Will Eisner's 'The Spirit' makes an appearance on CBS's 'The Big Bang Theory'

Look carefully in the lower right corner of the screen and you can see a recent issue of DC's "The Spirit" comic book, captured in this still from the Monday, April 12, 2010 episode of "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS. (Thanks for the picture, Mimi!)

LISTEN! Mr. Media Radio interview with "Big Bang Theory" co-creator and producer Bill Prady!

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Top Ten… Superhero Sidekicks! (Marty Michaels)

6 April, 2010

"It’s about time I wrote something new about comics. I get to swear and mess around more when I write about comics then when I write about movies and, hey, swearing’s always fun. Firstly, an apology in advance: I didn’t intend for Captain America to dominate the top 5 like he has, but there was no way around it. Cap’s had a shitton of sidekicks and the three I picked for this list just so happen to be three of the best sidekicks in comics. Blame Marvel for writing such good characters. Secondly, this blog’s been getting a lot of new readers, so hello to them and thanks for stopping by. Thirdly, I know the sidekick at number seven doesn’t have his origin in comics, but it’s my list so there. Anyway, let’s take a looksee at the top ten superhero sidekicks! Onward!"

Click HERE to read Marty's take on Ebony White!

2010 Will Eisner Award nominees announced!

Comic-Con International has released the nominations for the 22nd Eisner Awards; winners will be announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July.  

The judges, who established the nominees, are academic Craig Fischer (Appalachian State University), librarian Francisca Goldsmith (Infopeople), reviewer John Hogan (GraphicNovelReporter.com), writer James Hudnall, and retailer Wayne Winsett (Time Warp, Boulder).

Comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers now vote for the winners in each category.

Congratulations to Paul Fitzgerald, a life-long friend and co-worker of Eisner's on P.S. Magazine for many years, for his nomination for the book Will Eisner and PS Magazine in the "Best Comics-Related Book" category. You can order it directly from the author by clicking HERE!

 

Our friends at Fantagraphics are having a sale on 2010 Eisner nominated books. Check that out HERE!

2010 Will Eisner Award Nominees

Best Short Story

 “Because I Love You So Much,” by Nikoline Werdelin, in From Wonderland with Love: Danish Comics in the 3rd Millennium (Fantagraphics/Aben malen)

 “Gentleman John,” by Nathan Greno, in What Is Torch Tiger? (Torch Tiger)

“How and Why to Bale Hay,” by Nick Bertozzi, in Syncopated (Villard)

“Hurricane,” interpreted by Gradimir Smudja, in Bob Dylan Revisited (Norton)

 “Urgent Request,” by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

Brave & the Bold #28: “Blackhawk and the Flash: Firing Line,” by J. Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz (DC)

Captain America #601: “Red, White, and Blue-Blood,” by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)

Ganges #3, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)

The Unwritten #5: “How the Whale Became,” by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)

Usagi Yojimbo #123: “The Death of Lord Hikiji” by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Continuing Series

Fables, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy et al. (Vertigo/DC)

Irredeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)

The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)

Best Limited Series or Story Arc

Blackest Night, by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert (DC)

Incognito, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)

Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)

Wolverine #66–72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Special: “Old Man Logan,” by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, and Dexter Vines (Marvel)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best New Series

Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, art by Tony Parker (BOOM!)

Ireedeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)

Sweet Tooth, by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo/DC)

The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)

Best Publication for Kids

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, by Jarrett J. Krosoczeka (Knopf)

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis (Bloomsbury)

Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)

The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hc, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Publication for Teens

Angora Napkin, by Troy Little (IDW)

Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)

A Family Secret, by Eric Heuvel (Farrar Straus Giroux/Anne Frank House)

Far Arden, by Kevin Cannon (Top Shelf)

I Kill Giants tpb, by Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura (Image)

Best Humor Publication

Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)

Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me, And Other Astute Observations, by Peter Bagge (Fantagraphics)

Little Lulu, vols. 19–21, by John Stanley and Irving Tripp (Dark Horse Books)

The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets, by Roger Langridge (BOOM Kids!)

Scott Pilgrim vol. 5: Scott Pilgrm vs. the Universe, by Brian Lee O’Malley (Oni)

Best Anthology

Abstract Comics, edited by Andrei Molotiu (Fantagraphics)

Bob Dylan Revisited, edited by Bob Weill (Norton)

Flight 6, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Villard)

Popgun vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride, and Joe Keatinge (Image)

Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays, edited by Brendan Burford (Villard)

What Is Torch Tiger? edited by Paul Briggs (Torch Tiger)

Best Digital Comic

Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl Kerschl, www.abominable.cc

Bayou, by Jeremy Love, http://zudacomics.com/bayou

The Guns of Shadow Valley, by David Wachter and James Andrew Clark, www.gunsofshadowvalley.com

Power Out, by Nathan Schreiber, www.act-i-vate.com/67.comic

Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart, www.sintitulocomic.com/

Best Reality-Based Work

A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)

Footnotes in Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan/Holt)

The Imposter’s Daughter, by Laurie Sandell (Little, Brown)

Monsters, by Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)

The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)

Stitches, by David Small (Norton)

Best Adaptation from Another Work

The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation, adapted by Michael Keller and Nicolle Rager Fuller (Rodale)

Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, adapted by Tim Hamilton (Hill & Wang)

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album—New

Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzuccheilli (Pantheon)

A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)

My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithewaite (DC)

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, by Josh Neufeld (Pantheon)

Alec: The Years Have Pants, by Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)

Essex County Collected, by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)

Map of My Heart: The Best of King-Cat Comics & Stories, 1996–2002, by John Porcellino (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Bringing Up Father, vol. 1: From Sea to Shining Sea, by George McManus and Zeke Zekley, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW)

The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons 1913–1940, edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)

Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, by Gahan Wilson, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Prince Valiant, vol. 1: 1937–1938, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)

Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, Walt McDougall, and W. W. Denslow (Sunday Press)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

The Best of Simon & Kirby, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, edited by Steve Saffel (Titan Books)

Blazing Combat, by Archie Goodwin et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Humbug, by Harvey Kurtzman et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)

Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)

West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)

Years of the Elephant, by Willy Linthout (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

The Color Trilogy, by Kim Dong Haw (First Second) 

A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)

Oishinbo a la Carte, written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki (VIZ Media)

Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

Best Writer

Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)

Geoff Johns, Adventure Comics, Blackest Night, The Flash: Rebirth, Superman: Secret Origin (DC)

James Robinson, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)

Mark Waid, Irredeemable, The Incredibles (BOOM!)

Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist

Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter (IDW)

R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis Illustrated (Norton)

David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)

Terry Moore, Echo (Abstract Books)

Naoki Urasawa, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka (VIZ Media)

Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction

Reinhard Kleist, Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts)

Willy Linthout, Years of the Elephant (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)

David Small, Stitches (Norton)

Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Michael Kaluta, Madame Xanadu #11–15: “Exodus Noir” (Vertigo/DC)

Steve McNiven/Dexter Vines, Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel)

Fiona Staples, North 40 (WildStorm)

J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Danijel Zezelj, Luna Park (Vertigo/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

émile Bravo, My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Mauro Cascioli, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)

Nicolle Rager Fuller, Charles Darwin on the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation (Rodale Books)

Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Cover Artist

John Cassaday, Irredeemable (BOOM!); Lone Ranger (Dynamite)

Salvador Larocca, Invincible Iron Man (Marvel)

Sean Phillips, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon); 28 Days Later (BOOM!)

Alex Ross, Astro City: The Dark Age (WildStorm/DC); Project Superpowers  (Dynamite)

J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Best Coloring

Steve Hamaker, Bone: Crown of Thorns (Scholastic); Little Mouse Gets Ready (Toon)

Laura Martin, The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures (IDW); Thor, The Stand: American Nightmares (Marvel)

David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)

Alex Sinclair, Blackest Night, Batman and Robin (DC)

Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Northlanders, Luna Park (Vertigo)

Best Lettering

Brian Fies, Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? (Abrams ComicArts)

David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)

Tom Orzechowski, Savage Dragon (Image); X-Men Forever (Marvel)

Richard Sala, Cat Burglar Black (First Second); Delphine (Fantagraphics)

Adrian Tomine, A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)

ComicsAlliance, www.comicsalliance.com

Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (www.comicscomicsmag.com) (PictureBox)

The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)

The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon (www.comicsreporter.com)

Best Comics-Related Book

Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel, by Annalisa Di Liddo (University Press of Mississippi)

The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)

The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, by Helen McCarthy (Abrams ComicArts)

Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater, by Eric P. Nash (Abrams ComicArts)

Will Eisner and PS Magazine, by Paul E. Fitzgerald (Fitzworld.US)

Best Publication Design

Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC)

The Brinkley Girls, designed by Adam Grano (Fantagraphics)

Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics)

Life and Times of Martha Washington, designed by David Nestelle (Dark Horse Books)

Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, designed by Philippe Ghielmetti (Sunday Press)

Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? designed by Neil Egan and Brian Fies (Abrams ComicArts)

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: First Wave #1 (of 6)

I have little to no interest in Doc Savage, or a Spirit by anyone other than Will Eisner (or Darwyn Cooke). Yet I'm still intrigued by DC's "shocking new pulp universe" in which there's no supermen -- or, more specifically, Superman -- largely, if not entirely, because it's written by Brian Azzarello. In addition to being a fan of 100 Bullets, I hold an unwavering belief that Batman: Broken City, by Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, is superior in every way to the "Hush" storyline that preceded (and overshadowed) it. I'll fight anyone who says different. So I'm thrilled to read Azzarello again write Batman -- excuse me, "The Bat-Man" -- especially as a "brash, cocky, inexperienced and daring" vigilante. Also: the under-used, and under-appreciated, Blackhawks! (DC Comics)

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DC Comics’ pulp ‘Wave’ takes the super out of heroes

Image via Wikipedia

By Bill Radford 
The Colorado Springs Gazette
March 5, 2010

It’s a world with heroes — but no superheroes.

The first issue of "First Wave," a six-issue miniseries from DC Comics, arrives in comic book shops this week, ushering in a whole new universe.

The "First Wave" universe has its roots in the pulp adventures of yesteryear. There is a Batman, but there’s no Superman, no Wonder Woman — the "First Wave" heroes are merely mortal.

Standing above the rest of those heroes is Doc Savage — sort of "Superman with a lowercase ’s,’" said Brian Azzarello, who crafted the "First Wave" universe and is writer of the miniseries. Doc Savage may not have powers like Superman, but "physically he’s the best, mentally he’s the best," Azzarello said.

Batman, meanwhile, is the new hero on the scene.

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Will Eisner Week Educational Materials: Notes on Will Eisner's The Contract With God Trilogy

By Tom Kaczynski 

March 3, 2010 11:42 PM

"Architecture is the simplest means of articulating time and space, of modulating reality, of engendering dreams" - Ivan Chtcheglov, 1953.

With A Contract With God (1978), the earliest book of the trilogy, Will Eisner was inventing a new format: the graphic novel*. The 'graphic novel' coinage was a kind of sleight of hand that turned ordinary comics into works with ambitions of becoming literature. As such it's describing the content, rather than a medium. It was the literary ambition of A Contract With God that set it apart from the cheap children's comic-books that dominated the market at the time. Eisner of course cut his teeth on comic-books having previously drawn the iconic and long running series The Spirit. In creating a graphic novel, Eisner was distancing himself not only from other comic-books, but also from his own formative work. But, new terminology was insufficient to distinguish the work from its cousins and Eisner relied on a number of formal and visual inventions to underscore the difference.

The Spirit (1940-1952) superficially resembled most of the comic-books on the stands at the time. It mostly consisted of colorful 8 page pulp romps full of crime and violence. But, unlike the vast majority of 4-color funnies The Spirit stories were intense nuggets of clever writing, brilliant layouts, and inventive typography. They were packed with innumerable characters and locations. The sheer density of the stories was matched by the density of the art. Pages were filled with 9 to 14 (or more!) panels filled with frenetic action, detailed sets and wrinkled suits.


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Will Eisner's John Law: Detective #1 (Eclipse Comics 1983)

DCWhoCares

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Being an Eisner fan, especially of the Spirit, I searched for this particular one-shot published by Eclipse for years, finally running across a copy of it a few weeks back at a local flea market for 50 cents. Basically rehashed Spirit stories....and that, my friends, in the hands of Eisner is not a bad thing at all.

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Judging a book by it’s cover….. another Spirit series (Forbidden Planet International)

By Richard
February 10, 2010

Sometimes there’s some stunningly good cover artwork coming out from the big boys and girls, and the new Spirit series issues 1 & 2 by artist Ladronn are truly great:

The last time DC tried to do something with Will Eisner’s Spirit character they hired Darwyn Cooke & J. Bone to create a staggeringly good dozen issues. Sadly J. Bone couldn’t continue so Cooke walked away from the series, which limped on for a while with a host of very good artists who often just failed to properly “get” the character in the way Cooke & Bone so obviously did. Because there’s something so magnificently unique about Eisner’s mysterious champion, it’s always a double edged sword to hear about yet another revamp or return. The good news with the new Spirit series due from DC, aside from these gorgeous Ladronn covers, is that it’s main feature has Mark Schultz doing the writing. Schultz is one of those modern writers who seems to be a good fit for Eisner’s Spirit. The bad news – three issues is all we get of Schultz. (see this story from CBR). But at least Schultz, with these three issues seems to have the right idea for Denny Colt...

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Hogarth and Montana named to Eisner Hall of Fame (Comic Book Resources)

Image via Wikipedia

The Eisner Awards judges have selected legendary artists Burne Hogarth and Bob Montana for automatic induction this summer into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame.

Hogarth, who passed away in 1996, was an illustrator best known for his work on the Tarzan newspaper strip, an art educator and the author of influential anatomy and drawing books. Montana, who died in 1975, was the co-creator of Archie who drew the Riverdale gang for three decades.

The judges also chose 13 nominees from which voters may select four to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for 2010:

• Carl Burgos -- the late Golden Age-era artist and co-creator of the original Human Torch

• Steve Gerber -- the late writer and co-creator of Howard the Duck and Omega the Unknown

• Dick Giordano -- the artist and longtime DC Comics editor

• Michael Kaluta -- the artist best known for his work on Starstruck and The Shadow • Jack Kamen -- the late illustrator and prolific EC Comics artist

• Frans Masereel -- the late painter, woodcut artist and creator of Mon Livre d'Heures

• George McManus -- the late cartoonist and creator of Bringing Up Father

• Sheldon Moldoff -- one of Bob Kane's primary "ghost artists," and co-creator of Hawkgirl and Poison Ivy

• Marty Nodell -- the late artist and co-creator of the Golden Age Green Lantern • Bob Oksner -- the late artist known for his work on humor, adventure and superhero comics

• Bob Powell -- the late artist known for his work on Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, and Blackhawk

• Yoshihiro Tatsumi -- the creator of Abandon the Old in Tokyo, A Drifting Life and The Push Man and other stories

• Mort Weisinger -- the late and longtime DC Comics editor and co-creator of Aquaman, Green Arrow and Johnny Quick Online voting is open now through March 31.

The inductees will be announced during the Eisner Awards ceremony held July 23 during Comic-Con.
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Misunderstood Masterpieces 1.26.10: Sheena (411Mania.com)

Cover of Sheena

Hot zebra-riding action is just the beginning!

Posted by Will Helm on 01.26.2010

…or, A Very Pointed Commentary on the Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa. With Nudity.

Since the early days of cinema, one of the easiest methods of "skirting" the taboo subject of nudity on film was accomplished by finding excuses to have characters in loincloths. First beginning popularly with the Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan series – though there are, of course, earlier examples, the "noble savage" of literature became a heroic archetype, often set against the backdrop of evil imperialism and modern civilization. Unsurprisingly, not long after publication of Tarzan of the Apes in 1914, films debuted featuring this character, complete with the stereotypical loincloth, heralding a genre that would continue to this day, for the most part.

While Tarzan was the original savage Caucasian, there were rival characters, most interestingly the female Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Introduced by Will Eisner – creator of The Spirit – and Jerry Iger (collectively as "W. Morgan Thomas"). Sheena debuted in the pages of the British magazine Wags in 1937. Eventually, the character would prove popular enough to garner her own book, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, in 1942. In the mid-50s, Sheena was adapted into a syndicated television series starring Irish McCalla, who became an early sex symbol of the medium.



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Toy-A-Day Day 153: The Spirit (Will Eisner)

The Spirit (Denny Colt) is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared in Spirit Section #1 (June 2 1940), a seven-page insert into American Sunday-newspaper comics sections. He currently appears in comic books published by DC Comics.

The Spirit chronicles the adventures of a masked vigilante who fights crime with the blessing of the city's police commissioner Dolan, an old friend. The stories range through a wide variety of styles, from straightforward crime drama and noir to lighthearted adventure, from mystery and horror to comedy and love stories, often with hybrid elements that twisted genre and expectations.

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