Up for sale is a

  

   rare, original handwritten and signed letter (including original envelope) from comic book legend Steve Ditko

  

  , dated August 1992 while he was still active as an artist - and

  

   authenticated by PSA/DNA

  

  . Best known as the co-creator of

  

   Spider-Man

  

  and

  

   Doctor Strange

  

  , Ditko was notoriously private — making personal correspondence like this an extremely scarce and desirable collectible.

 







  This

  

   one-page letter

  

  is written entirely in Ditko’s hand on plain white stationery and addressed to astrophysicist and Mars researcher

  

   Barry DiGregorio

  

  . It is

  

   postmarked August 24, 1992

  

  , and offers a brief but telling glimpse into Ditko’s mindset during a turning point in his career.

 







  There are a few (and JUST a few) other Ditko letters for sale, but typically dated 2010 and onward.  I can't find another example at the moment from when he was still an active artist and discussing his place in the comic book industry.

 







  Full Letter Text

 









   Dear Barry,

  











   I have no agent and no art for sale.

  











   From the rough draft, to answer the questions I would need a detailed mental filing system and records that I don’t possess.

  











   Yes, Shooter is out at Valiant and it seems it included me.

  











   I’ll be doing some work for a new editor at Marvel. They are trying for different magazine.

  











   Regards,

  











   Steve

  

























   Context & Significance

  













  This letter is historically important, written just as

  

   Jim Shooter had been forced out of Valiant Comics

  

  , where Ditko had been contributing stories. Ditko’s casual remark — “Shooter is out at Valiant and it seems it included me” — marks the end of his work with Valiant.

 







  More intriguingly, he mentions upcoming work for a new editor at Marvel:

 









   “They are trying for different magazine.”

  









  That line likely refers to

  

   Marvel Comics Presents

  

  , where Ditko’s last known Marvel work would appear in issue

  

   #134 (Oct 1993)

  

  — the short story

  

   “Act of Faith”

  

  written by D.G. Chichester. The timing and phrasing line up, providing a glimpse into Ditko’s transition between publishers.

 







  Item Details

 























    Date:

   

   August 24, 1992 (postmarked)

  









    Length:

   

   1 full page

  









    Handwritten:

   

   Entirely by Steve Ditko

  









    Signed:

   

   “Steve” (in Ditko’s hand)

  









    Medium:

   

   White stationery with handwritten black ink

  









    Authentication:

   



    PSA/DNA Certified

   

   (includes matching numbered certificate)

  









    Condition:

   

   Excellent – preserved carefully and free from damage or excessive folds

  











   Why This Matters

  













  Steve Ditko rarely gave interviews, and letters like this — especially ones that mention other major creators and real-time industry shifts — are extremely rare. This is a

  

   genuine piece of comic book history

  

  , linking one of the medium’s greatest innovators to the complex industry changes of the early ’90s.

 







  Perfect for

 

















   Serious collectors of Marvel, Valiant, or Spider-Man history

  







   Comic book historians

  







   Fans of Ditko’s fiercely independent creative legacy

  





















  Ships securely with PSA/DNA certification

 









   Don’t miss your chance to own

  

  a one-of-a-kind, authenticated handwritten letter from one of comics’ most influential and reclusive creators

  

   — at a turning point in his legendary career.