'The Spirit' brings 1940s noir comic to the big screen (StarNewsOnline.com)

Michael Chabon image by Getty Images via Daylife

Ben Steelman

Dec. 17, 2008

Of all the Christmas Day movies this year, I'm more than a little interested in "The Spirit," the latest from comic-book-artist-turned-filmmaker Frank Miller. Once again, we'll see those digitized backgrounds and weird mixes of color and black-and-white, as in "Sin City" and "300," Miller's collaborations with Robert Rodriguez.

Mostly, though, I want to see what they do with one of my favorite comic heroes.

I discovered "The Spirit" late, in the 1970s, when a lot of the old strips were finally being reprinted for a new generation of fans. That's when a lot of us first discovered Will Eisner.

Who's Eisner? A cartoonist's cartoonist who never quite reached A-list popularity but was always known to the cognoscenti. Jack Kirby ("The Hulk, "X-Men," etc.) worked with Eisner back in the 1930s, when he was still Jacob Kurtzberg; later a young Jules Feiffer would understudy for him. Michael Chabon quoted Eisner in the epigram for his novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and may have used him as a model for one of his cartoonist heroes. Hundreds of other young pop artists studied his work.

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"A Spirited Life" Review: A must for any library about comic book history (My Pull List)

"Will Eisner: A Spirited Life was written by Bob Andelman and published by M Press in 2005. I saw Andelman do a presentation about his biography at MegaCon in 2006. I finally bought it last year and was not disappointed. The book provides a window into the early years of the comic book industry. If you would like to learn about his creation The Spirit, the subject of Frank Miller's movie adaption due to be released in theaters on Christmas of this year, this is the book to check out. The book follows Eisner's varied career, both in and out of comics. Beginning just before the comic book scare of the 1950's, Eisner left comics to produce P. S., the Army maintenance magazine, which contained a comic book insert that would illustrate a different equipment maintenance procedure each month. And it explores Eisner's contribution to the evolution of the graphic novel. This book is a must for any library about comic book history."
— Billy Hogan, "My Pull List" blogger (November 8, 2008)

"Will Eisner: A Spirited Life" biographer interviewed (Jazma Online)

Yup, I'm linking to an interview with myself, conducted by Richard Vasseur. Self-serving, of course, but it's a fun read.

Here's an excerpt:

Richard: Why did you decide to write "Will Eisner: A Spirited Life"?

Bob: I had the good fortune to be introduced to one of Mr. Eisner's literary agents, Judy Hansen, through my own agent at the time, Kevin Lang. Kevin said, "Judy represents journalists and comics people; maybe you two should talk about a project!"

At the time, Judy and her partner, Denis Kitchen, were trying to get Will to write an autobiography. As I understood it, they wanted someone who was familiar with comics, but was a professional journalist and not a rabid fanboy. That described me pretty well. Judy and I hit it off by phone; then Denis interviewed me at a length. Finally, he recommended that Will meet me. We got together for lunch, established an instant rapport, and the project began.

But there was a bump in the road. After I wrote an initial proposal, Will - who was finishing Fagin the Jew at the time and getting more serious about what would become The Plot - called me and said, "I can't do this. If I spend all my time working on this book, I'll never do any of my real work." He suggested an alternative; I should write it as a straight biography - which he would authorize and cooperate fully on. So that's what we did.

Richard: How did you research the project?

Bob: Everything started with Will. We met in person several times at his office and home, usually for two or three days at a time. That gave me insight into his daily life and routine, as well as the opportunity to spend time with his brother, Pete - his office manager and best friend - and his lovely wife, Ann, with whom he was so very in love.

Will opened up his entire life to me. I was given free access to his book shelves and office files - even his photocopier, to make copies of anything I found of interest. I even brought my scanner to his office and home and scanner art right off the walls. He opened up books of family photos and I stayed up late one night scanning dozens of photos into my computer. (I later provided CDs with these images to the Cartoon Art Museum.) We also talked by phone at least once a week, usually for an hour or so at a time.

One day, I asked about interviewing friends, fans, and co-workers and he handed me his personal address book and said, "Call anyone you like." There were no rules, no conditions; this is how I enticed Neal Adams and Michael Chabon to each write an introduction to the book. I think I interviewed between 50 and 75 people in addition to the Eisners.

Will also told the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum at The Ohio State University to give me complete access to his personal archives there, so I spent three days there pouring through everything I could, photocopying, scanning, and taking notes. Denis Kitchen invited me into his home in Massachusetts and I grilled him about the business side of Will's modern life and photocopied correspondence and much more. I also spent a day at Will's side when he visited the Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida, lecturing students and going one-on-one with them for a portfolio review. The drive back to the airport in Tampa that afternoon was a highlight of our time together for me -- a wide-ranging, free-wheeling conversation.

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Contact & Rights Information for "Will Eisner: A Spirited Life"

The highly acclaimed new Dark Horse Comics/M Press authorized biography, Will Eisner: A Spirited Life, by Bob Andelman, is now in bookstores across the United States and Canada. And this is web site delivers the latest news about Eisner, his projects and his press clippings, as well as author appearances, contact and rights information for Bob Andelman.

Author Bob Andelman is available to make personal appearances and even make an hour-long slide presentation with rare Eisner stories, personal photos and rare art. To inquire about his availability for your store, book festival, museum, university or comic book convention, or to be a guest speaker at any other event, please send an email to bob@andelman.com.

International and Foreign Language Rights: Send inquiries to
Lance Kreiter.

Excerpt, First Serial Rights: Send inquiries to
Kelly Macsisak.

Film, Video, Television and Multimedia Rights: Send inquiries to
Denis Kitchen.

Audiobook Rights: Send inquiries to
Michael Bourret.

Media Review Copies: Send request to
Jeremy Atkins.

Meet the Author: Bob Andelman, "Will Eisner: A Spirited Life"

Bob Andelman and Will Eisner, shortly after publication of Eisner's Fagin the Jew.
(Photo by Pete Eisner)

To invite Bob Andelman to your store, book festival or comic book convention, or to be a guest speaker at any other event, please send an email to bob@andelman.com .

Howard Chaykin Interview: The Will Eisner I Remember

Howard Chaykin (pictured here with Will Eisner biographer Bob Andelman at Megacon 2006 in Orlando) was the first comics creator featured in a new series of Eisner-related interviews. Read it exclusively HERE! Check back here often for a little something new about Will Eisner to enhance your reading of Will Eisner: A Spirited Life, available at bookstores everywhere!

Andelman Speaks @ Milwaukee Art Museum Tribute to Eisner

(Photo by Mimi Andelman.)

Bob Andelman gave a well-received talk and slide show about Will Eisner at the Milwaukee Art Museum on June 11, 2006. He was invited to speak there as part of the mammoth "Masters of American Comics" exhibition, which runs through August 13, 2006. The family was extremely well treated on its first-ever visit to Milwaukee and everybody had a great time, visiting local landmarks such as Mater's, Usinger's, Milwaukee Public Market and Miller Park (home of the Brewers). (For more pictures from Milwaukee, click here!) If you ever get the chance to visit the city, go!

For more photos from Bob Andelman's Will Eisner: A Spirited Life book tour, click here.

The Spirit's Talking Movie Posters (Yahoo)

Think the ladies look good now? Click on the image above (or here) and listen to them actually talk!

Will Eisner & PS Magazine Discussion LIVE on Mr. Media, Friday, April 18, 1 p.m. EST

With the announcement last week that Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries has posted complete scans for 145 regular issues, 3 special issues, and 14 index issues of Will Eisner's rare PS Magazine, I thought it would be fun to have the VCU librarian in charge of the project, Cindy Jackson, as well as the author of the upcoming book, Will Eisner & PS Magazine, Paul Fitzgerald, come on Mr. Media and talk about this little known period in the comics master's career.

As Eisner's authorized biographer -- you have read Will Eisner: A Spirited Life by now, haven't you? -- I certainly have a little extra interest in the topic. And with all the hype for Frank Miller's upcoming film, Will Eisner's The Spirit, the time seems extra-ripe for this!

Eisner drew and was artistic editor for PS Magazine from its inception in 1951 until 1972 and these are truly rare examples of his incomparable art work and direction. In an effort to encourage soldiers to keep better care of their equipment, the US Army hired Eisner's American Visuals Corporation to do a digest-sized publication focusing on preventive maintenance. Each issue consisted of a color comic book style cover; eight pages of four color comic continuity story in the middle; and a wealth of technical, safety, and policy information printed in two color.

Won't you join us LIVE on BlogTalkRadio.com this FRIDAY, APRIL 18 at 1 p.m. EST? CLICK HERE: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mrmedia/2008/04/18/Cindy-Jackson-and-Paul-Fitzgerald-WILL-EISNER-PS-MAGAZINE-VCU-librarian-and-author-Mr-Media and you can participate in a simultaneous web chat or call in and ask the experts your own questions at (646) 595-3135.