Steve Ditko, co-creator of Marvel superheroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, has died at the age of 90.
The NYPD confirmed the death to several news outlets Friday, one week after his body was found in his Manhattan apartment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, authorities believe Ditko died two days before a social worker found him unresponsive. A cause of death has not been announced.
Ditko was born in 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where developed a love for comic heroes like Batman and The Spirit. After graduating from high school in 1945, he enlisted in the military and began drawing comic strips for an Army-syndicated newspaper. Ditko would go on to study under Batman artist Jerry Robinson at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School in NYC. About five years later, Ditko landed a job at Atlas Comics—a precursor to Marvel—where he met comic book legend Stan Lee.
The two eventually worked together to create iconic characters like Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and supervillain Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader; however, Ditko is most known for his instrumental role in creating Spider-Man. THR reports Ditko was responsible for the teenage superhero’s signature look; the blue-and-red costume, as well as the web shooters, were reportedly Ditko’s idea.
Following an alleged dispute with Lee, Ditko took a job at DC Comics, where he would create characters the Question, the Creeper, as well as Hawk and Dove. He eventually returned to Marvel in 1979.
Following the news of Ditko’s death, many fans took to social media to honor his life and career. You can read some of the messages below.