I won’t hesitate to say that Lee and Kirby’s FANTASTIC FOUR is the single greatest and most important run in the history of the medium...but I also kinda feel that the Lee-Ditko Spider-Man is a surprisingly close second. It can’t really be a direct comparison, since the FF run lasted nearly three times as long as Ditko’s tenure on ASM, but the influence and the impact of that character and that run still sent out a lot of ripples, both large and small.

I love the Lee-Romita era, as well, but about 90% of Spider-Man’s universe was established in that initial run. More than just about any other 60s Marvel main character, he was pretty much fully-formed right out the gate, too.

I'm sorry if I don't understand your response, Greg, but what you said is exactly what I'd said -- so what are you arguing?

I would interprate what you wrote to mean: if Ditko's legacy was only those issues of Spider-Man on which he worked, he would still have changed comics forever.

But the wording can also be interpreted as changing comics forever being contingent on Ditko not working on other things: he would have changed comics forever if he had done nothing but Spider-Man.

I'd guess that's the way Greg read it, judging by the direction his comment went.

That being said...can ya imagine what would have happened if Ditko had done a hundred issues of ASM instead of 40? After he quit Marvel, Ditko for all intents and purposes faded into a self-imposed obscurity. Stuff like CHUCK NORRIS KARATE KOMMANDOS wasn’t exactly top-tier. Sure, his Charlton work (among other things) has its fans, but his number one claim to fame is Spider-Man, with Doctor Strange bringing up the rear. 

On the one hand, it’s a testament to his talent that he made such an impact by co-creating one uber-beloved character, but, on the other hand, it’s unfortunate that he willfully stepped out of the spotlight, and worked in obscurity until he died alone. Can’t fault the man for living and dying on his own terms, but popular culture is poorer for it. Just imagine if he’d been as prolific and prominent as someone like Kirby!

Of course, the mystery surrounding Ditko and the fact that he left fans wanting more is what has made him a legend. And legends never die!

I wonder what will come to light from Ditko's studio and other locations now he's gone. A fortune in original art? Revealing documents from the history of Marvel? Maybe his heirs will just keep his private papers to themselves. Ditko might have left instructions for certain things (or even everything) to be destroyed.