Friday, November 21, 2008

Steve Ditko Cover of the Week: Hawk and Dove #2

We can start to see a bit of Objectivism creeping into Ditko covers at this stage. Hawk and Dove co-exist as polar opposites, and their constant philosophical debates (aided and abetted by their rather opinionated father) was unlike anything the DCU has seen before. This cover really accentuates the hawkish Hawk, and the compromise-seeking Dove is cowering. It really doesn't seem all that different from some of the stuff that Ditko would be putting out on his own not too long after that. It's a very simple, but nicely designed cover. I've always like the little vignettes of Don and Hank. Overall, it's a nice piece and it's too bad that Ditko's tenure was so short at this stage (am I correct in thinking that he fell ill at this time?). I read Blake Bell's bio last month - but my sleep deprived brain isn't recalling the details.

1 comment:

MDG14450 said...

You're right that health problems forced Ditko off the book (and the Creeper). I remember wanting to get the Showcase issue after seeing the house ads--really interesting concept, but it's hard to pull off a superhero character whose shtick is that he tries to stop fights and refuses to fight himself.

I actually have the original art for the last page of this issue--bought it back when art was affordable.