Guide Note

Will Eisner was a popular and influential American artist and writer in the comic book medium. He is credited with creating the first graphic novel A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories.

Eisner capitalized on the emerging comic book market early when, in 1936, he and partner Jerry Iger formed Eisner & Iger, a comic book "packager" that produced comics on demand for publishers in the late 30s.

Eisner left the firm in 1942 to produce what would arguably become his greatest comic book creation, urban crimefighter The Spirit. The Spirit was printed through 1952, but is experiencing a resurgence in popularity thanks, in part, to a modernized version of the comic penned by Darwyn Cooke and the 2009 Frank Miller film Will Eisner's The Spirit.

Eisner is also renown for his academic contributions to the field of comics. Eisner wrote two theoretical works, Comics and Sequential Art and Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative. Both texts are frequently referred to by students of the comic book medium.

Fast Facts

1. Full Name: William Erwin Eisner
2. Born: March 6, 1917
3. Birthplace: New York City
4. Notable Works: A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories (1978) and The Spirit (1940)
5. Awards: National Cartoonist Society "Comic Book Award" (1967, 1968, 1969, 1987, and 1988) and "Reuben Award" (1988)
6. Eisner was inducted into the Academy of Comic Book Arts Hall of Fame in 1971 and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1987
7. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award (Eisner Awards) were created to honor him
8. Batman creator Bob Kane went to high school with Eisner