What's this? Yet another reason why the calls to ditch BBC Four are ridiculous? Oh yes indeedy. The whole point of a niche channel like this is to allow people to make programmes about their own personal interests, on the assumption that it's highly unlikely that they'll be alone, and last night there was one such show. As part of the Comics Britannia season, Jonathan Ross went on quite a personal mission to tell the world that Spider-Man had *two* creators. Do most of us care? Perhaps not, but the joy of this programme was enjoying and appreciating the passion and care taken in its production.

Anyone with a casual interest in comics, or indeed pop culture in general, will know that Stan Lee is The Master, a creative genius whose name looms large over the entire field. He is credited with bringing The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, and The Incredible Hulk, and for that he must be saluted. The problem is that he has often taken credit where others have had an equal (at least) influence on a character's creation.

No-one disputes that Stan Lee came up with the idea of a man with the powers of a spider, and in his mind that makes him the sole creator, but most comics fan appreciate that it was Steve Ditko - reclusive, dark, and immensely talented - who must be credited with bringing that idea to life. He came up with the costume, for a start.

Unlike the poor drawing of a lot of today's comics and TV cartoons, Steve Ditko took infinite care over every frame. While Superman and Batman were buffed and chiseled, Ditko made Peter Parker a true high-school student; weedy, nervous, and as concerned with impressing the girl next door as uncovering the identity of the Green Goblin. Strange angles and frames half in shadow represented the state of our hero's mind. The talking heads, such as Alan Moore (creator of the celebrated graphic novels, Watchmen) say that the Spider-Man stories were never quite the same once Ditko left Marvel.

The whole programme was a little self-indulgent, certainly - seeing Wossy pore over his cellophane-wrapped comics collection with fellow obsessive Paul Gambaccini is perhaps a scene we didn't really need - but all of us who have a passion for some small part of the arts or culture can appreciate the enthusiasm on show. This programme was clearly a pleasure and not a chore to make, and that's endearing.

The show was called 'In Search of Steve Ditko' due to his reclusive nature, so was he found? Well, yes and no. Ross travelled to New York, and spoke to him on the phone before meeting him face to face - off camera. Ross acknowledged that this was hardly satisfying for the viewer, but we did get to see his child-like, over-excited smile beaming out across New York after the meeting. Never meet your heroes? If it makes you feel like that, I'll take any opportunity. [annawaits]