Because 364 just won't do.

Today we honor the work and career of another comic master. Can you guess who it is?

1/3/07

3. Will Eisner

Today marks the second anniversary of Will Eisner's death. Call it synchronicity if you like-- I only just discovered that now, while doing the requisite research and image-searching for today's entry.

Like Kirby and Lee, the two men we've covered so far this week, Eisner was a titan in comics. He defined comics as sequential art. He popularized the graphic novel. He mastered the art of the splash page. He continued to work up till his death. There's a reason the Oscars of the comics industry are named after him.

He also gave us The Spirit, a favorite mystery man character and a channel through which to experiment with what could be done with comics. After all, they're just words and pictures on a page. The possibilities are endless, and Eisner saw that.

I'll admit, I haven't read much of Eisner's work, but that doesn't mean I haven't seen his influence in the works of many others. What I have read-- a scant few Spirit stories and a few other miscellaneous things-- was brilliant. Eisner was a master of the comics form. He may be gone, but his spirit-- and The Spirit-- live on.

What are your favorite Eisner-related memories?