Steve Ditko Cover of the Week: This Magazine is Haunted #16

This magazine is near the very top of my 'want list'. One of the things I like about Ditko's early covers for Charlton is that he was able to mimic much of what he was seeing out there on newsstands, while maintain his unique vision. Perhaps borrowing from Ingels or Davis, you see much more detail here than you'll see in his 70s covers, but the details don't get in the way of the feeling of movement that is key to a good Ditko cover. His inking is also spectacular here, especially on the three main figures. That giant chain splitting the middle of the cover is an odd touch, as one could argue that it breaks up the image - but I feel as though it helps turn the reader into a voyeur. I'm not sure if Steve did his own coloring here, or if it was done by someone in Charlton's production department, but it is phenomenal. A wonderfully creepy cover.