Steve Ditko, comic book artist and co-creator with Stan Lee of the legendary comic book characters of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, has died. He was 90 years old.
The New York Police Department confirmed that he was found dead in his apartment in Manhattan on June 29. His death was discovered on July 6.
Born in 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Ditko became exposed to newspaper comics at an early age. He found his love for comic book superheroes during the inaugural issues of the iconic Batman character as well as Will Eisner’s “The Spirit.”
After graduating high school in 1945, Ditko enlisted in the Army, where he got his first job in the comic book industry drawing comic strips for Army-syndicated newspapers.
After his discharge, Ditko studied under Batman artist Jerry Robinson in 1950 in New York City. Through Robinson’s tutelage, Ditko met the then-editor-in-chief and future Marvel Comics CEO Stan Lee, after which he joined the early team of artists, including comic book art maestro Jack Kirby.
