Overwhelmed by a Cloak of Darkness: Steve Ditko’s Dark Karma and Cosmic Inner Space

Early in his career, Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko developed two motifs that would become the basis for the philosophic tenants and narrative conventions that dominate his creative output: “dark karma” and “cosmic inner space.” The author identifies and defines these motifs, demonstrating how they separate Ditko from many of his predecessors and contemporaries. Moreover, the development of these tropes informs Ditko’s career-long interest in the individual, and he eventually merges “dark karma” and “cosmic inner space” with his later interest in Objectivism. Recognizing these tropes in work that predates Ditko’s interest in the philosophy of Ayn Rand is critical to developing a coherent reading of his contributions and situating the artist within a broader historical context.