  "By Bob Andelman" "By Bob Andelman" By Will Eisner Web Links By Bob Andelman Business Celebrities Comics & Cartoons First Person Health Law Media Meetings/Incentives Murder, I Wrote Music Politics Profiles Radio Real Estate Retail Sex Sports Tampa Bay Travel Reviews A Spirited Life Athlete Hardcover Paperback Audiotape Audio Download Official Web Site Hardcover Official Web Site (Japanese Edition) Paperback Hardcover Audiotape Hardcover Web Site Watch Football Hardcover Web Site With the Orange Orange Web Site for Kids Mr. Media Archives 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 Established Oct. 7, 1999 |
 (Photo by Pete Eisner) eNewsletter No. 18 Author, Will Eisner: A Spirited Life
€ Editor¹s Note € 10 Minute Sample of Eisner Documentary Now Online € The New York Times Crossword Puzzle??? - 74 Across € Comic Book Artist Magazine Announces Eisner Tribute Issue € Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Member Card Features ³The Spirit² € Brazil Mourns Eisner € More Links for Remembering Will € Reader Tributes Pour In, Part IV € Will Eisner Links EDITOR¹S NOTE There are so many cool Eisner projects being revealed this month. I¹ve been suggesting for months this would be ³The Year of Will Eisner² and I don¹t think anyone can doubt it now! I¹m experimenting with adding art to the newsletter today. I hope it doesn¹t cause too many hiccups. Please keep your emails and Eisner news coming. And thanks for your support. -- Bob Andelman 10 MINUTE SAMPLE OF EISNER DOCUMENTARY NOW ONLINE Jon Cooke, editor and publisher of Comic Book Artist magazine, has been toiling away on a documentary film about Will Eisner for roughly the same three years I¹ve been writing the authorized biography. If you take the time to read the A Spirited Life eNewsletter, you¹ll love this 10 minute sample of Will Eisner: The Spirit of an Artist Pioneer. View it now at: http://www.montillapictures.com/ THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE??? - 74 ACROSS ³I was doing the Sunday NY TIMES crossword puzzle this week when I came across a clue that said- "SPIRIT creator Will"! He finally arrived right after he left. Well, like Darkseid said "Life at best is bittersweet." He really did say that. I mean Jack had him say that. Anyway, thought you might like to know in case nobody else told you yet- about the puzzle I mean. Not about Darkseid.² Pete Von Sholly (via Denis Kitchen) COMIC BOOK ARTIST MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES EISNER TRIBUTE ISSUE COMIC BOOK ARTIST magazine announces Special Will Eisner Memorial issueAs many of us are only too painfully aware, sequential art legend Will Eisner passed away on Monday, January 3, 2005. In his honor and as a means of celebrating Will's impact on the art of comics, COMIC BOOK ARTIST magazine will be devoting its next issue (due in Spring) to the man's life, career, and influence. The entire edition of the three-time Eisner Award-winning mag will spotlight the creator by featuring a major tribute section contributed by many of the comic world's reigning talents. A portion of the proceeds from this issue will be donated to the American Cancer Society and to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in Will's honor. CBA respectfully invites you to participate in this special issue by submitting any art -- comic-book page or strips -- photos, and/or text pieces that discusses Will's impact in some way. Please note that there will be a color section but do inquire as to availability. The following specs refer to the final printed page, so please format in the proper dimensions.Comic Book Pages: One to four-page stories or full-page illos. Full-Bleed: 8 1/2" w x 11" h (magazine-size NOT comic book-size); Live Area: 8" w x 10" h. Comic strips: Half-Page Horizontal: 8" w x 5" h; Half-Page Vertical: 3 3/4" w x 10" h; Quarter-Page: 3 3/4" wide x 4 3/4" h. Other formats may certainly be acceptable but please inquire first.Digital files: For black-&-white line art (inked pieces), we prefer 600 d.p.i. TIFF files; for half-tone/grayscale (photos, pencil art), 300 d.p.i. TIFF files. We can accommodate many other formats -- JPEGs, GIFFs, Photoshop documents, etc. -- and CBA uses a high-speed Internet cable connection, so big files are rarely a problem. We can accommodate use of FTP sites for transmission, as well, but inquire first.Text: Between 50 and 1,000 words. If you'd like to dictate over the phone, please drop us an e-mail first. If you envision a longer piece, please inquire. E-mails and Microsoft Word files are preferable, but other programs are acceptable. Any photos, rarely-seen Eisner art, and anecdotes involving Will are also very welcome.Deadlines: Please R.S.V.P. to reserve space by Friday, January 14. Deadline for submissions is Friday, February 18.Contact: CBA Editor Jon B. CookeOffice Phone: (401) 783-1669Fax: (401) 783-1287Cell: (401) 932-1967E-mail: JonBCooke@aol.comComic Book Artist3706 Kingstown RoadWest Kingston RI 02892 USA Please feel free to share this invitation with interested parties. Obviously, space is limited but as we intend to make this as memorable and worthy a tribute as possible, we hope to include the efforts of a wide range of talented and diverse contributors as is deserving for Will Eisner.TO RESERVE SPACE, CONTACT CBA BY JAN. 14th.DEADLINE FOR MATERIAL IS FEB. 18th.Thank you for considering this request. Jon B. Cooke Editor/CBA COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND MEMBER CARD FEATURES ³THE SPIRIT² The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) is proud to announce that Will Eisner's legendary character The Spirit will be featured on its 2005 Member Card. The image, drawn by Eisner himself, is an extraordinary statement about the late master's commitment to protecting the comics field's First Amendment rights. "Will authorized us to use the Spirit on this year's card last summer," says CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein. "We'd planned all along to release the art this week, but unfortunately our timing is now bittersweet. But in addition tostanding as a tribute to Eisner, this card is yet another illustration of his generous and continued commitment to the art form, and to the CBLDF's fight to preserve the First Amendment rights of this field. I know he was proud to illustrate this year's card, because he realized that members are the heart and soul of our organization." A constant innovator in comics, Eisner began his avid support of the CBLDF when Denis Kitchen founded the group in 1986. Brownstein continues, "From Denis' first benefit portfolio up to the present day with the release of this card, Will unselfishly volunteered his art, time, and resources to help us fulfill our mission. He was always available on the other side of the phone whenever we needed his insight. He never turned down a request. He was always curious about our ongoing work and freely offered good ideas about how we could do that work better." CBLDF President Chris Staros said, "Will Eisner understood that the ability for him to create the stories he was interested in telling depended upon a strong retailer environment that would be defended against unnecessary prosecutions. It's poignant that he was able to provide this card as one of his last gifts to our members. He was an inspiration for our work and continues to inspire us as we face the challenges of 2005." The 2005 member card is presently at the printer and is due back in early February. It will be sent to members who join or renew this year. To sign up, please visit http://cbldf.org/membership.shtml. BRAZIL MOURNS EISNER I'm sending you an e-mail Will sent to me, last February, answering the 2 questions I sent to him: What was his first reaction to be portraited, and how was to see the film for the first time ? I have to say that he had never interfered, cause he sad he believe in freedom for creation, so he saw the film at its launching. Can you imagine my nerves ? ----- Original Message ----- From: Will Eisner To: Marisa Furtado Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2004 6:47 PM Subject: Re: New book. Dear Marisa: > > Here are the answers to your questions in the order in which you gave them to me. > > 1. My initial reaction to the experience of being "portraited" was some sense of concern. Somehow, there's a sense of an invasion of privacy that overwhelms me. You see all my professional life was spent hidden behind a mask (The Spirit) for it gives one a feeling of safety from being seen as others see you. I consented because I trusted the people who were going to produce it. Finally, it must be understood that writers and artists live in a solitary world where they create worlds for others to see ...not to be seen. > > 2. When I finally saw the films, I was astonished at the creative ingenuity of the producers. It seemed amazing that they were able to create something so interesting from what I privately believed was a very ordinary existence. The stories I've always told and the people I drew were evoked out of ingested observation of real life. They were, I thought, not reflective of me nor did I think my peformance was anything more than craftmanship. The film told me I was wrong about that and I could not help but preen a bit. > > Again, Marisa, Ann joins me in love and best wishes to you both, > > Will The name of the series is : ³Will Eisner Profissão Cartunista² or ³WILL EISNER IN HIS OWN WORDS,² in 3 Episodes: Episode 1 SPIRIT Episode 2 The Dreamer ( O Sonho ) Episode 3 Master Class They have 52 minutes each. I spent sometime this week looking at some pictures of Will in Brazil and I'm not sure if I have mentioned the set decor made for the film¹s launching ? A whole building, is part of the incredible set was made in São Paulo for the launching of the Documentary, almost real size? They reproduced some of his main characters and urban objects like the lamp-post, the hydrant, the mail box and the gully, including the two boys playing with the chewed gum. The sculptures were dressed with real clothes all resined giving it a fantastic look. The Drunk, the Super, Ellen Dolan, The Spirit. I’m sure I sent the best pictures we had here to Will but maybe if you can wait until Friday I’ll be able to send some to you. Will must have mentioned it to you, did him ? He got crazy about it! Was I accurate enough about how many times he visited Brazil (6) ? Dates ? São Paulo (Avaré) late 60’s (68 or 69), São Paulo again 80’s, Rio 91, São Paulo 94, Belo Horizonte 97, Rio and SP 99, Recife 2001. Have I told about the two yang editors that sold a raffle (kind of a lottery) of a radio that never really existed to pay Will’s ticket because he lost his first plane in the 80¹s visit ? Once arrived at the airport he agreed to wear a mask and a coat to play he was the Spirit. Next morning he was like that in the cover of the newspaper! This same two guys (Jal & Gual) were responsible for the wonderful exhibit and set décor I¹ve mentioned above. I have to search some papers to find out the name of the artist who really made the sculptures. What concerns me is not the fact related to my documentary only. Personally I would like it to be seen of course, and I believe it should be mentioned What really concerns me is the tremendous large influence Will has on our main artists in Brazil and how it seems to be ignored by all the records produced in USA about him. I just red the condolence Mauricio de Souza wrote to Will’s blog, very moving. And I know it¹s not demagoguery. He is now around 70 years old. Ziraldo, one of our top 10 artists (my most recent documentary is about him), 73 years old, called saying he was devastated. He also mentioned he bought Couch¹s book about Will and couldn¹t understand why there were no mention of Will¹s travels and publications in Brazil. It can be because of the fact of being published here since 1940, when the strong American Way of Life influenced Brazil deeply, in all our life aspects. Or just because of a strong empathy with our people. Will sad to me many times he wish to have in USA the same recognition he had here in Brazil. He use to play saying he was Brazilian in his past life. At his age he influenced the Masters of the today’s generation of the famous cartoonists in Brazil. His style is deep-rooted in all Brazilian comics. You seem to be an open mind fellow as Will was, so let people know about Will¹s Brazilian ³affair² in your biography. I bet you¹ll open quite a big market to your book, and you¹ll also have the respect of many cool artists from here. Best, Marisa Furtado Brazil MORE LINKS FOR REMEMBERING WILL Not many men and women who ever toiled in what Will Eisner called ³the comic book ghetto² earned the kind of plaudits that Will has in the last two weeks. It is amazing to see the obituaries still coming from major media powerhouses such as Time, Newsweek, People and The Economist (below). I have received several links for non-English publications as well, but because I can¹t read them, I don¹t feel comfortable linking to them. I assume those of you who read Portuguese, Spanish, French, Germany or Chinese have found these on your own. Oregon Statesman-Journal: http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050106/LIFE/501060319/1051 Baltimore Sun (interviews Stan Lee, Steve Geppi): http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/lifestyle/bal-to.freas05jan05,1,3573736.story?coll=bal-artslife-today&ctrack=1&cset=true Newsweek: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6803477/site/newsweek/ Time: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1015861-2,00.html Reason: http://www.reason.com/hitandrun/2005/01/will_eisner_rip.shtml AIGA Journal of Design (Essay by Michael Dooley): http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/10610686.htm?1c Kansas City Star: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/10610686.htm?1c Houston Chronicle: http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/living/10642500.htm The Times (UK): http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1437475,00.html Comics in Context: http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/579/579595p1.html The Economist: http://economist.com/people/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3555931 Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1385740,00.html READER TRIBUTES POUR IN, Part IV Thank you for the updates. We are still reeling from the news. We saw the spot on THIS WEEK- thanks for the heads up. Hope you are well- we are looking forward to the book! All my best Chris Browne (Artist, Hagar the Horrible, Raising Duncan) http://www.raisingduncan.com/ My uncle was Will Eisner, and he was indeed a very creative, talented, and wholesome man. He was thrilled to bring so much delight to the millions of people who he touched through all of his graphic novel's. He will be sadly missed. I truly enjoyed and marveled over his soft spoken mannerism, gentleness, and how enjoyable it was to know him, be related to him, and learn so much from him. He did bring so much joy and happiness to all of those he touched. May he rest in peace. I'll always treasure the wonderful and unforgettable memories of my dearly beloved Uncle Will. Carol Alford You've shared some wonderful testimonies from Will's fans and fellow pros upon hearing about Will's death. Here's mine, written last week, for a writer for the Palm Beach Post who asked me for a quote for a Will Eisner article slated to appear next Sunday. "Forget the fact that Will Eisner was producing brilliant comic books before the first Superman comic hit the stands in 1938. Forget the fact that Will Eisner invented graphic techniques still used in comic books today and inspired many of the field's greatest cartoonists. Forget the fact that Will Eisner's career spanned seven decades, and that he was writing and drawing award-winning graphic novels until he died. Forget all that. To me, the only thing worth remembering is that Will Eisner was one of the warmest, most generous men I ever met. In a word, Will Eisner was a "mensch." Michael T. Gilbert" That pretty much says it all. Best wishes, Michael T. Gilbert Although it has been a week, Mr. Eisner's death still doesn't seem real. For 40 years, since I first read about him in Feiffer's "The Great Comic Book Heroes," I have been fascinated, entertained, enlightened and awed by Will Eisner. He may have made comic books his life's work, but he would have been a genius in any medium he chose. I met him only a few times, at conventions, and our conversations were always too short. Once, when I brought him a pile of comics featuring some of his earliest (pre-Spirit) stories, he spent almost an hour with me going over them, critiquing his own nascent work. I was struck how, even though he had a throng of admirers waiting to see him, he didn't hurry me along. Each time I spoke to him, he was patient, courteous and most astoundingly, humble. I know I wrote that in my earlier email of condolence, but it is a lasting image and one that I will never forget. I'm am way past the age of having heroes (I'm 52) in the way that a child has them. The list had dwindled to only two in recent years: my father and Will Eisner. My father passed away several years ago and Eisner stood alone. Now he too is gone. I'm very grateful that you were able to meet Mr. Eisner and complete his long awaited biography. I truly look forward to its publication. Ken Quattro www.comicartville.com Just wanted to pass on the Obit we did, which also links to numerous comments/remembrances of Will. He was a good friend to us over very many years, to say nothing of what he did for the industry of which we're a part. http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/6210.html Milton Griepp GCO, LLC ICv2.com Consulting As the years went on Will and I stayed in contact with each other. I had him as a teacher at SVA and he taught me a lot more thru the years. We had many a meal at the Princeton club over the years to discuss some business of mine or his. Ionce helped him on a "Spirit" TV pilot and if you look into his book "Comics and Sequential Art and Graphic Storytelling" You'll see a section about Storyboards and a Bolla commercial photo board. I suggested to Will to place it in and he did because of his storytelling skills that he shared with me and countless others, my TV spots won awards. The Bolla spot in the book was mine. Will one time wrote a book that I helped with called "How to Avoid Death and Taxes." Well, Will, you have avoided death because you live on in everyone who wants to be different and break the rules and chase their dream. You encourage THAT in me and for that I thank you. God bless my old friend. PAUL LEPELLETIER I read your article on Will Eisner. Like you, I am stunned and saddened by this great artist's (I don't use that word lightly) passing. If there were justice in the world, we would have seen Will as the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honors award for elevating what is one of America's few purely native art forms. I had a brief career in comics (writing for DC). Will had a long one. But no one inspired me with more awe of or love for the medium than Will. His work on The Spirit delivered more innovation and more punch per page than any other comics art before or since. I hope Mrs. Eisner takes comfort in the fact that her husband has left an undying legacy and will be missed by millions. Greg Potter (former freelance writer for Warren Publishing and DC Comics) I was deeply saddened to learn of Will Eisner's death. My art school days were filled with many great memories of The Master. I so desperately wanted to be a cartoonist! I took Will's classes for two years straight then one year as independent study - and loved every minute of it. There was so much to learn and Will was so eager to help all the young, aspiring cartoonists. He was just brilliant. My writing skills were good, but, damn it, I couldn't ink. I worked hard in his classes and Will always gave me an "A," (obviously for "effort"). One day in my last year at SVA, he saw one of my watercolor illustrations, (from another class), and his face lit up. "Ah, ...children's books," he said with a smile. And he was right. I'm now a children's book author and illustrator, and it's the best career I could ever have. Although cartoons will always be my first love, I had a great teacher who pointed me in the right direction. To Will's family, my deepest condolences, your husband and father made a difference in so many people's lives. He will be deeply missed. Sincerely, Lisa Passen I don't usually respond to email bulletins. Especially to people who don't know me. But in this case, encouraged by a mutual friend, I'm making an exception. Bob Pinaha told me that you were the President of the Fans of Central Jersey, of which he was also a member. And, that you would appreciate my reply to him forwarding your bulletin. So, here it is: Thanks for the article about Will Eisner. I wish I met him. I never would have learned the comic business if not for him creating PS Magazine -- which is where I learned all about creating comic book art. He was truly a giant of the industry, and will be missed. In addition, it occurred to me there is much more for me to be thankful to Will for than simply learning the skills of creating comic book art. PS Magazine has been in steady publication since the 1950's. Some politicians have attempted to kill the book, arguing that the government should not be wasting tax dollars producing a "comic book." The argument never held, because the Army has always been able to prove that the information communicated by PS Magazine has saved the taxpayer literally millions upon millions of dollars -- a result of the equipment being so well maintained. Not to mention the innumerable lives that have been saved by having equipment that works when it is most needed. A fact that especially hits home in light of the thousands of soldiers in harms way, and who's lives depend on their equipment at this very moment. Who knows how long into the future PS Magazine will continue to play this vital role? As a veteran, and one who has benefited directly from his innovative genius, this one single creation from Will Eisner is more than enough for me to be thankful. I truly wish I had met him. I am grateful to him more than he would ever know, and he will be missed. Kevin Dzuban Visual Design >http://www.kdzuban.com And then there were none..... Years ago I remember reading Grantland Rice's famous account of a Notre Dame-Army football game which later became known as his 'Four Horsemen' story. And for some reason, that analogy remained with me and became my term for Carl Barks, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Will Eisner - the Four Horsemen. Each provided me with a different side of what comics ought to be - Barks filled my childhood, and from him I found (and still do) a sense of joy and a way of living and emerging triumphant in a world of adults. Kirby filled my dreams with wonder and a desire to be more than I could be. I knew his world was not real but his power made me wish it was. Harvey showed me the twin lessons that, ironically, life was both not as serious as it sometimes seemed - and that it was sometimes much more serious than it appeared to be. And both Jack and Harvey helped me to see that, while the good guys don't always win, that may be less important than how you live. As I grow older, my lessons from Will were different - from him I saw one who began by providing entertainment and ended by providing understanding and a kind of personal look into the everyday lives of heroes who didn't wear tights and whose only super powers were those of compassion, insight and experience What Will did today was so much more intimate and touching that what he did yesterday. You learn lessons from your heroes. l never met Carl Barks, but I saw in Jack, Harvey and Will a common decency, a goodness. I saw a devotion - not only to craft - but to family. As much as I admire their work, I understand that without Gare, Roz, Adele and Ann, there would be no Uncle Scrooge, no 'Marvel Explosion', no MAD magazine, no 'Contract With God'. A lesson well learned. While you really can't say that Will Eisner will 'never be forgotten' - seems as if that's said about every person who gains any kind of notoriety - there is something more important that you can say: that the influence Will had on the industry - back in 1940 and in 2005 - will be seen in the work of any serious student of the comics in these United States for a long, long time to come. As with only the greatest of talents, the influence remains long after the names have been forgotten. "Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again." And wasn't it grand to see? Paul McSpadden (via Denis Kitchen) If you¹d like to subscribe to Will Eisner: A Spirited Life eNewsletter, send an e-mail to subscribe@aspiritedlife.com |