The Steve Ditko Archives #4
In "The Menace of the Maple Leaves," Steve Ditko’s distinctive art brings to life the hauntingly beautiful tale of Little Susi, a blind girl in a Bavarian Alpine orphanage whose only companion was her imaginary friend, Grulla. When Grulla suddenly becomes real and departs with a promise of return, a mysterious couple arrives to adopt her—only to reveal their name is Grulla, and the husband is an eye surgeon. A striking blend of quiet wonder and subtle unease, this story from the Steve Ditko Archives #4 features Ditko’s masterful pencils and inks, with lettering by Jon D’Agostino, and a cover by Ditko himself.
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Little Susi, blind from birth, and no one willing to adopt her, lived in an orphanage in the Bavarian Alps. But she had an imaginary playmate, Grulla, who kept her company. Then one night, Grulla took form, told her he was going away, but would return with a surprise. Soon a couple came to the orphanage to adopt and chose Susi: the couple was named the Grullas, and the husband was an eye surgeon!
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).