart a Doorway novella, I knew it would be just a matter of time before she’d get her chance to write the characters she has grown up with and loved for so many years.” He went on to say that the X-MEN GOLD ANNUAL news was kept close to the vest at first: “When I found out about her X-MEN GOLD gig, it really threw me for a loop. Seanan somehow managed to get Marvel to hold the press release of her writing X-MEN GOLD until she and her mom could fly back home to California’s Bay Area to tell me in person first.”

Meanwhile, McGuire told us about keeping the secret: “…[W]hen I got asked to write an X-Men comic, the first thought I had was ‘Oh, Joe is going to be so happy.’ I knew I had to tell him myself. Once my script was turned in and we knew where my issue was on the schedule, I confirmed when the Previews [containing] the announcement was going to be published and booked plane tickets for that morning, for myself, and my mother. Being able to be there when I told Joe was actually her Mother’s Day present. Then I called the store, had them pass my phone number to Joe’s wife, Libby, and told her a day early so she could keep him off of social media long enough for me to get down there. It was…it was really magic. The look on his face when I popped out of the aisle is something I’m going to treasure forever.”

Seanan McGuire and Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics (Photo courtesy of Joe Field)

So, after all this time, what will McGuire be bringing to her favorite characters? “I want to tell stories about the minor mutants,” she told us, “about the consequences of the choices the teams make, about moving into the future and dealing with the past. I also want to tell the stories I loved best when I was a kid, the stories in the quiet spaces. The baseball games and the dance classes and the trips to the mall. My annual is one of those quiet spaces. It’s Kitty Pryde, who was very much my doorway into the world of the X-Men, taking a pause, taking a breath, and figuring out who she wants to be now that she’s growing up. I had to fit it into the existing continuity, which was an amazing challenge, and really made it feel like I was starting my time by telling one of those exact stories I had grown up loving so much.”

This happy reunion was also a testament to the personal connections and relationships that can be formed in the local comics communities. Field said, “This is a wonderful highlight among my 30 years of being in business with Flying Colors. I’ll treasure this because it validates just how vital comics retailers are in creating spaces for readers of all ages and stages to find their bliss in comics.” McGuire said her experience as a kid at Flying Colors “was like coming home.” She went on: “[The staff members] were kind. They were happy to see me. I don’t know exactly how it shaped me as a storyteller, because it started when I was so young, but I do know that as both a creator and a fan, I try to emulate Joe Field, and choose kindness whenever I can. I don’t judge. I want everyone to be welcome, just like I was. I want everyone to be able to feel like my work is coming home.”

To celebrate McGuire’s homecoming as well as X-MEN GOLD ANNUAL #2, Flying Colors Comics will be throwing a signing party on the comic’s release date, Wednesday, August 1! If you’re in the area, RSVP on the store’s Facebook event page. Remember to call your comic shop today to request your copy of X-MEN GOLD ANNUAL #2!

On October 3, the mutant called Shatterstar decides to go it alone.

A gladiator, a warrior, and a Super Hero…Shatterstar has been many different things, but throughout it all, he’s always been deadly. This fall, enter the darkness with SHATTERSTAR #1!

Written by Tim Seeley with art by Carlos Villa, the limited series will be a new birth for the long-beloved character. “I was 12 years-old when I first saw Shatterstar in the pages of NEW MUTANTS, and I was the perfect age to be intrigued by him,” the writer explains. “The dude’s an alien gladiator! And within pages of us meeting him, he stabs himself with his own swords in order to kill the bad guy standing behind him.”

Shatterstar #1 cover by Yasmine Putri

Seeley’s perspective on the character has evolved since then, and it seems that very evolution may be a focus of the new series. “My interest in him now is more in the ‘hardboiled noir’ aspects of the character,” he says. “He’s this guy whose life was violence for sport—and now he’s trying to move on from that. But it’s such a thin thread that keeps him in this new line of lawfulness, and it’s an easy one to break.”

What was Seeley’s pitch for this new book? “When the life he built crumbles, Shatterstar is forced to ask himself if he truly ever gave up the gladiator ring. The series will be part John Wick, a dash of Will Eisner’s A Contract with God, and infused with lots of lots of interdimensional X-Men Super Hero mythos.” Speaking specifically about that X-Men lore, Seeley says he was inspired by classic ’80s and ’90s X-Men stories: “I really stuck close to the Fabian Nicieza, Rob Liefeld stuff—especially those last few issues of NEW MUTANTS where you can see the purest form of this guy. I also really leaned on the LONGSHOT limited series by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams, as well as the ‘Shattershot’ storyline from the old X-Men annuals.”

Shatterstar has been many different things. On October 3, discover who he is now as Tim Seeley and Carlos Villa present SHATTERSTAR #1!