R.I.P. Will Eisner

[dbryant]

The creator of the Spirit (pictured as my avatar), legendary cartoonist Will Eisner has passed away at the age of 87. Here's a link to a nice remembrance from Mark Evanier that includes a link to a more comprehensive obituary:

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2005_01_04.html#009385

[TSmithPage]

Sorry to hear that. He was very talented.

[RDK]

Very sad indeed. He was a genuine artistic genius and a really nice guy. Here's part of another obit I received this morning... :(

Legendary comics and graphic novel artist and writer Will Eisner died last night, Monday, January 3, 2005, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 87, following complications from quadruple heart bypass surgery.

Will Eisner didn’t create Superman, Batman, Spider-Man or even Archie and Jughead. Some comic book fans may scratch their heads when asked to describe his work. But every artist and writer in comic books, as well as graphic artists across the entire spectrum of modern illustration, television and film, owes a debt to him.

In 1941, Eisner created a goofball detective named Denny Colt who died (not really) and was reborn as “The Spirit,” the cemetery-dwelling protector of the public — and pretty girls in particular. The Spirit possessed no superpowers. He couldn’t see through his girlfriend’s clothing the way a curious alien like the Man of Steel might scientifically investigate Lois Lane. And he wasn’t a brilliant technologist like Batman, imagineering hokey gadgets and psychedelic compounds for all-night parties with the Joker.

The Spirit broke so many molds:

* Eisner was the strip’s artist and writer, a feat that is still rare today.

* The Spirit was published and distributed as an insert in Sunday newspapers, ala Parade magazine. It was seen weekly by as many as 5-million people from 1941 to 1952.

* No two Spirit sections looked alike. Although most commercial operations – from Superman to Pepsi-Cola – spend millions of dollars testing, proving and marketing their logos, Eisner thought it was more challenging to change The Spirit’s masthead every week – for 12 years.

* The Spirit was a fun, mature read, aimed at adults but accessible to kids.

For all of these reasons, The Spirit was published and reissued in various forms almost uninterrupted for 60 years. Its look, feel and smartass humor is timeless, which accounts for the countless revivals.

Eisner, who went to high school with “Batman” creator Bob Kane, provided first jobs in the comics business to everyone from Jack Kirby (co-creator of “Captain America” and the “Fantastic Four”) to Pulitzer-winning writer and artist Jules Feiffer.

If not for Eisner’s influence, Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman might never have published his graphic novel Maus: A Survivor’s Tale (Eisner is credited with popularizing — if not inventing — the medium of the graphic novel with the 1978 publication of his graphic story collection, A Contract With God) and fellow Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay would have been missing quite a few Eisner-inspired tales.

For comic book professionals, the highest honor in the industry is either an Eisner Award, named for Eisner and given out every summer at Comic-Con International in San Diego, or a Harvey Award, named for Eisner’s late friend Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of Mad magazine and Playboy’s “Little Annie Fanny,” given every April in Pittsburgh. Kurtzman, who discovered talents as diverse as R. Crumb and Gloria Steinem, passed away in 1993, making Eisner the last man standing.

Literally.

At every Eisner Awards ceremony, each recipient was handed his or her award by the man himself.

Several years ago, a big red velvet chair was put on stage for Eisner. The Eisner Awards promoters said, “Come on, Will, you shouldn’t have to stand up all this time; here, have a seat.” Eisner sat on it briefly, got a laugh out of it, but then he stood up again, and stayed on his feet the rest of the night. Eisner demonstrated his strength of character and enduring physical wherewithal by standing on stage throughout the entire presentation, shaking hands and personally congratulating the winners. Because there is a different presenter for each award, no one else stood for as long as Eisner.

That’s why, when Eisner handed the 2002 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story (Amazing Spider-Man #30-35: “Coming Home”) to writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna, Straczynski thrust the award in the air and remarked, “You know, you get the Emmy, you don’t get it from ‘Emmy.’ You win the Oscar, you don’t get it from ‘Oscar.’ How freakin’ cool is this?”

[Evan L]

You said it all, RDK. Eisner, along with Kirby and Adams, is one of the "Big Three" of comic book talents. His Spirit stories are immortal. RIP.


Evan

[Mister Kite]

Very sad, indeed. I grew up collecting comics and I can't tell you how many hours I spent with Will Eisner's Spirit. He was a true giant of the industry. I also heard this morning on the way to work that (Frank) Kelly Freas died in his sleep on Sunday at the age of 82. Even if you don't recognize the name, you will most likely know his work. Beginning in the 1950s, he spent seven years as the main cover artist of Mad Magazine, helping to make famous Alfred E. Newman, the "What, Me Worry?" mascot of the magazine.

[billdcat]

I am sad to hear of our loss of Mr. Eisner.

Back in the early '90's I was lucky enough to hear him give a speech
on panel artwork movement at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia.

He looked, acted, and sounded like a man 25 years-younger than his age.

I thought he might be the guy who would live forever.

[househippie]

Very sad, indeed. I grew up collecting comics and I can't tell you how many hours I spent with Will Eisner's Spirit. He was a true giant of the industry. I also heard this morning on the way to work that (Frank) Kelly Freas died in his sleep on Sunday at the age of 82. Even if you don't recognize the name, you will most likely know his work. Beginning in the 1950s, he spent seven years as the main cover artist of Mad Magazine, helping to make famous Alfred E. Newman, the "What, Me Worry?" mascot of the magazine.
Sorry to hear this news. While the first run of Will Eisner's Spirit was a little before my time, I do remember the first time I discovered this wonderful comic was in 1966 when Harvey Comics published what turned out to be only a two-issue run. Always loved his artwork!

I also remember Kelly Freas. I guess we're all getting old . . . :sigh:

[Ed Bishop]

R.I.P.....one of the very best! :edthumbs:

ED

[R. Cat Conrad]

Yes, the loss of both Freas and Eisner literally within a period of 24 hours is quite sad. As the shock of hearing of their passing settles in I'm left with similar feelings to those expressed by others here, but perhaps grief a bit more personally felt as I knew both men, Eisner somewhat better than Freas, although both from attending &/or being programming participants at various comics/SF conventions over the years.

The point made about Freas' work on Mad Magazine caught me a bit off guard, because Freas is probably more familiar to SF readers for his work gracing the covers of many SF novels, pulps & digests since the early 50's. While he may be more recognized in the mainstream for his cover work on Mad magazine, his sense of humor was even more in evidence on many of the cover paintings of whimsical aliens, fantasy characters and futuristic inventions. My only regret is that I didn't take the opportunity to get to know each of them a little better in order to discuss their work at greater length at any of the numerous conventions we all attended over the years.

BTW, if I can locate, size and uplink it, I'll post a piece of artwork I did in the mid-80's for a convention program (Dallas Fantasy Faire, as I recall) that both Eisner & I attended (i.e., a Spirit homage). It's worth noting that Will Eisner was a true gentleman of the arts and never rested in finding creative outlets to express his story ideas, combining graphic panel art with innovative, oft-times controversial social commentary he was at the forefront of the graphic novel movement ...and this was four decades after the long running Spirit made his last appearance (i.e., in the Sunday newspaper comic book format, another unique Eisner concept, the likes of which which has never been successfully duplicated).

Yes, these two talented, imaginative artists will be sorely missed, as will be their creative finely rendered styles, rare enough in their own time and rarer still today. Kelly & Will, you've left us with a wealth of inspiring, visionary work that will live on while the grace, lyrical wit & beauty of your creations may not pass this way again.

R.I.P.

[dbryant]

Again, from Mark Evanier's blog, here's a link to a massive list of Eisner obit links at Tom Spurgeon's blog:

http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/industry_mourns_loss_of_will_eisner/

And this link to streaming video of a lecture Eisner gave at the Library of Congress:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/eisner.html

[crimsoncing]

Back in the late 60's a company (Gold Key maybe?) published a 50 cent on going reprints of the Spirit stores. I was blown away and this was my first taste of comic books out side of the DC/Marvel world. I could not get over the artwork. The stores were fun and fast. I thought this was brand new stuff and when the book was canceled I felt a large hole. I should say this started me on collecting undergrounds and other comics. I then went on to Crumb, Pekar etc etc etc.

Thank you Eisner for turning me on to a world with out the X men!!

[GuyDon]

A very talented man. RIP.

[Mister Kite]

Back in the late 60's a company (Gold Key maybe?) published a 50 cent on going reprints of the Spirit stores. Back in the Sixties, after the wild success of the Batman TV show, Harvey Comics published two issues of a 25 cent The Spirit comic. It was comprised mostly of reprints and a bit of new material and was a beautiful, but short-lived effort. In the early '70's, Warren Publishing reprinted a couple of Spirit stories in Creepy and Eerie. Spurred on by strong fan reaction, they spun The Spirit off into its own reprints magazine that lasted 16 issues.