Man, that's a surprise. Although it really shouldn't be, I think we all knew he was old and had lived a very long life. I was surprised to read he was only 90!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Ditko

For me I'll always remember Ditko for his work on AMAZING SPIDERMAN and Doctor Strange in STRANGE TALES 110-146 (duh!), but also for his pre-Marvel monster stories in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY, STRANGE TALES, TALES OF SUSPENSE, TALES TO ASTONISH, and shorter series such as AMAZING ADVENTURES/AMAZING FANTASY, WORLD OF FANTASY, STRANGE WORLDS, and the like.
I first discovered Ditko with The Creeper, his first appearance in SHOWCASE 73 was reprinted in 1974 in DETECTIVE 443, and I instantly fell in love with the character. The 6-issue BEWARE THE CREEPER series was among the hardest to find for me. I lucked on a copy of issue 6, and over several years tracked down the remaining 5 issues in reverse order back to 1.

A lesser known series Ditko did was THE DESTRUCTOR for Seaboard Atlas in 1975, 4 issues that could be seen as a recreation of Spiderman.

Also in 1975, STALKER for DC, that also ran 4 issues, one of the first series scripted by Paul Levitz.

Aside from that, Ditko did a few series for DC that have a fan following but never really did much for me, such as SHADE THE CHANGING MAN, and a new version of Starman in ADVENTURE COMICS. And a lackluster The Creeper revival backup series in WORLD'S FINEST.

In the 1980's Ditko did a nice run on the concluding 15 issues of ROM for Marvel. With a very respectable 75-issue run, I loved the series from the first issue as less of a superhero book, and more of a pre-Marvel-style alien silent invasion story, only done as a series instead of as a lone anthology story as all the others were. I love the Dire Wraiths as used in X-MEN and other titles. Sal Buscema did full art on the first 30 or so issues of ROM, and when inked for 2 years or so by Aiken and Garvey (around issues 30-50), the series developed beautifully. After those artists left after issue 55, Ditko was a very natural choice. As with Mantlo's MICRONAUTS, JACK OF HEARTS, and HULK runs, ROM was very consistent throughout its run, and that ended well with Ditko's run on the series.

The last series I remember Ditko being slated to do was around 1993-1994 called DARK DOMINION, from Jim Shooter's Defiant comics line, that similarly had a secret spiritual war between the forces of good and evil theme, that I thought would have been perfect for Ditko. But despite being promoted in ads, Ditko for some reason walked away in the months before the series began. Which added to the career-long perception that Ditko was very temperamental, and difficult to work with. I don't know if that was the case, but that is certainly the perception, when he left Marvel in 1966, when he walked away from DC in 1969, and again in this case in 1994. Ditko was reclusive, and at least for many years, he didn't meet fans or go to conventions.



For those who find Ditko's work simplistic and bland, I'd point out that Frank Miller, Jim Starlin, and John Byrne, among others, manifest a profound Ditko influence in their work. And that his contribution to Marvel is second only to that of Jack Kirby. All the more remarkable because Ditko walked away from Marvel in 1966, back when Marvel was just getting started. For his continuity and visual style to resonate so long after such a brief tenure is testament to the impact of his work.

I've also gained a further appreciation for Ditko because he originally came from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where both my parents and the majority of my family is from, going back over 100 years. As I mentioned in another topic, it's an interesting coincidence that I was introduced to Ditko's version of Spiderman in 1975 when I got a pack of coverless comics in a 3-pack, and one of them was AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL 6 (reprinting AMAZING SPIDERMAN ANNUAL 1 from 1964) that is the best annual I've ever read, and the best piece of Marvel self-promotion and crossover I've read, with cameos and promotion within this one annual for every series in the Marvel line at that time it was first published in 1964. What a wild coincidence to be introduced to Ditko's Spiderman in Ditko's (and my!) hometown! And to have only found out about that coincidence years later thanks to Wikipedia.

As with so many great writers and artists, Ditko may be gone, but his work will live on and be loved by generations to come.