Amazing Fantasy 15 cover with my caption
Kirby Estate Going After Spider-Man
Unpacking The Kirby Reclamation Case
Wow what a news surprise!
What a bunch of crap in my opinion!
Having read a lot about the creation of Spider-Man. It’s clear to me, that a Lee/Kirby Spider-Man WOULD NEVER have been the same as the Published Lee/Ditko version of Spider-Man that we got.
The Spider-Man we know today is a creation of Lee/Ditko.
THIS VERSION is the successful one. THIS VERSION is a creation that the Lee/Kirby version never would have been.
Read the Ditko paperback “The Avenging World”. It has various articles about Spider-Man and comic book creation.
Did Lee/Kirby make an undeveloped Spider-Man idea? Yes.
Was the Lee/Kirby Spider-Man idea the same as the Lee/Ditko idea? No.
Key Question: Are there ENOUGH DIFFERENCES from the Lee/Kirby idea to qualify and say that the Lee/Ditko Spider-Man idea Qualifies as a Separate Creation, that stands on it’s own merits? YES!
Bottom Line: What Lee/Kirby made of Spider-Man was an idea that was never fully developed.
The Spider-Man we know today is a Lee/Ditko creation that went a separate way, and stands as it’s own creation.
A Lee/Kirby Spider-Man WOULD NEVER have become the icon we know today.
I find this latest claim to be Kirby Heir GREED and Hubris.
They assume that the Kirby Spider-Man idea is the same, and would have become the same thing. Reach the same fame. Become the same character we know today.
Anyone can talk. But I want them to back this claim up with proof, facts, documented evidence. Not hearsay, and just throwing allegations out there.
The Overall Conclusion looking at the evidence from articles I’ve read and researched is this:
Kirby with Lee developed an initial Spider-Man idea that Lee rejected. What Lee developed and created with Ditko was a Spider-Man creation that stands as a separate creation.
The Ditko/Lee Spider-Man idea became the success we know today. Became the character we know today.
If the Kirby Heirs are so right in their allegations. Let’s take Ditko out of the equation. Would a Lee/Kirby Spider-Man idea BE ANYTHING like the character we know today?
I think it’s fair to say: NO WAY! It would be MUCH DIFFERENT!
And that very FACT that it would indeed be MUCH DIFFERENT, all but proves the case that the Lee/Ditko Spider-Man is a separate creation that stands on it’s own merits.
If anyone deserves compensation for Spider-Man it’s Ditko and Lee.
And some facts I’d like to lay out of what Kirby “created” in terms of Spider-Man.
1. Possibly brought Lee the Spider-Man name idea. Yet the Spider-Man name in some variation (without hypen) had been used before. The word itself was already out there. Kirby never really created it. Just like the word Batman was already out there before Kane/Finger created Batman.
2. An Aunt and Uncle. Yet no reference for names. But in a previous published comic story Lee/Ditko created similar looking characters who by coincidence were named Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Also just mentioning characters with no description or character development. Well, it’s generic enough that anyone can have an idea. Yet it’s not enough to claim the idea as your own.
3. Amazing Fantasy #15 cover Kirby penciled. EXCEPT for that FACT that it’s based on a cover Ditko already made. Kirby just made the cover from a different perspective.
Facts that Ditko CREATED for his Spider-Man.
1. Designed the Spider-Man costume and visuals of the various characters and villains in Spider-Man’s world.
2. Designed the web shooters and out of the wrists idea.
3. Designed the spider sense and other various powers. As Ditko mentioned in his article. Lee gave him no specific powers to use. But using a power like clinging to walls for a Spider themed character is just a natural progression. It’s what spiders do.
4. Designed the way Spider-Man moves. His visual nature in poses and movements. All have which been associated with the character ever since.
If the Kirby Heirs win money for Spider-Man, it would be one of the big screw jobs in comic history. The CREATION and money should go to Ditko.
As I mentioned, what Kirby brought was an unfinished idea that was rejected.
While I’m for the Kirby Estate to get his Marvel co-creations. This case is really pushing it and in my opinion is definitely not justified. A Lee/Kirby Spider-Man WOULD NEVER be the same as the published Spider-Man we know today. It’s just wrong to assume that a Kirby Spider-Man would be the same thing as the Ditko Spider-Man.
The Lee/Ditko Spider-Man version is a separate creation. This idea went in a different direction and became the success we know today.
As I heard mentioned: Like Mickey Mouse, everyone is claiming a hand in that they created Spider-Man. As if whatever ideas they had, would equal the Spider-Man we know today. Facts and evidence prove otherwise though.
Had Spider-Man just been a failed concept, no one would be talking about the character. Much less wanting to claim credit.
Yet have a successful idea, and everyone wants a piece of it.