NY Times on Frank Miller's "The Spirit" Movie: "108 overstuffed, interminable minutes"

By A. O. SCOTT

December 25, 2008

"... I’m just trying to figure out why, somewhere in the middle of “The Spirit,” Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson arrive on screen decked out in swastikas and jackboots. Nothing in the logic of the film explains it, but then, to use the phrase “the logic of the film” when talking about “The Spirit” may be to take the “oxy” out of “oxymoronic.”

To ask why anything happens in Frank Miller’s sludgy, hyper-stylized adaptation of a fabled comic book series by Will Eisner may be an exercise in futility. The only halfway interesting question is why the thing exists at all."

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Samuel L. Jackson Did His Own Makeup In The Spirit (io9.com)

By Meredith Woerner

Dec 17 2008

Director Frank Miller rewrote the Spirit script to accommodate ScarJo and let Samuel Jackson improvise — and even reinvent his character's look. We met the director and cast, and learned just how much they collaborated.

Letting Frank Miller gallop across The Spirit film set unedited opened the doors for the actors to do so as well. In a press conference for his newly released film The Spirit Miller described how one should adapt a comic to film:

As far as what translates from comics to film, I find that they are the better source material, and would cite marvel's recent Iron Man and Incredible Hulk as wonderful witty jobs at adapting them. I think if they get too presumptuous, comic book movies tend to fall apart.

That's all fine and dandy to say, Mr. Miller, but revelations throughout the conference revealed that you and your cast went a little willy nilly with changes and additions. Case in point: the lovely Scarlett Johansson's part, Silken Floss, was completely rewritten and expanded once the gorgeous ScarJo wanted in on the project. And that was only the beginning of the actors dictating changes to the movie.

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Samuel L Jackson's make-up fun (Metro.co.uk)

Samuel L. Jackson image by Getty Images via DaylifeFriday, December 5, 2008

Samuel L Jackson has revealed he enjoyed wearing make-up for his latest film role, in his words, "a little too much".

The actor, known for his tough guy roles, wears outlandish costumes, head gear and make-up to play villain The Octopus in The Spirit - a film adaptation of Will Eisner's comic books.

Speaking at the launch party for the film, directed by Frank Miller, Sam said: "Frank wanted the eight teardrops tattooed onto my face and the rest of it he kind of let me do, so when it came to eye colour or eye shadow or eyebrows.

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TV Stars * TV Producers * Movie Stars * Movie Directors, Producers, documentary Filmmakers and Screenwriters * Politicians and Political Writers * Stand-Up Comedians * Health Experts * Magazine Editors * Radio Stars * Bloggers, Podcasters and Web Producers * Novelists * Musicians and Music Journalists * Sexuality Experts * Culture and Society Experts * Food Experts * Biographers, Historians and A.J. Jacobs * Athletes and Sports Experts * Photographers * Journalists * Crime Experts * CEOs and Business Experts * Comic Book Creators * Cartoonists * Will Eisner Co-Workers, Friends and Experts

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The 12 comic-related gifts of Christmas

Cover of
The Best of the Spirit

Written by Jim Beard

Toledo Free Press

You only think your true love isn’t into comics. With the incredible expanse of comic book themes, characters, and licensed tie-ins being published, there’s never been a better time to gift that comic-enthusiast or potential comic-enthusiast on your list. Here’s a handy list of 12 tomes with which to surprise and delight this year:

4. “The Best of The Spirit” (DC Comics, $14.99)” Another book to absorb before the film adaptation arrives this month; this archive is the cream of the crop of Will Eisner’s trendsetting Spirit stories. If you know fans of hard-boiled mysteries, these 22 tales are for them.

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NEW SITE: Sheena Queen of the Jungle

Jerry Iger took credit for creating it, although Will Eisner said that was crazy, he created it, but whatever the true story, guys still dig Sheena's curves and cunning. So who can resist a new Sheena web ste with lots of art?

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Eisner's 'Spirit' lives on in documentary (South County Independent)

Image by roadkillbuddha via Flickr

By Doug Norris/Features Editor

WEST KINGSTON - Two brothers who grew up as comic book fans in Wakefield teamed up to make a documentary on one of the iconic figures of the industry. Their film, "Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist," will be screened at the Courthouse Center for the Arts Wednesday at 7 p.m. as part of a homecoming celebration for family and friends.

"The comics were really great to us," said Jon B. Cooke of West Kingston, the writer and co-producer of the film he made with his brother, director and co-producer Andrew D. Cooke, who lives and works in the film industry in New York. "This homecoming screening, it's really to celebrate the achievements of my brother, and it's also for our mom, who always supported our interest in the arts. She bought the comics."

The film illuminates the life and career of Eisner, creator of "The Spirit," who coined the terms "graphic novel" and "sequential art" and became one of the most influential and visionary comic book artists of all time.

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Now, That's the Spirit (The Barer Cave)

Image by Getty Images
via DaylifeFrom DANNY BARER:

While I do wish the best to Frank Miller's movie version of THE SPIRIT, opening next month, I must say that the ads so far have not filled me with confidence. Yes, Miller was creator Will Eisner's friend, and his disciple, and much of Miller's comic book work has been, er, spiritually attuned to Eisner's. One of my favorite recollections of the Golden Apple Comics store in Hollywood is of the mid-1980's Saturday afternoon when I saw Miller -- who just weeks before had been feted at the same store for the release of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, with lines stretching out the door as fans waited hours for his autograph -- slipping into the store without fanfare, and buying the latest issue of Kitchen Sink Press's reprint of THE SPIRIT.

But those ads. The most recent features the Spirit's arch-foe, the Octopus. Eisner's Octopus was a criminal mastermind whose true face was never seen, who stood behind curtains or went about in disguise, his only distinguishing feature his gloves with three fat vertical lines on the back. In the latest ad, Samuel L. Jackson, as the Octopus, has the gloves; but he also has outrageous mascara, and platform boots, and, well, a pimp coat. Stuff like this makes me suspect that the SPIRIT movie might meet the same fate as SPEED RACER.

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Mike Gold, COMICMIX.com editor, co-founder: Mr. Media Interview

Image via WikipediaRemember when convenience stores had spinning racks with signs at the top that shouted, “Hey, Kid! Comics!”?

Actually, I barely remember that myself, it’s been so long. Finding comic books hasn’t been easy since the late 1970s. And the comic book companies don’t even make the real dough from the so-called 32-page “pamphlets” anymore. The real money is in selling characters to the movies or as toys.

So what’s a guy to do if he just wants the simple pleasure of reading a comic book?

Fire up the web browser and head for ComicMix.com.

ComicMix is all things to all people, publishing online comic books as well as being a one-stop shop for comics news and views.

Joining me to day is one of the three founders of ComicMix.com, a veteran of DC Comics himself, Mike Gold.

You can LISTEN to this interview with COMICMIX.com co-founder MIKE GOLD by clicking the BlogTalkRadio.com audio player below!

Open in your default player
Detach into a separate window

Copyright 2008 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

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CBM Exclusive Sand Serif Spirit Wallpaper (ComicBookMovies.com)

Regardless of how the movie turns out, the one thing that can't be denied is that Frank Miller has got some of the hottest women in Hollywood for his upcoming "The Spirit" comic book adaptation.

Be sure and check out ComicBookMovies.com's The Spirit wallpaper area to see the new exclusive Sand Serif wallpaper, but also all of the "official" wallpapers that we could get our hands on!

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Frank Miller: Will Eisner's 'The Spirit' moved him (Los Angeles Times)

Image by Strandell via FlickrBy Geoff Boucher
November 2, 2008

Reporting from San Francisco -- No comic-book creator has seen his work brought to the screen with more reverence than Frank Miller, whose ultra-violent graphic novels "300" and "Sin City" were adapted to film practically panel by panel. "It is very strange," Miller said, "to draw something and then have it come alive in front of you. You start to feel like a low-rent god, but, in my case, one with major feet of clay. . . . "

This minor deity, who favors fedoras and Winston cigarettes, is now attempting a new type of Hollywood trick and it starts on Christmas Day, no less; that's the release date of " The Spirit," the superhero film that Miller hopes will complete his unlikely transformation from comic-book artist to successful movie director, a career path that did not seem possible even at the start of this decade. "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" may have racked up historic box-office numbers this summer, but if Miller succeeds with this particular pop-culture leap, it will be the most dramatic proof that comics have become hard-wired into the circuitry of Hollywood.

Interestingly, Miller, the most important comic-book artist of the last 25 years, chose to make his solo directorial debut with somebody else's superhero, and a relatively obscure and vintage one at that. The Spirit was created in 1940 by the late, great Will Eisner, a beloved figure in comics who brought a cinematic flair to his drawing board that influenced several generations. No one admired Eisner more than Miller -- in 2005, shortly after Eisner's death, the book "Eisner/Miller" hit shelves with 350 pages of collected conversation between the artists as a sort of comic-book sector version of the landmark 1967 film book "Hitchcock/Truffaut."

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A Celebration of the Life and Work of Will Eisner, Nov. 12 (Miami Book Fair International)

This year, Miami Book Fair International has partnered with Diamond Book Distributors to present a comprehensive program on graphic novels and the comics world that will celebrate their historical place in our country's literary life, as well as their recent rise in popularity and integration into the mainstream via book stores, libraries and educational curricula all over the country. Events include the following:

A Celebration of the Life and Work of Will Eisner
Wed., November 12, 2008
6 p.m., Centre Gallery (Bldg. 1, 3rd Floor)

Please join us for an exceptional evening celebrating comic book legend, Will Eisner, when Miami Book Fair International and Miami Dade College’s Centre Gallery open an exhibit of Will Eisner’s original artwork and a multi-media exhibit based upon The Plot, Eisner’s last graphic novel. A panel discussion about Eisner’s life and work will take place in the gallery, and will be followed by a screening of the award-winning documentary, Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist in the Auditorium (Bldg.1, 2nd Floor).

About the Panel:

Will Eisner is undoubtedly the most influential individual in comics—a true pioneer in creating both form and content. From his now legendary work in the 1940s on The Spirit to his truly groundbreaking graphic novel, A Contract with God, in 1978, and his posthumously published graphic novel, The Plot, in 2005, Will Eisner’s work and passion for this medium continues to shape contemporary pop culture. The Eisner Awards, the “Oscars” of the Comics Industry, are named in his honor.

Frank Miller’s film adaptation of Eisner’s The Spirit will arrive in theaters in December 2008—come get a behind-the-scenes look at the man who inspired not only the movie, but a generation of writers and artists.

Editors, agents, creators, and friends will provide a rare and intimate look into the evolution of Eisner’s career, impart personal anecdotes about working with him, and share their unique perspectives on this exceptional visionary artist.

The discussion will feature Eisner’s editor on The Plot, Bob Weil (vice president and executive editor at W.W. Norton & Company), agents Denis Kitchen and Judy Hansen, and author and Eisner protégé Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics). The panel will be moderated by Charles Kochman, executive editor of Abrams ComicArts, and editor of The Will Eisner Companion.

Saturday and Sunday Sessions With Creators and Authors

Saturday, Nov. 15

11:45 a.m., Auditorium
Art Spiegelman on Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist As A Young %@&*!

Noon
Bring your comics artwork and get feedback from comic artists Jessica Abel and Mike Perkins.

1:30 p.m., 7106-7
Scott McCloud on Comics 2008
Comics are changing fast, both in the kinds of stories they tell, and how their creators tell them. Thanks to the “graphic novel” movement, the manga invasion and the growth of webcomics, the story of comics in America is more exciting and unpredictable than ever. Author and comics artist Scott McCloud puts all these trends into perspective in a fast-moving visual presentation.

2:30 p.m., 7106-7
David Hajdu, The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America in conversation about comics and American culture with Françoise Mouly, co-founder of the comics anthology, RAW; editorial director, TOON Books; and art director, The New Yorker

4:00 p.m., 7106-7
Comics Galaxy
David Heatley on My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down
Ariel Shrag on Awkward, Definition, Potential and Likewise
Jessica Abel and Matt Madden on Drawing Words and Writing Pictures: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels, and Beyond

Sunday, Nov. 16

1:00 p.m., Auditorium
Chip Kidd on Bat-Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan
Brad Meltzer on The Book of Lies

10:30 a.m., Centre Gallery
Mim Harrison on The Happy Warrior, The Life Story of Sir Winston Churchill as Told Through Great Britain’s Eagle Comic of the 1950s
Samantha Baskind and Ranen Omer-Sherman on The Jewish Graphic Novel: Critical Approaches
Dan Herman, Publisher and Editor, Hermes Press

12:00 p.m., Centre Gallery
Frank Beddor on Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars, Volume One
Jordan Mechner on Prince of Persia, The Graphic Novel

2:00 p.m., Centre Gallery
Stephanie McMillan on As the World Burns: 50 Things You Can Do To Stay in Denial, A Graphic Novel
Alex Baladi on Frankenstein: Now and Forever
Youme Landowne on Pitch Black

3:30 p.m., Centre Gallery
Superheroes: The Secrets Behind the Masks
Superman may be 70 years old, but he's still leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Batman, Iron Man, plus hundreds more super heroes still protect our universe with their strange and wondrous powers. Children and adults alike love these seemingly simple but surprisingly complex characters. Why have they played such a large part in our popular culture for decade after decade? What does the metaphor of the superhuman mean? How has the idea of the hero changed? And what's with the tights? If you ever wondered what goes on in the head of a comic book creator – or want to know what they’re working on next -- our panel of industry pros await your questions!
A panel discussion with Bill Rosemann, editor, Marvel Comics
Christos Gage, writer, Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Avengers: The Initiative
Mike Perkins, artist, Captain America, Stephen King’s The Stand
Brian Reed, writer, Ms. Marvel, Secret Invasion: Front Line

On The Teen Scene Stage

Friday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m.— Learn the true history of Wonderland and its queen Alyss, her body guard Hatter Madigan and the rest of the folk living on the other side of The Looking Glass, when Frank Beddor presents his graphic novel, Hatter M.

Saturday, Nov. 15, Noon-- Bring your comics artwork and get feedback from creator Jessica Abel and Marvel editor Bill Rosemann.
6 p.m.-- Superhero Sculpture Workshop by Ivan Galindo

Sunday, Nov. 16, 4 p.m. Travis Nichols presents the ultimate DIY guide for budding rock stars—Punk Rock Etiquette

In Children’s Alley

Sunday, Nov. 16, 1 p.m. – Hey kids! Read TOON books along with Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly then jump on stage and draw your own comics!

Street Fair Exhibitors:

~Automatic Pictures is the creator of the popular The Looking Glass Wars, a twisted version of the Alice in Wonderland fable. The trilogy and its spin-offs, including the Hatter M graphic novel series, are the brainchild of Hollywood producer Frank Beddor.
~Banana Tail is a comic for small children about a yellow-tailed monkey and his friends, created by established superhero illustrator Mark McKenna.
~Dark Horse Comics is the third largest comics publisher in the United States, including Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Predator, Terminator, Tarzan, Conan, and many other titles.
~Diamond Book Distributors is a subsidiary of the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and related merchandise. DBD sells a vast array of high-quality graphic novels, gaming products, and trading cards to some of the largest mainstream booksellers.
~Don't Eat Any Bugs produces graphic novels and web comics for kids, generally involving penguins and/or pirates.
~Emotes by Evergrow are a multi-platform line of emotional little beings that live in the World Wide Web and fight computer viruses, while teaching children how to deal with their emotions in a healthy way.
~Hermes Press is one of a handful of publishers which exclusively produces books and comic strip reprints focusing on the art and artists of the comics and pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, art books covering science fiction, and popular culture.
~Marvel Comics is the granddaddy of comics, with a library of over 5,000 high-profile characters – from Captain America to Spider-Man, the X-men and the Punisher -- built in nearly 70 years of comic book publishing.
~NASCAR comic books’ unique concepts, original characters and varied storylines appeal to NASCAR's large and diverse fan base as well as traditional independent comic book consumers.
~Radical Publishing is a manufacturer of the next generation of premium comic book products, with a focus on high-concept stories and artwork by marquee and newly discovered talent.
~Sky Dog Press publishes Buzzboy, the Daily Comic Strip Adventures of "The World's Most Upbeat Hero!"
~TATE'S Comics + Toys + Videos + More is a 15-year-old comics, toys, video (and much more) shop located in Ft. Lauderdale. It is regularly considered the “best” in its field by local media.
~Toon Books is a children’s comic publishing house dreamed up by Françoise Mouly, New Yorker art editor and wife of acclaimed cartoonist, Art Spiegelman. The focus of the venture is introducing young children to the pleasures of reading.
~Tokyopop is a distributor and publisher of anime, manga and English-language manga, headquartered in Los Angeles.
~UDON is an award-winning Canadian-based art collective formed in 2000 to provide high-quality creative services to the entertainment industry. Besides a client list that reads like a who’s who of the business UDON also publishes comics, manga and artbooks.

The School of Comics
All About Graphic Novels, Comic Books and Manga
Friday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Room 7128 (Bldg. 7, First Floor)

Educational sessions for teachers, librarians, parents and others who want to learn more about the format. Facilitated by librarians and professors, experts in the field.

Free and open to the public. Registration required. For more information and to register, please visit www.miamibookfair.com and click on Comix Galaxy

10 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Welcome Session: Panel Discussion with Arlene Allen, Robin Brenner, Adam Johnson, Tom Kealey, Francoise Mouly and David Serchay
Graphic novels have become a rapidly growing, influential force in the publishing world and entertainment industry. The success of graphic novels began in a place where it was least expected: the library. Facilitators will discuss what led us to this point and what can be done to capitalize on this new form of literacy.

11 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Graphic Novels: Introducing an Exciting Format that Draws New Readers! Facilitated by Librarian David Serchay
Graphic novels have an increased presence in libraries, and while not all titles are suitable for all ages, more and more titles are being created for younger readers. They are even being used in classroom activities and reading lists.

11:50 a.m. – 12-50 p.m.
Lunch: Miami Book Fair’s Street Fair is in full swing! Head over to the food court for lunch, then browse the booths selling comics, graphic novels, and millions of other books.

1 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Welcome to Manga! What is this stuff from Japan?
Facilitated by Librarian Arlene Allen
This entry-level session will be a gateway into the world of manga for librarians, educators and the general public.

2 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
A Deeper Look At Manga: The world of the Otaku
Facilitated by Librarian Robin Brenner
Robin Brenner’s appearance courtesy of Bookreporter.com and TeenReads.com.

Due to its origins in Japanese culture, manga carries with it an entire world of iconography and meaning. What is Shojo, Yaoi, Shonen, or Josei? This session will reveal the deeper, hidden meanings in the language of the Otaku, or fan of manga.

3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Comics and Writing: Shake Girl, The Stanford University Graphic Novel Project
Facilitated by Professor Adam Johnson
Kealy and Johnson will discuss the development of this program at Stanford University and what it can mean to writing programs of all levels.

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The Spirit is Awesome. Frank Miller's Movie will not be. (Adventures of Comic Book Girl)

Will Eisner via WikipediaNov. 2nd, 2008 at 5:30 PM

Whew! Been doing a lot of comic related stuffs lately. Let's see, in order:

I read "The Spirit: Femme Fatales" and some of Darwyn Cooke's The Spirit (they only had the second volume) at books a million, and LOVED IT. Everyone's all "Will Eisner is a genius!" and I'm all "Well, I'll have to check it out" and I did, and he IS.

The stories are just fun. And not the cotton candy type of fun of Superman and Batman stories, but fun like a toffee chocolate bar, light and tasty, yet with crunchy delicious nougats of substance.

Mmm, chocolate...

Anyway, I was saying. I totally loved the trade and bought it. The first thing I noticed about the stories were the art- since I am constantly aspiring to be a half way decent artist- it's so expressive. You can't help but love Denny, because he's always got these wonderful goofy expressions on his face so you can see he's not taking himself seriously at ALL.

Also, the female characters- it was written in the 1940's, so there's some stereotypes and questionable stuff (the scariest one was when Comissioner Dolan was positively gleeful his old battleax of an aunt was in the hands of a convicted wife beater. DudeNotFunny. Though the same story had said aunt drugging innocent men and forcing them into marriage...so ickiness on both sides there) but Will's "femme fatales" are competent, both physically and mentally often the Spirit's equals. You know how in the old stories Catwoman always got completely owned and tricked by Batman (and even in some today?) Well, that never happens to Silk Satin. She's one step ahead of him, and every inch his equal. She doesn't throw herself at him either, like most of the other girls (well, at least not after the first story) Also, her first appearance? She walked in with a bullet in her arm, saying she got in a bit of a scuffle and knifed a guy, and then fishes the bullet out of her arm using a clean razor and some iodine. "There's the little beggar!" If that's not badass, I don't know what is. Satin rocks.

Click HERE to Keep Reading!

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Drawing power: Graphic novelists get top billing at Miami Book Fair (SunSentinel.com)

Art Spiegelman via WikipediaBy Colleen Dougher
City Link Metromix
November 5, 2008

While comic books and graphic novels aren't new to the Miami Book Fair, they're being highlighted this year in Comix Galaxy, a program that will include panel discussions with more than two dozen artists, as well as editors, distributors, publishers and others in the comics industry.

"We've always had graphic novelists at the fair," says Lissette Mendez, the program coordinator for Comix Galaxy. "But it's true that in the past few years, there's been an explosion of graphic novels and comics into the mainstream."

Scott McCloud, Art Spiegelman, Ariel Schrag and David Heatley will participate in panel discussions at Comix Galaxy, which will kick off with "A Celebration of the Life and Work of Comic Book Legend Will Eisner" Wednesday, Nov. 12 and run through Nov. 16 at Miami-Dade College, 300 N.E. Second Ave., in Miami. Call 305-237-3258 or visit Miamibookfair.com. Contact Colleen Dougher at cdougher@citylinkmagazine.com.

Click HERE to Read the Entire Story!

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The Spirit: My City Screams (And So Do Fans of the Comic Book) (Spout Blog)

Image via Wikipedia"We talked about Frank Miller’s highly anticipated film adaptation of Will Eisner’s long running comic book The Spirit back at Comic-Con when the scenes failed to impress us. In fact, they felt like they were straight out of Sin City Redux. It’s been a few months since we were underwhelmed; have the filmmakers changed anything? Not based on the clip we were sent this week. Despite being a self-proclaimed fan of Will Eisner, Frank Miller is managing to stomp the life out of every facet that made The Spirit a compelling comic. Check out the video and find out why we’re not happy."—Kevin Kelly

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"I'm worried about showing my bum in new movie"—Eva Mendes (DailyRecord.co.uk)

Image by yotambientengosuperpoderes
via FlickrBy John Dingwall
Oct 9 2008
The Daily Record, UK

THIS is the rear view that has been giving Eva Mendes sleepless nights ahead of the premiere of her latest movie.

The actress bares her bum in the adaptation of Will Eisner's 1940s comic book The Spirit.

Eva admitted stripping for her role as cat burglar Sand Saref made her nervous.

She said: "I'm excited to see what happens with this scene. Well, I don't think it's 'excited' - I'm actually nervous.

"I think they have a butt shot of me. I'm not sure how it ended up."

Click HERE to Keep Reading!

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Samuel L. Jackson IS Wiley E. Coyote, Super-Genius (MTV)

Image via Wikipedia

“['The Spirit'] is a comic book. You can call ‘The Dark Knight’ a comic book, but no, it’s a graphic novel. There’s a difference between a comic book and a graphic novel.

“‘The Spirit’ is funny. It’s tongue-in-cheek, wry humor. It’s sort of Wile E. Coyote with real people. We hit each other with big things [and] we’re both kind of indestructible, so it’s funny in that way. We get shot up, we get stabbed up, we just don’t die.”
—Samuel L. Jackson, a lifelong comic book fan who, instead of reassuring fellow fans, wound up scaring them even more in an MTV Splash Page interview with Rick Marshall.