Ten Things I Love About Comics--#2
Will Eisner's Spirit. Although it is not commonly understood today, comics did not start out as entertainment for children. They evolved out of the editorial cartoons over time and initially retained some sharp social and political commentary. When newspapers started including comics sections with their Sunday editions, the sections were often a smorgasbord of entertainment for the entire family, with strips that were geared towards women, others aimed at men, and still others for the kiddies.
In 1940, Will Eisner, a young artist and storyteller, started the Spirit comics sections, a 16-page four color supplement included with many newspapers around the country. The sections featured a 7-page Spirit story, with two back up features (usually Lady Luck & Mr Mystic) rounding out the book.
The Spirit was obviously designed to cash in on the craze for "Mystery Men" as the superheroes like Batman & Superman were called at the time. But unlike them he wore no elaborate costume, with just a domino mask to cover his identity and a sensible blue suit and hat.
At first Eisner's plots were typical of the time, with mad scientists and costumed villains. But from about mid-1942 to late 1945, Eisner found himself, like many other young men in America, called upon to do his part in World War II.
When he returned, the Spirit changed dramatically. There was much more of a
film noirish quality, with gritty, realistic stories about political corruption and gangland slayings. Eisner was a master storyteller and artist and over the next five years the Spirit became the greatest series ever.
Here's an example from
Ten Minutes, one of Eisner's most famous stories. To set the stage, Freddy's an angry young punk who decides to rob the local sweet shop when he finds himself alone for a moment with the owner. Shooting the man behind the counter, Freddie helps himself to the till, but finds himself trapped when suddenly a bunch of customers come in. He pretends to be helping out, but a flirting young girl notices something on his cheek.
Now, is that a perfect sequence of panels or what? Note the sudden change in the girl's expression as she sees the dead body behind the counter, and then the perfect follow up scream as Freddie hotfoots it out the door.
Will Eisner's Spirit, the highwater mark for comics.
The prior entry in this series.
