Will Eisner

Book excerpt: A celebration of the life of the acclaimed comic book storyteller through his work as well as interviews with fellow creators. Will Eisner (1917–2005) is universally considered the master of comics storytelling, best known for The Spirit, his iconic newspaper comic strip, and A Contract With God, the first significant graphic novel. This seminal work from 1978 ushered in a new era of personal stories in comics form that touched every adult topic from mortality to religion and sexuality, forever changing the way writers and artists approached comics storytelling. Noted historian Paul Levitz celebrates Eisner by showcasing his most famous work alongside unpublished and rare materials from the family archives. Also included are original interviews with creators such as Jules Feiffer, Art Spiegelman, Scott McCloud, Jeff Smith, Denis Kitchen, and Neil Gaiman—all of whom knew Eisner and were inspired by his work to create their own graphic novels for a new generation of readers. NOTE: The cover is a high-quality photographic reproduction of Eisner's original art. The design intentionally reveals tape and other stray markings that are part of the artist's process and reflect the age of the artifact that was photographed. “Eisner was not only ahead of his times; the present times are still catching up to him,” —John Updike “What Will did was and is timeless,” —Neil Gaiman “Will Eisner is, and remains, one of my precious idols,” —Frank Miller "He was the greatest,” —Harvey Kurtzman “Will Eisner is a national treasure,” —Jules Feiffer “Will Eisner is the heart and mind of American comics,” —Scott McCloud “Eisner is the single person most responsible for giving comics its brains,” —Alan Moore “Eisner was unique in feeling from the start that comic books were not necessarily this despised, bastard, crappy, lowbrow kind of art form, and that there was a potential for real art,” —Michael Chabon