The Spirit Archives, Vol. 25

A couple weeks ago, I was reading a collection of Mike Hammer comic strips from the early 80s when I made a wondrous discovery. Listed in the volume were a slew of other news strip collections available from the publisher. I was beyond thrilled to learn that there was not one but three volumes devoted to a 6-day per week collection of The Spirit comic strips. 

As any established Will Eisner aficionado knows, The Spirit got it's start as an 8-page color insert in the Sunday edition of many national newspapers. But did you know that for about 2 years, readers were treated to 7-days of adventures starring the Spirit, his assistant Ebony and the Central City police force? I sure as heck didn't!

The next day I went on Amazon to try and purchase those volumes. All 3 were available. But at really expensive prices that I just wasn't willing to pay. Then I got the idea that maybe, JUST MAYBE, DC released the dailies as part of the complete Will Eisner's The Spirit Archives. Lo and behold, a volume was produced. The penultimate book in the library has the whole scoop on the Spirit dailies along with a foreword by Tom Spurgeon and a brief introduction from one of those early 80s strip collections by the master himself on the art team behind this version of The Spirit. And I just happened to have this book in my 'to-read' pile and didn't even know that I was sitting on a gold mine!

Will Eisner only got to work on about the first 6 weeks of stories as both the writer, artist and inker before being drafted by the Army. Like a few others in the industry, Eisner attempted to moonlight as the strips artist and inker. But his military responsibilities grew to be too much and he had to go on an indefinite hiatus for the remainder of World War II.

Lou Fine and Jack Cole replaced Eisner in his absence in subsequent order. Both tried extremely hard to make the transition of creators as seamless as possible. While they managed to capture the artwork fairly well (I didn't notice a definite lacking in that quality until about the last third of the book), neither talent could match the genius of Will Eisner. For one thing, their story plotting seems to go in circles. There's a definite lack of creativity. Plus neither Fine nor Cole could portray Ebony White with any sort of dignity. His faces are exaggerated to the standards of the Jim Crow minstrel. His English is severely broken. And instead of being a reluctant hero, Ebony's portrayed more as a buffoon whose fate hinges on pure dumb luck.

The Spirit dailies were a victim of World War II. While popular with readers, a lack of talent willing to take on the assignment, spelled doom for the strip. Jack Cole's Plastic Man had become a hit and he was too busy to continue with the tight deadlines for a daily. So with paper at a premium due to rationing, and other titles more than willing to take Denny Colt's place, The Spirit was cancelled; reduced to merely appearing in newsprint every Sunday.

I think what I liked the best about this collection were the two lost Christmas stories, plus a handful of holiday themed strips. As an owner and reader of The Christmas Spirit, I thought I had read all of the character's holiday offerings. But thanks to this volume, I not only got those untold Christmas tales but at least 1 Thanksgiving and a Halloween haunt to read and enjoy as well!

If there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it's that if you plan on making a very expensive purchase for an addition to a large comic book collection, be sure to do your research and make sure that you don't own the work in another format. I'm so glad that I didn't make an impulsive purchase without checking my books because I would have spent a lot of money on something that I already had and I would have been furious about it.

Worth Consuming!

Rating:8 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 21

This volume covers 6 months of Will Eisner's The Spirit towards the end of its original run. I've been reading these out of order. Normally, that hadn't been a problem as continuity wasn't an issue. However, controversial, but universally loved, sidekick Ebony White is missing from this work, replaced by 2 really annoying sidekicks (and wannabe detectives) Sammy and Willium. (Actually, Willium isn't that bad. But he's no Ebony.) 

Eisner's writing style at this point in time has exploded with creative plotting, experimental narratives and other elements that you'd only find in a masters level English Lit class. Reading this book was like attending a writing clinic. You can see how generations of comic book artists, writers and prose novelists were inspired by Will Eisner's The Spirit. The crazy thing is some of the best Spirit stories don't even have the main character as an active player. Heck, sometimes, he's nowhere to be found!

Something new, at least in the volumes I have read so far, is a multi-issue story arc about a lawman named Dick Whittler. A sheriff from another town, he's called the Spirit in to help with a murder case in which we discover that our hero is the prime suspect. Over the course of 3 chapters, the Spirit must clear his name while proving that Commissioner Dolan wasn't an accomplice to the crime. 

The Spirit is known for solving extremely puzzling mysteries. This volume solved a long-standing puzzle for myself. A couple of years ago, I read The Christmas Spirit. Produced in 1994 by Kitchen Sink Press, the holiday treasury collected all of the Christmas themed stories to appear in the series' original run. One story told of a little girl named Darling O'Shea, the richest girl in the world who wants to capture Santa Claus for skipping her house for the past several Christmas Eves. I wondered who in the heck just this little tyke was and thanks to this book, I finally learned her origins. 

As I've gotten older, heading into my late 40s, I've really been craving the comfort foods of Carl Barks, Stan and Jack, and Don Rosa. Add Will Eisner to that menu. I know that their works have flaws. But nobody is perfect. History is full of prejudices, stereotypes and ignorance. Eisner's Ebony White was steeped in black stereotype and was phased out eventually by the comics legend who was troubled by the character's legacy. When I try to read comics from 'a simplier time', I'm not oblivious to the blemishes. But man are the 2020 such a downer that I need some escape!

My first degree is in history. I love learning about the past. Especially the pop culture era of 1938-2000. And I have found that one of the best ways to learn about this time period is through the entertainment of the day. Who better than Will Eisner to learn about the highs and lows of the American storyteller? He might not have been a perfect man but his works are far superior than a lot of modern comic creators who act like they've never made a mistake in their entire life. 

I'll keep on reading and doing my darndest in trying to collect the entire Eisner library.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 4

October is almost here. That means I can let myself read Halloween and other horror themed titles throughout the whole month. But I can't wait. I'm like a kid waiting for Santa to arrive. I needed a fix and I needed it quick.

I decided to go with an unread volume of Will Eisner's Spirit Archives. With its noirish tone, creepy villains and the fact that the Spirit lives in a cemetery, I felt like I could scratch that Halloween itch without breaking my self-imposed reading guidelines.

The stories in this volume were originally published from January-June, 1942. Pearl Harbor shocked the country and America is now at war with Germany and Japan. Thus, elements of the war are beginning to creep into the strip. There's spies and saboteurs galore. The Spirit has been enlisted by the Army as a G-2 level agent, called from time to time to put down the fascist secret agents operating in the shadows of Central City.

These enemy agents are pretty well organized. That's because of workings of their leader, the mysterious master of disguise, the Squid. I can't find evidence of this, so all I can do is conclude that the Squid is an an early version of what will become the Spirit's arch-enemy, the Octopus. But for all I know, they might be the same guy. You never see either's true face. Both wear purple suits with matching gloves. Only the Squid is an operative of Adolph Hitler whereas the Octopus was his own boss and the unofficial leader of the city's underworld.

The controversial Ebony White really shines in a few stories. He develops a robotic figure that helps uncover espionage on an Army base. Plus he shows real bravery and loyalty sticking up for not just the Spirit but Commissioner Dolan and his daughter Ellen.

There's a love triangle afoot as British agent Silk Satin returns on several occasions to help the war effort. Satin almost succeeds in permanently stealing the Spirit away from Ellen during a particularly intimate mission in which The Spirit and Satin must play parents to an innocent little baby. A babe who just happens to be the exiled King of Balkslavania!

The artwork makes me jealous. I wish I could draw that spirited (no pun intended.) Eisner's hands could put so much life into a panel. It's not just a comic book. It's a living breathing world with so many untold tales behind every door and darkened window, just begging to be revealed! 

I want the whole collection. I don't care about the order. Will Eisner's Spirit is my comfort food for when I long for an entertaining, creative read on a chilly night with a faithful cat and warm blanket. Perfect fall weather reading.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 10

January through June, 1945. The second World War is drawing to a close. Will Eisner is still tinkering away as a warrant officer in Washington, using the medium of comics to teach preventative maintenance. In New York, Eisner's creation, the vigilante detective posing as a criminal warlord, the Spirit, is still being published by talents such as Jack Cole. And yet, Eisner's creation just isn't the same without him.

Under Will Eisner, the characters had emotion. The layouts were brilliant experiments in lettering and design. The plots were simultaneously action-packed and funny. The art evoked empathy, passion and horror. Above all, an air of whimsy filled the corner of every page until it oozed off the paper. 

Without Will Eisner, the Spirit has become a soulless crime book. Instead of being imitated by the rest of the industry, the series has become just another in an endless sea of crime comics that seek to push countless envelopes. 

There are essentially 2 sections of this book. About the first 9 or 10 stories are trash. The artwork is flat but acceptable. The plots are complicated to the point of being unintelligible. The dialogue is like someone took a bunch of Sam Spade and James Cagney scripts and threw them in a blender: cliche without substance.

Then some miraculous changes around that 11th or 12th story. The art begins to pop. The colors are brighter. The story lines are now creative and the dialogue is much more polished. It lacks the charm Will Eisner brought to the characters. None of the writers that contributed to the Spirit at this time seem to be able to get Commissioner Dolan's relationship with the hero right. But it's better than the drivel that filled the first 80 pages of this book. 

I want to own the whole 26-volume Spirit archive. (There's actually 27 books in the set. But I think I own all the material that fills that final book and might not need to possess it.) Anyways, I buy (and read) these out of order. I purchase that which is affordable, not chronological order, based on many of these being out of print. Knowing now that Eisner is absent from the books containing the war years, If I am faced with two volumes of about the same price range that is favorable to my wallet and one is set during World War II and the other is not, I'll take the latter... for now.

A fair read. I wish I knew who wrote those later stories in this volume so I could give proper kudos. The difference between the halves of this volume really are as different as night and day.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 3

I could have finished this book in September. Only there was a Halloween story. So, I took a break until the week before All Hallow's. I read that seasonal tale and progressed until I hit the Thanksgiving story. Hitting the breaks again, this was my last Turkey Day read for 2023. I then kept reading until there came a Christmas caper! So I waited until I got a little bit closer to Santa's arrival. And then I forgot all about this book. 

I had picked up a collection of all of Will Eisner's Christmas Spirit stories. I think after I did the review, I probably got all mixed up in my head and combined that book with this one and just moved on. Thankfully, working on my comic book inventory and filing, I realized that I still had this book to finish. To my delight, I didn't mind all the delays because I really, really love The Spirit. 

This collection is early Will Eisner Spirit. At book's start, the Spirit has only been running in syndicated Sunday newspapers for a year. This edition marks the beginning of year 2 of the Spirit. Eisner's genius is showing through. However, many of those iconic villains have yet to be introduced yet. Arch-enemy, The Octopus and femme fatale P'Gell are about 5 years away from becoming a part of the Spirit's Rogue's Gallery. Childhood love turned law breaker Sand Sarif won't come back into the former Denny Colt's life for another decade. Despite some of these notable absences, there are still some memorable characters to be found inside.

The pint-sized P.S. Smith causes trouble for the Spirit and baddies alike for at least 2 hilarious stories. Spirit sidekick Ebony White has a number of misadventures with his cousin and other family members. And we can't forget Commissioner Dolan's daughter Ellen, who is madly in love with the Spirit. She works so freaking well as the Gal Friday and Kate Hepburn to the Spirit's Cary Grant/Spencer Tracy. But she's also great on her own; especially in a romp where Ellen joins an all-women's football team that's playing a team that is nothing but tough guys in drag attempting to beat the point spread!

By the start of break #1 in my reading of this book, I took to Amazon to buy up a couple more volumes. I knew that my wife wasn't going to get me these for my birthday or Christmas, so I was clear in buying up a couple of books. Thanks to remembering that I needed to review this collection, I went back to Amazon to snag a couple more. These Archive editions are not cheap. They retail for $49.99 and many are either out of print and that means whatever copies of those I manage to find are not cheap. But hopefully, I wind up with all 26 volumes and the complete run of original Will Eisner Spirit stories in my possession.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Christmas Spirit

Will Eisner's The Spirit ran as part of a 16-page syndicated supplement in newspapers from June, 1940 to October, 1952. During this print run, a total of 9 annual holiday set tales were published. (Eisner was drafted into the Army during the height of World War II, resulting in the yule tide Spirit capers to be postponed from 1942-1944.) These stories were published as 'The Christmas Spirit.' In these festive adventures, The Spirit takes a backseat; in fact, he's not even in a couple of these stories. The anti-hero formerly known as Denny Colt refuses to work on Christmas, claiming that another Spirit works in his stead every December 25th. For many fans, these are some of the most beloved stories from Will Eisner's most famous creation and I might just have to agree.

This 1994 trade paperback from Kitchen Sink Press collects all 9 stories. There's also an introduction by Eisner that no fan of comic books should overlook. It explains how the very Jewish Will Eisner came to create a yearly story that became a Christian holiday tradition for millions of readers.

To pick a favorite would be like picking the child you like most. There's so many great stories here. But if I had to select the one that was my least favorite, it would be December 1946's 'A Fable'. In this story, a trio of characters are accosted separately by Central City lowlifes. It turns out that these 3 men are ambassadors attempting to solve the crisis of Post World War II European reconstruction. Should they fail, the region will fall back into an endless cycle of conflict. Each one's individual assaults threaten that peace process. Why was it the winner of my least favored read? For one, the story was confusing. For second, the plot of the story is unbalanced, focusing on 2 of the ambassadors while seemingly forgetting the third altogether by page 2 of the tale.

A product of the 1940s and 50s, there are some outdated elements. Elements such as the exaggerated look of Spirit's sidekick, Ebony, have been lamented over often as poor decisions by Eisner. If you are willing to overlook those dreadful parts of history and see this book as a time capsule of how people thought and acted during the time period, you can enjoy this book. While it has its sins, The Christmas Spirit collection is a heck of a lot more positive than just about anything currently being released by any form of multi-media. 2023 feels like a time where nothing can improve. 1940-51 Christmas Spirit stories felt like there was a promise of a new day on the horizon. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics

This is one of those books I remember having from my first collection (that was stolen). This book was published in 1981; meaning I was 3 or 4 when it was released. I don't think that's when my parents bought it for me. I somehow remember seeing this book advertised on TV and wanting it really, really bad. I also remember opening the book from its shipping box on my parents' kitchen table and looking through it and being disappointed...

Over the years, as I read the book again and again, I came to appreciate it a little more each time. When I found this book recently once more at my favorite used book store, I finally understood this book's brilliance!

This book isn't comprehensive. While Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel are examined in this book, other important early superheroes like Captain America and Wonder Woman are noticeably not just absent, I don't think either are mentioned in any of the essays written by comic book historians J. Michael Barrier and Martin T. Williams. 

This book covers comics published up to 1955, right when the industry imposed the self regulated Comics Code Authority. A good stopping point if you were writing a multi-volume look at the history of comic books. EC Comics was the main target of the evils found in comic books from Dr. Wertham and state senators. As a result, no less than 5 stories from that legendary publisher are included in this book. Yet none of them are of the sci-fi or horror titles that ignited the comic book scare of the 1950s!

A number of legendary creators are examined. There are works from Walt Kelly and his critter creation, Pogo, John Stanley's version of Little Lulu and Tubby and Will Eisner's The Spirit. A seasonal story from Carl Barks starring Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge are also included. I would have finished this book a couple of weeks ago. But I wanted to enjoy Barks' 'A Letter to Santa' during the holiday season. Thus I waited. 

To my big surprise, the stories I was the most enamored with were the Scribbly stories, featuring the Ma Hunkel Red Tornado stories. Created by Sheldon Mayer (Golden Age Green Lantern), these stories were clever parodies of the age of mystery men, lively illustrated and just oh-so fun to read. To my knowledge, those stories have never been collected. Thus, other than the 4 stories comprised here, unless I max out my credit cards, I'm probably never going to get to read Ma's further adventures. 

I really enjoyed this collection. The artwork is so starkly different from what I grew up with and primitive compared to modern comics. The scripts are like works of art. They capture the dialect and tone of the times. For a kid born anywhere after 1977, these things are like trying to read Shakespeare. When I was young, everything just looked off and I couldn't really understand the stories. Now I am 45 and I felt like I was in the presence of greatness. and well into that presence I was. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars,

The Spirit #32

With the US Army threatening to send the mysterious new island in Central City's harbor back to the murky depths, the Spirit races to save Commissioner Dolan's nephew before it's too late. Meanwhile, Leprechaun detective Cormac is leading an army of hobos from Central City against an army of the undead. If their reanimated leader gets his hand on a stolen Irish artifact called the Celtic Stone before dawn, not only Central City but the entire world will be enslaved by a powerful Zombie King.

   Funny, exciting, and a little scary was this the final chapter of the story titled after the stolen rock, the Celtic Stone, and it was perfect. Former Eisner disciple Mike Ploog returned to the world of the Spirit to send this epic series out in style and he did just that! The plot was great- the art even better. I loved it!

    I just hate that this is the final issue of a fantastic Spirit series that highlighted some fantastic artists and writers.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #31

 

  The series ends with the opening chapter of a two-parter about strange happenings in Central City harbor. A mysterious island has just popped up in the bay much to the panic of the US Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the Spirit is on the hunt for Commissioner Dolan's nephew who might be tied up in some shady dealings and has gone missing. Adding to the fun is the appearance of a new detective from Ireland who also happens to be on the hunt for the young Dolan. Oh, and this new inspector is also Leprechaun...

   Mike Ploog, who actually worked on the Spirit with creator Will Eisner returns to the franchise in this two-parter titled 'The Celtic Stone.' You can really see the influence of Eisner on Ploog's script, but it's the art that shows the biggest resemblance. I could have sworn that this was a missing Eisner work because it looked that close to the master's original works.

   I really enjoyed this first chapter. It captured the fun, mystery, and sometimes creepy tones of the original Spirit series from the 40s. I hate that this series is ending as this is a prime example of just how great a character the Spirit is and a testament to the overall quality of the past 31-issues.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #22 (Correct Version)

The cover is a tribute to Will Eisner's original series
in which the series title would play a part of the scene or action.

   When magicians begin popping up all over the city dead, it's up to the Spirit to solve the case and prevent a crime spree. Most of the stories in this series have been crime noirs that are heavier on action that actual crime solving. That changes here are there are dozens of clues littered throughout this book in which the reader is invited to solve before the protagonist can.
 
    You pretty much know from the start who the villain is. But like the Spirit, you're beginning from square one trying to determine a motive while figuring out just how they did it.  Honestly, I thought the solution stunk. It was so far fetched but the build-up and the conclusion in which the Spirit apprehends the villain was very good.

    The art by Chad Hardin and Wayne Faucher was also well done. They've been a great duo to attempt a reasonable facsimile of Will Eisner's timeless style. But they, along with the deft talents of writers Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier, just aren't enough to make this a very memorable story because as I said the solution just wasn't all that great.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #21 (DC Comics 2007-09)

   In hopes of bringing down a local gang, the Spirit impersonates their leader under the guise that he has recently been released from jail. But when Chief Dolan's daughter Ellen is kidnapped and taken as a hostage, by the gang the Central City Police are forced to release the actual baddie. What transpires when there is now two bosses and a ton of oddly polite bikers is a comedy of errors that only writers Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier could craft.

    I still prefer Darwyn Cooke's run on this series. I felt that he, with his classic noir style, seemed to channel Will Einser's original take on the Spirit really well. But the duo of Aragones and Evanier are a very close second. The plot was so screwball I thought I was reading a comic book adaptation of a Howard Hawks film. It was tons of fun.

   The art was quite good as well, but it surprised the heck out of me. I was convinced that the art was by writer Aragones. It had that quality of his non-Mad Magazine works such as 'Sergio Aragones Destroys the DC Universe.' Instead, this book was crafted by a Paul Smith. I'm not familiar with his work, but it was quite good and paired well with the Spirit and his zany cast of characters.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit: The Origin Years #6

  This is an interesting mix of noir, patriotism, and spousal abuse. In this collection of chronological Spirit tales from the 1940s, our intrepid hero must save a damsel from a disfigured paramour, then the Spirit enlists in the US army as a secret agent wiping out Nazi insurgents. Later, when Chief Dolan’s daughter decides to become a bounty hunter, the Spirit actually beats up his lady friend in order to prevent her from getting killed by a thug. Lastly, the Spirit must face off against a villainess whose fatal kiss can literally kill.

 Three of these tales are pure noir classics. But I can’t speak for ‘The Manly Art of Defense.’ Just yesterday, Ray Rice was fired from the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely from the NFL for doing the exact thing the Spirit did to Ellen Doran! To top it off, Ellen’s father, the city chief of police commends the Spirit for dampening Ellen’s aspirations to be a private eye. I can’t believe this saw print. Even more, I can’t believe that that story didn’t get as much hate mail as the Orang the Ape Man stories from Origin Years #4! It seems in the 1940s people were more upset over a talking ape than violence towards women.

Once again, I read a controversial comic book. But, I still consider it worth reading because I feel the best way to learn who we are is to examine where we’ve been. Today’s society is quick to oust anyone who is offensive, violent, or harmful. But that doesn’t mean people can’t change. This series contain ‘directors cut’ articles with Will Eisner about his past works and in these you can tell that he really regrets a lot of the questionable material in his works. But you can also tell when he’s proud of things that pushed the envelope for social change.

Some of Eisner’s later works is his most socially conscious. It’s a lot like Dr. Seuss whose World War II works depicted the Japanese as bucked toothed yokels. Yet his works such as the anti-war classic Butter Battle Book and his conservationist prose, Horton Hears a Who are considered classics that promote and provoke the next generation to correct the wrongs of the past. Eisner might not as been as deliberate as Seuss, but he was a man who gained wisdom from his sins of youth.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit: The Origin Years #4

In this issue, Kitchen Sink Press presents 4 stories from the original run of the Spirit. These stories are classic noir, full of hot guns, even hotter dames, and lots of gritty action. Written and drawn by the legendary Will Eisner, these stories are signs of the times they were written in.

African Americans, such as Spirit’s side-kick Ebony, are portrayed as buck-toothed, swollen lipped, and ignorant. The women in these books are either ditzy damsels in distress or cunning femme fatales who get what they want with their feminine whiles and they act like Praying Mantis, eating their mates after they’ve achieved their goals.

This volumes includes a ‘directors cut’ set of notes that go into further detail of the behind the scenes goings on to make the Spirit comics. Will Eisner is often quoted as having said that he regrets the way he portrayed women and minorities. Even though the material in these books wouldn’t fly into today’s comics, they shouldn’t be ignored. As the old adage goes “those who do not learn from history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat it” and by examining the prejudices of yesteryear hopefully we can learn to overcome them.

The most important aspect of these comics that are vitally important is the artwork themselves. Eisner was always crafting unique ways to incorporate the title of the comic into the splash page. He was also looking at different ways to from a panel for heighten drama and symbolism. Without Will Eisner we wouldn’t have Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, or Jim Sternako to name a few.

The stories themselves are entertaining. First up is a patriotic WWII era morality play between two orphans: one who chooses to fool good and one who ends up down the dark path of gang life. Then there’s a rare two-part story involving Orang, an intelligent ape whose biggest flaw is being in love. Finally is a tale that stars Ebony. When a head injury causes him to have x-ray eyes, the Spirit must keep an eye of him after thugs kidnap the youth to break into a bank vault. It’s actually the start of Eisner trying to rectify the stereotypical portrayal of Ebony in the Spirit and proof that people can change for the better.

A fantastic read that is a must for fans of the Spirit or the comics medium.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Will Eisner's The Spirit: The New Adventures #8

The Spirit is on the trail of a brother and sister team of con artists. The woman is a stunner, who mysteriously seduces men to a speedy nuptial and then suddenly dies before the ink on her life insurance policy has time to dry. Oh, and this woman has a tendency to rise from the dead.

A really good final act to a series that paid tribute to the work of Will Eisner. Sadly, this issue didn’t go on to issue 9 as promised in an add in the back of the book. It would have been a Christmas themed issue and from the cover shown, it looked awesome!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Will Eisner's The Spirit New Adventures #7

In this supposedly Halloween inspired issue, the Spirit’s been overworked and Dolan gets him to go out for a round of golf. At the same golf course, Dolan’s daughter is targeted for death by the Octopus. It’s up to a weary and very unaware of his settings Spirit to save the day.

 

There’s another good Spirit tale. But it doesn’t have any memorable villains and I don’t see where it was any more of a Halloween story than the golf yarn was. The only thing in this issue that is in the spirit of All Hallows Eve was a classic splash page by Spirit creator Will Eisner from the early 40s.

A good issue that doesn’t quite live up to the promises on the cover.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Will Eisner's The Spirit: New Adventures #6

This issue contains two good stories that mix noir, humor, and superhero action all into one. The only thing keeping these New Adventures from becoming instant classics is that there isn’t really any memorable foils for Spirit to combat. This issue could’ve used a Sans Serif or an Octopus, or even the odd Nazi baddie.

The plots were good and the art exceptionable. They just lack that “ummph” that came with an Eisner inspired villain or femme fatale.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Will Eisner's "The Spirit" The New Adventures, #5

The Spirit gets drawn into a murder case that’s a little too much like the films Body Heat and Against All Odds. When a wealthy doctor with a shady past is found dead, it’s up to Spirit and Dolan to weed out prospective patients for the true culprit.

Like I said, the plot has been done to death (forgive the pun) in many film noir pictures. There’s also quite a bit of adult themes, double entendres and sex. It’s not for kids.

One of the more serious takes on Will Eisner’s classic character. Very enjoyable but not 100% what I was expecting either and that’s coming from someone who thought the Frank Miller film was oversexed.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Will Eisner's New York: Life in the Big City

WORTH CONSUMING!

For years, when I’ve read a book on the history of comics, I always hear of how Will Eisner is a genius. I’d always been skeptical… until now! This volume is a treasury of 5 books, each a work of art, well stylized, and truly entertaining.

Sometimes funny, often tragic, this book is a masterpiece and probably the best indy book I have ever read. (Very Close to Persepolis- I’m not sure)

 This is required reading!