October 18, 1990 commander rick celebrates the 50th anniversary of will eisner s landmark comic strip, the spirit. Anthonys comic book art for sale artwork the spirit. Little was written about jacks time in the studio apart from an interview conducted by will eisner himself for the spirit magazine in the eighties. Will eisner s work on the spirit was, in its way, as groundbreaking as orson welles citizen kane. In 2011, ign ranked the spirit 21st in the top 100 comic book heroes of all time. A lengthy interview with eisner is highlighted by tributes from. I think eisner s spirit comes off rather well compared to what else was out there in the comic book world. The comic book market was congested in 1948 and the initial sales numbers did not look promising for a startup imprint, so eisner shelved the unpublished titles.
The spirit is a fictional american masked crimefighter, created by writer artist will eisner in 1940, who starred in a sundaynewspaper comic book insert. A new, burgeoning market had recently been established original comic books and his shop and staff provided the product. Artists respond 2002, with graphic contributions by eisner and several other comics artists. In 1978, he popularized the term graphic novel with the publication of his book a contract with god. See more ideas about will eisner, comic books art and comic art. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded. John dibello picks of the greatest spirit title pages. How it came to be from 2000, a foreword by allan moore the pioneering spirit from 1986 and an introduction by r. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of will eisners iconic and groundbreaking character, dynamite. Artist will eisner best known for his influential comic book series the spirit and his groundbreaking graphic novel a contract with god believed in the. A few of the popular myths are that he singlehandedly created the graphic novel and the educational comic, and even conceived the newspaper comic book. To his mothers disappointment, eisner had his fathers interest in art, and his father.
Graphic storytelling and visual narrative will eisner instructional books by will eisner. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the american comic book industry, and his series the spirit 19401952 was noted for its experiments in content and form. While there are other people who qualify for the title, it isnt hyperbole to say that will eisner is one of the greatest comic book artists in the history of the world. He began his career in 1936 at the shortlived pulp wow what a magazine.
Idw is exceedingly proud to offer an artists edition of will eisner s the spirit. One of the comic book industrys most successful artists, businessmen, and teachers, will eisner is most celebrated for his crimefighting character, the spirit, which originally appeared as a newspaper supplimental comic book section from 1940 until 1952. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of will eisner s iconic and groundbreaking character, dynamite entertainment is proud to present an allnew ongoing series featuring the spirit. When speaking of will eisner its easy to lapse into hyperbole. Created by eisner in 1940, the spirit is to comics what citizen kane was to cinemagroundbreaking and brilliant. Racism is insidious, especially when it is as pervasive as it.
Will eisner born william erwin eisner is considered one of the founding fathers and most influential comic book artist of all time. On christmas day, the spirit was released in american movie theaters nationwide. The spirit by artist will eisner eddie s thanks so much for 2 glorious mike zeck captain america pages. Will eisner, william erwin eisner, american comic book artist born march 6, 1917, brooklyn, n. Will eisner, an innovative comic book artist who created the spirit, a hero without superpowers, and the first modern graphic novel, a contract with god, died on monday in.
In 1940, eisner created what would become his most wellknown character, the spirit. After the terrorist attacks of 11 september 2001, dark horse comics published the comic book 911. Today, march 6th, would be will eisner s 100th birthday. Principles and practices from the legendary cartoonist. This reprints the weekly spirit newspaper sections that originally appeared from january 5 through june 29, 1941. Not only does artist writer will eisner strive to establish comics as a mainstream art, he did it over 40 years ago with this awesome collection of dailies from yesteryear.
The spirit was printed in full comics that were placed in newspapers in 1940 the newspapers were concerned over the comic boom with. See more ideas about will eisner, comic art and comic books art. Trace the evolution of comics from the golden age beginning in the 30s to todays best selling graphic novels with the masters of comic book art, featuring. More than 1,000 comic books on display include the first superman and the first batman comics and several original eisner spirit comics. The comic book legend is perhaps best known to fans today as the namesake for the prestigious annual comic book awards, the eisners, his popularization of the term graphic novel, and his superhero creation, the spirit. In 1937, at age 20, he cofounded the eisner and iger comics studio. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the american comic book industry, and his series the spirit 19401952 was. Spirit comics will eisner,quando creo questo bellissimo personaggio dei comics, anticipo grazie alluso delle splash page e grazie anche a tutta una serie di invenzioni grafiche e stilistiche, tipiche ancora oggi nella magior parte della produzione fumettistica americana, lo stile di intere generazioni di disegnatori. William erwin will eisner march 6, 1917 january 3, 2005 was an american comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. Will eisners the spirit comic read will eisners the. Will eisner and the century of comics as art print magazine.
This volume collects the seven page spirit comics between the series opening in june 2 and december 29 1940, framed by a preface by eisner the spirit. It was a client, not eisner himself, who conceived the idea of selling comic book. At 252 pages, it includes testimonials from people who have been influenced by eisner, or on whom eisner. Directed by living comics legend frank miller, the film is his homage to comic book innovator will eisner, who. Will eisner is commonly recognized as the father of the graphic novel and is considered one of the most innovative and influential comic book artists of the 20th century. Both artistic achievements rewrote the book on sequential storytelling, and had lasting impacts. Will eisner, an innovative comic book artist who created the spirit, a hero without superpowers, and the first modern graphic novel, a contract with god, died on monday. Comics highest award, the eisner award, is named for him. A celebration of 75 years, provides comic readers a grand.
Best known as the creator of the spirit and writerartist on a number of graphic novels, will is also a passionate voice for the educational use of comics and the. In 1993 bob foster organized a comic book storytelling course in dublin, to which will eisner, ulrich schroeder, pat mcgreal and dave rawson participated. Wise and funny will eisner stands next to a poster of the spirit, the masked comic book hero he created in the 1930s. Orders are only being shipped once a week now becasue of covid19. The influence of will eisner can really be felt in the will eisner tribute issue that comic book artist put out a few years ago. Will eisner, an innovative comic book artist who created the spirit, a hero without superpowers, and the first modern graphic novel, died monday in fort lauderdale, fla.
In the 1970s he returned to the spirit for a series of new stories published by warren and kitchen sink, and drew new covers for kitchen sinks extensive reprint series of the postwar spirit. William erwin eisner march 6, 1917 january 3, 2005 was an american cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. Eisner was a writer and an artist who created the legendary character the spirit. Just type his name or the spirit into our search bar.
His famous weekly newspaper comic book insert, the spirit, made him one of the most influential comic book creators of all time. There are toys, posters, unique art and memorabilia. The spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist will eisner. Eisner came to describe the medium, sequential art. See more ideas about will eisner, comic art and comic books. Will eisners the spirit artists edition volume two.
Museum celebrates will eisner, who used comics to educate. Much other eisner art, plus outofprint graphic novels, spirit comic books and magazines, signed serigraphs, his famous cartoonist button, and numerous other eisner related items are accessible from our sister store steve krupps curio shoppe. Check out these art prints from amazing comic artists for. Making will eisner dizzy in his grave two terrible. He was a writer, known for the spirit 2008, the iron giant 1999 and. Welcome to the official online home of will eisner, the father of the graphic novel. Masters of comic book art eisner, kirby, ditko, adams. A giant in the comics field, his reputation has gained mythical status. Comic book legend will eisner died monday at the age of 87. His namesake, sevenpage weekly series is considered one of the comic art mediums most significant works, with eisner. Comic book artist, eisner award winner for best comics related magazine, celebrates the lives and works of great cartoonists, writers and editors from all eras through indepth interviews, feature articles, and unpublished art.
Will eisner was born on march 6, 1917 in brooklyn, new york city, new york, usa as william erwin eisner. Will eisner is universally acknowledged as one of the great masters of comic book art. Eisner passed away in 2005, and since his death, the comic book industry honors achievements in comics every year. Grandenetti, who penciled as a ghostartist under eisners byline, said in 2005 that before the features demise, eisner had tried everything. Anthonys comic book art original comic art will eisner.