PRIME PRE-HERO MARVEL OVERSTREET'S ADVANCED COLLECTOR #2, pg. 8-12; Oct-Dec '93 by Conrad Eschenberg

Thanks to Conrad Eschenberg for giving his permission to reprint this article. You can visit his web-site at www.comicsnart.pcrealm.net, which deals in original art. Conrad's e-mail address is comicart@pcrealm.net and his phone number 1-845-265-2649.

The Kirby/Ditko Collaborations

I still remember that grand day of my chilhood in the early 1960's when I saw my first pre-hero Marvel comic. I was living in Edenwald section of the Bronx in New York where there were plenty of candy store to buy comics. A favourite place of mine was Phil's fountain and Candy Store on Laconia Ave. between 230th and 231st St. I used to anxiously await the opening of the bundles of comics and magazines and watch him spread them onto the shelves. For a buck I could buy a batch of comics and an egg-cream and a bag of chips and still get change! At the time, I was a DC fan and regularly read several titles: Flash, Green Lantern, Batman, and Challengers of the Unknown, and many others more occasionally.

It was on the sidewalks of Edenwald that pre-hero book - like dangled bait that I would consume hook, line, and sinker - began my intense relationship with Marvel. A local girl was selling lemonade for a nickel a glass, and she had a blanket spread out on the sidewalk, and on it were used items for sale. And there it was: "Behold...Goom!..The Thing From Planet X!". The cover instantly took hold of me. A huge gray monster with a gaping mouth was uprooting a tree which had helpless people clinging to it's branches in a vain attempt to escape the wrath of Goom. I quickly gave her a nickel and began pouring over the pages of Tales Of Suspense #15, and didn't stop until I had read each story several times.

I began buying and hoarding all the monster comics I could find. I became a pre-hero fanatic, buying every Atlas/Marvel title on the newsstand. But then - the monster and fantasy stories were being replaced by superheroes : Iron Man, Thor, Ant Man, and the Human Torch took over the four main titles. And since I wanted more monsters, I started a back-issue hunt. They were very hard to find in those days; there were no comic stores and no network of mail-order dealers. As I slowly acquired more back-issues I really grew to appreciate the Jack Kirby and Steve Dikto art, and the stories they helped tell. The five-page Ditko story, often at the end of a pre-hero book, was especially rewarding. The artwork was unique and mysterious, as if it truly tapped into the strange worlds and other dimensions.

Once in while, I was in for a rare treat. This came when Kirby and Ditko teamed up on a cover or story or both! Kirby would pencil and Ditko would ink, and the result was a combination of two of the all-time greats. A good example of this, from a slightly later period, shows how some of the Marvel monsters transformed into heroes : the Incredible Hulk #2, was a Kirby/Ditko collaboration (K/D). Of the original six-issue series #1 and #3-5 have Dick Ayers inking and Kirby's pencils, and #6 is all Ditko. But Hulk #2 was awesome! Ditko's heavy-line inks over Kirby's powerful pencils produced a very frightening and sinister looking Hulk. If only the series had continuing with this team illustrating!

But most of the other work by this team is in the pre-hero books. They began publication, in December 1958 through February 1959, with six titles, some new and some Atlas crossovers : Strange Worlds #1, Journey Into Mystery #50, Tales Of Suspense #1, Tales To Astonish #1, Strange Tales #67, and World Of Fantasy #16. Thus began the Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko triumvirate that would eventually lead into the Marvel age - "warming up" with some top notch fantasy. Other regular artists were Don Heck, Dick Ayers, Paul Reinman, and Joe Sinnott. Although Strange Worlds and World of Fantasy phased out in late 1959, the other four titles went on for four and a half years of monster and fantasy fun. Included among the pre-hero tales are many harbingers and prototypes of future Marvel themes and characters.

Kirby and Ditko both experimented with different styles on these Silver Age gems. Fine lines could weave a fabric rich with detail, and heavy lines, though less intricate, produced the brooding atmosphere of menace lurking in the shadows. Ditko was a master of inventive layouts, creating collages and layered effects to simulate and provoke the readers imagination. And Kirby's figure strength combined with Ditko's range of expression to make the characters real and rounded.

Most of the monster stories were penciled by Kirby and inked by Ayers. The first K/D collaboration is in Strange Tales #72 (Dec 1959). It is a five-page story called ''I Fought The Colossus''. There are heavy line Ditko inks throughout - showing most prominently on the faces. This tale presents a future where a computer rules the world. When the computer constructs a giant humanoid robot mankind revolts. But has the computer made a war machine or a huge helper for the human race? This one wraps up with an ironic twist - a good story.

Tales of Suspense #7 (Jan 1960) has a five-pager called "I Fought the Molten Man-Thing" that has the K/D look. Although the Dikto inks aren't so heavy here - the faces are very Ditko. Tales To Astonish #7 has a K/D cover (for the Ditko story) and K/D work on "We Met In The Swamp". The little aliens in this yarn bear a striking resemblance to the Toad Men introduced in Hulk #2 (also K/D - as noted).

Tales To Astonish #8 (Mar 1960) contains a six-page K/D collaboration, "I Am The Genie". The heavy inks here make for a definitive example of this team's work. The tale of the three wishes unfolds in the pre-hero manner - ending with the usual twist.

The cover, for "Mummex, King Of The Mummies" is also K/D - with great texture on the falling building and 'that' look to the fleeing figures.

Next come a couple of tough calls. Astonish #11's "I Dared To Look Into The Beyond" could be subtle K/D - with only the faces really suggesting Ditko. Journey Into Mystery #60 (Sep 1960) features "I Found the Things From Nowhere", and this is another toss-up that looks more Ditko-ish the more I look. This story of a man who is watching a ball game on T.V, who suddenly finds himself watching an extraterrestial war between two alien races locked in mortal combat is one of my favourites, even if it isn't Ditko's inking (and if it's not; it is surely Ayers). The surprise ending really works on this one.

Tales To Astonish #12 (Oct 1960) contains a seven-page K/D monster yarn: "I Found Gorilla! The Monster Of Midnight Mountain!". Scientists in search of the missing link find more than they bargined for - a Tyrannosaurus Rex! This one has heavy inks and a great splash panel. Astonish #13's "I Found The Abominable Snowman!" is a K/D classic. A cheap crook ends up wandering the Himalayas seaerching for the snowman, hoping to make a bundle if he can "bring him back alive". This story isn't predicable - it's wonderful inevitable, with heavy Ditko inks and influence.

Tales To Astonish #14 (Dec 1960) has a superb K/D cover. The intricate detail on the castle walls is a Ditko trademark. The people's faces, and even their clothes, show Ditko's work. "Krang" was created when a growth serum was poured onto a tiny ant. And as the ant grew to monstrous proportions its intellect expanded as well. It's a typical monster tale - with a strong foreshadowing of the Ant Man concept.

Journey Into Mystery #63 (Dec 1960) sports a K/D cover and a pretty good seven-page K/D monster story to go with it. "Goliath! The Monster That Walked Like A Man!" is a big ugly from Atlantis out to "reclaim" the surface world. But the humans are more ingenious than Goliath has anticipated...This one oozes Ditko influence.

Strange Tales #79 (Dec 1960) features a cool monster that is either K/D or all Ditko. And Strange Tales #80 (Dec 1961) has a K/D cover and a monster lead story. "Garganus" is another creature "up from the slimy depths" and out to wreak havok. Garganus returns in Strange Tales #85 and looks very different when inked by Ayers. The cover on this one is remarkable - underwater, on the the water, over the water - the different planes are realized with dramatic effect.

Strange Tales #88 (Sep 1961) is a landmark K/D issue. They team up on both the cover and on the expanded 13-page monster lead. "Zzutak" is the only K/D 13-pager, and it's a rousing good yarn in its own right as well. Heavy Ditko inks hightlight this tale of a comic book artist employed by Marvel to create monsters. Of course he winds up with this magic paint that makes his nightmarish visions come to life. When the artist cooks up a second monster to challenge Zzutak. It's clobbering time!

The cover of Tales Of Suspense #23 (Nov 1961) depicting "The Creature From The Bog" is another one that may be a K/D collaboration, or it may be all Ditko. If the couple in the rowboat could only turn around so we could study their faces...

Journey Into Mystery #78 (Mar 1962) has a seven-pager that is the only signed K/D collaboration: "Kragoom! The Creature Who Caught An Astronaut!". This is the tale of an alien adrift in space for centuries who takes over the mind of Earth's first man into space. The alien forces the astronaut to return to Earth, ready to resume his ancient evil ways. But there is a nicely conceived psychic surprise awaiting Kragoom... Heavy Ditko inks throughout add their impact to this solid story.

And last, but not least, there is the cover to Amazing Fantasy #15, (Aug 1962), the last issue of this pre-hero title, featuring perhaps the most important K/D collaboration of all. The heavy inks on the helpless hood's face show our team at work again; only this time the monster, swinging between tall buildings, is some kind of human spider. This is the introduction of Spider-Man.

These dozen stories and nine covers are almost all definitely K/D collaborations, and there are probably a few more that I didn't catch. but I feel that these are extremely significant works, certainly some of the best of the pre-hero efforts. Out of the roughly 200 pre-hero Marvels - which add up to approximately 600 stories - these twelve tales represent a very small percentage of the total output. They afford a rare chance for fans of both Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to experience the one-two punch of their talents working together. I have been appreciating these two great artists work over thirty years now - and still the more I look at it the more I like it. And if I inspire someone to seek some of this stuff out; well, they're in for a treat!

DITKO LOOKED UP