A Journal of Zarjaz Things - Check out the word balloon on this cover:

July 2009


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hipsterdad

The Hipster Dad

	Fri, Aug. 3rd, 2007 08:38 pm

Check out the word balloon on this cover:

Or, Ditko sez, "Screw society! What about my rights as an individual?"

(If you don't catch what makes that amusing, there's an explanation after the cut.)

The reclusive Steve Ditko, creator of Shade and other such characters as the Question and, with Stan Lee, Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, is well-known in comic circles for being jess a little bit on the libertarian side. And by "jess a little bit," I mean, "would terrify most talk radio hosts."

Kind of unexpected to see it displayed so overtly on a newsstand comic in 1977, though...

(Hello to all of you from neilalien! Click the "new releases" box in the top corner to read the rest of the blog. And thanks for the link. :-) )

Tags: random images, steve ditko
Current Mood:

amused

dave_iii

Dave III

	Sat, Aug. 4th, 2007 01:11 am (UTC)

I dunno, it looks like the same nonsense on most comic covers about that time...

"Although it could DESTROY all MANKIND... I must EAT this HOSTESS FRUIT PIE to SAVE MY LIFE!!!"

I mean seriously, it's one of the reasons people stopped taking comics seriously.

hipsterdad

The Hipster Dad

	Sat, Aug. 4th, 2007 01:35 am (UTC)

There is actually an awesome Hostess ad on the inside front cover wherein the Statue of Liberty is stolen by a flock - a very, very large flock - of pigeons.

But, you know, superheroes are supposed to put the needs of the many before themselves. You know, greater good, self-sacrifice, that sort of thing. Piloting the battle cruiser with the self-destruct switch away from the city before it goes off. But when you're a libertarian like Ditko, the greater good is... yourself.

drhoz

Drhoz!

	Sat, Aug. 4th, 2007 01:17 am (UTC)

Ah Dikto, your strange grasp of anatomy never fails to amuse

papajoemambo

	Sat, Aug. 4th, 2007 03:08 am (UTC)

Crazy Unca Steve

I have all of it in it's glory here:
http://papajoemambo.livejournal.com/206815.html

and here:
http://papajoemambo.livejournal.com/207060.html

And to see what Libertarians think of Imperialistic Fascists:
http://papajoemambo.livejournal.com/210212.html

gdwessel

Geoffrey D. Wessel

	Sat, Aug. 4th, 2007 09:17 pm (UTC)

Kind of unexpected to see it displayed so overtly on a newsstand comic in 1977, though...

Say what? You even said it yerself -- he created The Question. And Mr. A. Both of which are HEAVY on the Ayn Rand trip. This is nothing.

hipsterdad

The Hipster Dad

	Sun, Aug. 5th, 2007 03:46 am (UTC)

Mr. A only appeared in small press offerings which were sold through fan publications. The Question was a backup feature in five issues of Charlton's Blue Beetle. So no, neither character had any real opportunity to spread objectivism to newsstand audiences on the front cover.

Touched by the Hand of Tharg