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Topic: Spider-Man Poll: Ditko or Romita & Why (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Petter Myhr Ness
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 10:32am | IP Logged | 1  
Romita.

I started reading Spider-Man in the early 80ies. Then I read some classic Lee/Romita tales, and I went - "WOW, this amazing!". Romita's art just works perfectly for me.
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Peter Sullivan
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 11:10am | IP Logged | 2  
Has to be Mr. Romita for me.
He is the classic Spidey artist in my book.

Cheers, Peter
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Mark Haslett
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 11:21am | IP Logged | 3  
Ditko

As many Spider-Man stories were done by Ditko, I feel a sting of loss that he would've/could've done more if something hadn't happened.

The Ditko Spider-Man stories feel 100% more authentic to me -- like the Hal Foster "Valiant" stories. Everyone else is John Cullen Murphey; excellent, but not quite as real. I love Romita, and Kane w/ Romita. But to me they feel like they're chasing Ditko.

Part of that is the way the supporting cast changed after Ditko-- many changes help Ditko's work stand apart.
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Greg Kirkman
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 11:44am | IP Logged | 4  

I hate it when this comes up, because I'm so torn by the question!

Ditko is an artistic genius, and is the originator of Spider-Man's world and most of its main characters. Other artists have been trying to capture that look and feel for decades, because there's never been anything else close to it. I LOVE Ditko's run.

But, I also LOVE Romita's stuff. While it's less appropriate to the inherent weirdness of the character, Romita drew what I consider the definitive versions of several characters (Parker, Jameson, Mary Jane, the Green Goblin, etc.). Is that style less quirky, and more romantic and superhero-y? Sure. But it looks beautiful.

I also really like the Kane-inked-by-Romita issues, which is essentially a nice cross-section of Ditko and Romita.

Still, when I think of Spider-Man's supporting cast (the best in comics, IMO), this always comes to mind:

FOR SALE Romita sr Double page Marvel edt Spécial N°1, 1975 ON EBAY Comic Art

And, while Ditko's the absolute master of Spider-Man's bizarre poses and acrobatics, I think Romita's clean, beautiful line gave us the most cosmetically perfect version of the costume, ever. I love that mask, with the suggestion of a "nose" and "mouth" in the weblines. I also love his versions of the chest and back spider emblems.

 



Edited by Greg Kirkman on 05 January 2012 at 11:44am
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Flavio Sapha
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:13pm | IP Logged | 5  
Ditko.

Because of the villains.
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Shawn Kane
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:14pm | IP Logged | 6  
I've got to go with Ditko as much as I love John Romita's Spider-Man. I read alot of the classic stories in Marvel Tales reprints as a kid and I fell in love with Ditko. Up to that point my Spider-Man was Keith Pollard's version based on my brother's comics.

Edited by Shawn Kane on 05 January 2012 at 12:15pm
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Peter Hicks
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:19pm | IP Logged | 7  
Gil Kane, inked by Romita Sr.
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Valmor J. Pedretti
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:27pm | IP Logged | 8  
I believe the age issue weights a lot in here. I got in touch with Ditko's line years after starting to read comics, so like another poster already mentioned, my definitive Spider-Man would be the JRJr one.

Romita Sr. would come later, when a special title just for Spider-Man 70's reprints would show up here.

But I still haven't read most of Ditko's stories with the character, so I guess I'll have to wait to get a better opinion about the man's work.
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William Watson
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:35pm | IP Logged | 9  
Romita followed by his son.  Ditko only makes my top ten list because he was there at the beginning and not from any affection for his style.
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Pascal LISE
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:37pm | IP Logged | 10  
Mr DITKO.
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Noah Smith
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:42pm | IP Logged | 11  
Romita.  I'm easily drawn in by more "pretty" art.  Plus, as a child of the late 70s, I saw a lot of Marvel character merchandise based on Romita drawings or imitations thereof.  

I just reread Ditko's Spider-Man in the Essential volumes and really came to respect him as a storyteller and especially a costume/look designer.  Really, almost every single villain costume he did on that run was a classic.  You don't hit a dud until towards the end with, like, The Looter.  And that's not a bad costume, just a bit dull compared to the earlier ones.  My gut instinct is still Romita but my respect for Ditko has surged recently, and it was already pretty high.
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Jason Fliegel
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Posted: 05 January 2012 at 12:42pm | IP Logged | 12  
Romita, though I happily concede that his was the Spider-Man I was first exposed to and I'm therefore completely incapable of being objective on this subject.
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