I agree. I respect and admire John Romita's work -- and I realize to most fans, he IS the Spider-Man artist. If you came in during Romita or later, Ditko's 'sketchiness' must seem like a silent movie or something.

But Steve Ditko's Spider-Man was totally real and original -- fluid, fast, inhuman, sometimes three-dimensional and real, and sometimes so very hard to really see that it was if you were only seeing a mindscape of what he intended to draw! Totally wonderful and when Ditko left the book it became just a regular comic. To me, at least.

Conversely, there are artists whose work I didn't like at all then -- Andru is a good example, so is Don Heck, Bob Haney, Jim Mooney and even Jim Aparo -- who today I realize were terrific storytellers and communicators. Especially compared to the overly detailed work of today, where crosshatches and speed lines work overtime to accomplish what a Ditko, Gil Kane or Carmine Infantino could convey with a single stroke and a shadow.

Then there's the original JLA's Mike Sekowsky who, I'm sorry, was the worst artist on a major book I've ever seen. If not for the wonderful covers, some by Sekowsky but smoothed out and redeemed by DC's top inkers, the JLA would have been a total loss. The only DC Archives book I've told my wife NOT to get me for Christmas.

But Ditko! And his Dr. Strange? As good as comics could be...