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The Spirit Archives #21
The Spirit Archives, Vol. 21
Collects stories from classic Spirit adventures in which a murdered detective fights crime from beyond the grave.
- GenresComicsComic Book
204 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2007
71 people want to read
About the author
Will Eisner
761 books534 followersWilliam Erwin Eisner was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series The Spirit (1940–1952) was noted for its experiments in content and form. In 1978, he popularized the term "graphic novel" with the publication of his book A Contract with God. He was an early contributor to formal comics studies with his book Comics and Sequential Art (1985). The Eisner Award was named in his honor and is given to recognize achievements each year in the comics medium; he was one of the three inaugural inductees to the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 18, 2022
!->THE ABSENCE OF EBONY IS INEXCUSABLE<-!
thus I spent the entire book wondering why, in a frustrated-angry fashion, and looking down on Sammy and Willum as sub-sidekicks in general. (As for P.S., I won't shy away from calling him a throwaway as a character.)
and I highly suspect that significant authorship, and especially art duties, were done more so by others than the usual "assistance" he needed to meet his deadlines/standards.
->Incidentally, I was struck with the strange notion of being upset that the writing was noticeably better than the usual Eisner- I had to cling to objectivity to enjoy it! I identified more intelligence and philosophy within the narrative which I will assume was the product of Eisner plus the quite insightful input of (an)other. Could it have been Feiffer?
->The visual product kept me in constant suspicion about whether I was looking at Eisner's work, collaboration, or someone else's hand entirely (exempting the pure Feiffer entry {see cover}). If I knew more about the mechanics of cartooning rendersponsibilities then I would probably not have always wondered if Will did just the layouts at times or if he just did the inking so that the product would look most personal aesthetically.
What struck me as the most different detail throughout was the never-absent eyemask which did not match what I'm used to as one who must have seen it in triple-digit panels by now.
so then why did I rate it all **** ?
because despite my hang-ups, it's smart and entertaining reading with art that meets my Spiritexpectations!
thus I spent the entire book wondering why, in a frustrated-angry fashion, and looking down on Sammy and Willum as sub-sidekicks in general. (As for P.S., I won't shy away from calling him a throwaway as a character.)
and I highly suspect that significant authorship, and especially art duties, were done more so by others than the usual "assistance" he needed to meet his deadlines/standards.
->Incidentally, I was struck with the strange notion of being upset that the writing was noticeably better than the usual Eisner- I had to cling to objectivity to enjoy it! I identified more intelligence and philosophy within the narrative which I will assume was the product of Eisner plus the quite insightful input of (an)other. Could it have been Feiffer?
->The visual product kept me in constant suspicion about whether I was looking at Eisner's work, collaboration, or someone else's hand entirely (exempting the pure Feiffer entry {see cover}). If I knew more about the mechanics of cartooning rendersponsibilities then I would probably not have always wondered if Will did just the layouts at times or if he just did the inking so that the product would look most personal aesthetically.
What struck me as the most different detail throughout was the never-absent eyemask which did not match what I'm used to as one who must have seen it in triple-digit panels by now.
so then why did I rate it all **** ?
because despite my hang-ups, it's smart and entertaining reading with art that meets my Spiritexpectations!
January 4, 2020
That will teach me to underestimate Will Eisner.
Just when I felt that Eisner had reached his limit (he had been producing The Spirit for a decade, minus the time he spent in the Army during World War II) in the latter half of 1950, Eisner seemed to get a second wind (or is that a third wind?) when it came to the character that effectively put him on the map. I honestly wasn't shocked that the previous volume showed signs of fatigue for Eisner, even though he was working with a comics "super-team" that included Jack Cole (Plastic Man), Jules Feiffer (later of the Village Voice and Wally Wood (Creepy among others). Feiffer's claims of authorship aside, I am convinced that The Spirit came from Eisner first and was accentuated by his assistants. I don't know it is possible to see the consistency in the storytelling in The Spirit from its inception in 1940 (barring the ghost-written war years) and think otherwise.
Of course, with the best of these Spirit Archives volumes, the storytelling is always the primary thing on display. Eisner was, of course, a talented artist, but his genius was in using the comic form to convey the story--yes the art was important (see the list above of his team members for the later day Spirit strips) but for Eisner the story always came first. If he wasn't also a talented artist, he might have been a great novelist. But Eisner knew what the best medium was for him to tell the tales he wanted to tell, and this is the result.
There isn't much I can say about Eisner's work that I have not said before. When he was on, he was on and we are the beneficiaries of his genius. The Spirit was always more than comic book crime fiction--even if it was draped in those clothes on the surface. But Eisner, at his best, was able to convey the stories he wanted to tell, regardless of the trappings of the frame (in this case, crime fighting) that he presented to the casual reader. This volume is just another example.
Just when I felt that Eisner had reached his limit (he had been producing The Spirit for a decade, minus the time he spent in the Army during World War II) in the latter half of 1950, Eisner seemed to get a second wind (or is that a third wind?) when it came to the character that effectively put him on the map. I honestly wasn't shocked that the previous volume showed signs of fatigue for Eisner, even though he was working with a comics "super-team" that included Jack Cole (Plastic Man), Jules Feiffer (later of the Village Voice and Wally Wood (Creepy among others). Feiffer's claims of authorship aside, I am convinced that The Spirit came from Eisner first and was accentuated by his assistants. I don't know it is possible to see the consistency in the storytelling in The Spirit from its inception in 1940 (barring the ghost-written war years) and think otherwise.
Of course, with the best of these Spirit Archives volumes, the storytelling is always the primary thing on display. Eisner was, of course, a talented artist, but his genius was in using the comic form to convey the story--yes the art was important (see the list above of his team members for the later day Spirit strips) but for Eisner the story always came first. If he wasn't also a talented artist, he might have been a great novelist. But Eisner knew what the best medium was for him to tell the tales he wanted to tell, and this is the result.
There isn't much I can say about Eisner's work that I have not said before. When he was on, he was on and we are the beneficiaries of his genius. The Spirit was always more than comic book crime fiction--even if it was draped in those clothes on the surface. But Eisner, at his best, was able to convey the stories he wanted to tell, regardless of the trappings of the frame (in this case, crime fighting) that he presented to the casual reader. This volume is just another example.
January 3, 2016
Eisner at his peak. Another amazing collection. I'm actually getting sad I'm starting to near the end of the series ... but I can always read these all over again once I do!
May 31, 2025
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.
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.
March 26, 2018
Although it's probably not the Spirit's high water mark, I still think these latter-era Spirit stories kick the crap out of anything else out there, then or today. There's great humor, great adventure, and some terrific, gorgeous pages (splash and sequential).
Highlights include the Spirit meeting his match in the three-part duel of wits with detective Dick Whittler (July 23rd's Dick Whittler through August 6th's Investigation), plus Whittler and the Spirit teaming up against P'Gell in Sept. 10th's Teacher's Pet.
Eisner's design sense and lettering gets a brilliant spotlight in Sept 24th's Sound. Sammy and Willum get a couple of great spotlights as well, and Darwyn Cooke pays tribute to Eisner in the introduction.
Also, the conceit of the volume's final strip is hilarious. An unnamed Eisner assistant sneaks back into the office (all of this depicted on panel) and shoots Eisner in the back, and decides that he's going to take over the strip and get the credit he really deserves. The next three pages have the Spirit drawn in a super-cartoony, big-head, little kid style with over-exaggerated lettering and design effects throughout. Hilarious! And you get a traditional Eisner splash at the opening, and a second, kid-style splash when the "assistant" takes over!
Highlights include the Spirit meeting his match in the three-part duel of wits with detective Dick Whittler (July 23rd's Dick Whittler through August 6th's Investigation), plus Whittler and the Spirit teaming up against P'Gell in Sept. 10th's Teacher's Pet.
Eisner's design sense and lettering gets a brilliant spotlight in Sept 24th's Sound. Sammy and Willum get a couple of great spotlights as well, and Darwyn Cooke pays tribute to Eisner in the introduction.
Also, the conceit of the volume's final strip is hilarious. An unnamed Eisner assistant sneaks back into the office (all of this depicted on panel) and shoots Eisner in the back, and decides that he's going to take over the strip and get the credit he really deserves. The next three pages have the Spirit drawn in a super-cartoony, big-head, little kid style with over-exaggerated lettering and design effects throughout. Hilarious! And you get a traditional Eisner splash at the opening, and a second, kid-style splash when the "assistant" takes over!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews