The Spirit Archives, Vol. 8

The Spirit Archives #8

by Will Eisner

The Spirit continues his battle against Nazi spies and underground criminals in the eighth volume of this comprehensive collection of Spirit Sunday strips. Reprinting in full color the classic strips from January 2 - June 25, 1944, these tales have the masked crimefighter facing off against some of his greatest enemies: such as Killer Ketch, Dr. Peroo, and the lethal Black Marx. Also included in this hardcover masterwork is a gallery of remarkable artwork that Will Eisner created for the Army during World War II.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Strips

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

William 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.

Reviews

[Stewart Tame · Rating 3 out of 5]

More from the war years. As usual, the only Eisner artwork in the book is in the introduction, which reprints more of his army work. None of the stories particularly stand out as either memorably good or bad. I note with interest the one story where Ebony exhibits an aptitude for inventions. The last story in the book, "Sad Eyes Sam's Last Laugh," features some wonderfully Runyon-esque gangsters, and a surprisingly grim sense of humor.

[Brandt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will Eisner is a legend in comics and the Spirit is one of his most famous characters, but the comics in this volume fall in the first half of 1944 when Eisner had been drafted and The Spirit was being ghost-written/ghost drawn by other people. Whereas in the early volumes prior to Eisner's military service show a creator who is deft and efficient with the eight pages he was given to work with, his ghost-creators seem stymied by it. The stories often feel rushed, since they know they only have eight pages to work with and there really isn't the creativity in both style and substance we see when Eisner is at the helm.

As a historical document, we can thank the people who kept The Spirit alive while Eisner was serving, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I can't wait to get to volume 11, where I'm assuming Eisner gets back to the genius we see in the first few volumes.

[Des McCartney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first will eisner I have read. I have read 'crime does not pay' and 'the simon and kirby library:crime' and both are vastly superior to this eisner volume. The reason being, is that they are based on true crime events{more/less} and are told and drawn in a dramatic manner.Eisner's stories are fiction presented in a 'lil abner' or 'archie comics' style which gives a humerous slant to a crime comic; it just doesn't work for me.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not that these stories aren’t good, it’s that too many of them follow the same stunted plot line r progression. There’s a sameness that probably wasn’t as noticeable week to week, but one after another , is glaring.

Can’t wait until the post-war Spirit stories start.

[John Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

More ghosted Spirit, where Ebony is practically a Super Shredder version of Willie Best.