Celebrating a year on Substack and Will Eisner's birthday
Midweek update: Marching into new vistas
Marching on in 2024…
I wrapped up writing for The Oklahoman in February 2023, after leaving staff there in Sept. 2018. My column on comics began running there in Feb. 2001, succeeding columns I had written for the college paper, my own zines, and then-nascent comic-book websites.
Looking for a new place to land, I essentially followed the Food Dood Dave Cathey to Substack, testing it out in February 2024 and writing my first exclusive-to-the-site column in March.
As we continue into 2024, I’m planning to expand film coverage and continue to provide insights on the comics industry here.
One of the first things I wrote about on Substack was Will Eisner Week. It’s here again, as March 6 is the birthday of the noted graphic novelist.
In May, IDW published 17 of Eisner’s best “The Spirit” stories, shot from the original art, in “The Spirit Artisan Edition.” These stories come from his 1946-1950 period on the character.
Eisner also pioneered the graphic novel with “A Contract With God” in 1978, as Eisner followed four interconnected stories on Dropsie Ave. in the Bronx.
His 1985 “Comics and Sequential Art” is considered an essential contribution to the study of comics. He continued to create graphic novels in the 1990s and 2000s, with his final work appearing shortly after his death in 2005.
Here’s how the official site describes the creator and the events of the week:
Will Eisner (1917-2005) was a highly innovative and creative artist and writer who pioneered in the field of comics and graphic novels. For decades he strongly advocated for the inclusion of graphic novels in library collections and sequential art on museum walls. In the last few years we've all seen their phenomenal growth. Because of Will Eisner's unparalleled contributions, we now celebrate Will Eisner Week every March around the world. Will Eisner Week celebrates graphic novel literacy, comics and sequential art, and Will Eisner's legacy. …
Will Eisner Week events have been held in libraries, bookstores, schools, and museums since 2009. It has grown from two events in New York City to hundreds of events held in cities throughout the world plus podcasts and virtual events in cyberspace.
More details and information can be found on the Facebook page. I encourage you to celebrate the day by reading a comic or graphic novel or visiting your local comic book shop!
While you know Eisner for his creative work, you might not know that Eisner was also proponent of comic-book stores. Each year, at the Eisner Awards for comic creators, a special award, the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award, is given to a retailer or retailers who are recognized for their support of the comic art medium.
Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.