Eisner,+Will

Will Eisner: The Elder Statesman of Comic Art


Will Eisner was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 6, 1917 to Jewish immigrants. Little did he know that he would become a pioneering force in the world of comics and graphic novels. On January 3rd, 2005 he passed away due heart complications. He was 87 years of age. On that day, the comic and graphic art world lost a true legend. Nevertheless his spirit still lives on in the comic books and graphic novels he created during his prolific career.

Throughout his 60 year involvement with this medium, his most recognizable comic character was //The Spirit//. A hero in his own right, Will Eisner distinguished The Spirit by making him a masked detective who protects Central City from crime using nothing more than his fists, cunning, and an unbelievable tolerance for punishment.

“//The Spirit// is a study in seeming contradictions. He is a man with no special abilities or powers, yet he is a man who never hesitates to charge into a fight.” (Sacks)

This separated him from the other comic book heroes who had visible superpowers, such as //Captain America//, //Superman// and //Wonder// //Woman//. But that was not the only element that distinguished this comic series. “In these early stories, the presence of cinematic camera angles, atmospheric lighting effects and creative storytelling techniques distinguished //The Spirit.”//(WillEisner.com)

Indeed, Eisner had an innate ability to convey mood, atmosphere and dialogue with a masterful touch. Thanks to his dynamic montages, his artistic vision took on a cinematic quality – similar to the glamour of Hollywood film.

But superheroes were not the only subject matter that Eisner devoted his time and talent to. As he got older, he created deeply personal accounts of his youth as a Jew growing up in adversity. One of the most influential of these later books is //To Heart of the Storm//. To learn a little more about this novel, visit this link within Wikispaces: Graphic Novels.

Presently, thanks his vast bodies of work, Frank Miller and comic writer Neil Gaiman have both cited Eisner as their all-time favorite comic creator. Gaiman puts its best with quote taken the day after Will Eisner’s death:

”I was woken up this morning, with the news that Will had died last night… I already had to speak to one journalist about who Will was and what he did ("It's as if Orson Welles had made //Citizen Kane// and redefined what you could do in film, and then carried on making movies until now," I said, wishing I could come up with a better analogy, and knowing that that didn't explain it. And I didn't mention how proud he was of any of us who did good comics -- how much he cared about the medium.”(Gaiman)

Ultimately, his lifelong dedication and great impact on comic art has led to the annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which began in 1987. It is generally regarded as the “Oscars” of comics and celebrates the best that comic art has to offer.

References:
Sacks, Jason. http://www.onceuponadime.com/hist/spirit.htm Will Eisner.com. http://www.willeisner.com/bio/thespirit.html Gaiman, Neil. http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2005/01/will-eisner-1917-2005.asp Image of Eisner. [|willeisner.tripod.com/tribute/will-eisner-web.gif]