Marvel: Amazing Fantasy #15

Steve Ditko’s most iconic and most famous issue finally gets a mention here on Ditko Cultist.

Amazing Fantasy #15, the last of the Amazing ~~Adult~~ Fantasy series, introduced comic fans across the world to Marvels most successful character: The Amazing Spider-man. This first appearance propelled both Spider-man and Steve Ditko into the foreground of comic book stage because of its ‘down to earth’ tale and the hero’s never before seen tricks.

By its launch in September 1962 Steve had nearly been in the industry for nine years doing work for Charlton and Dell (to name only a few), but it was this issue that would start his famous Marvel run (which include many short stories and Doctor Strange) and the best 38 issues of The Amazing-Spiderman which would follow. Although the story was crude, ridiculously face paced and rushed Steve Ditko’s art captured what few artists at the time hadn’t even contimplated: Agility, fragility and a raw human emotion which we could all relate to.

I wish I could show it all, but here a few selected highlights from this Amazing issue: (click to enlarge)