Today marks 5 years since the launch of @DynamiteComics' WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, by Matt Wagner (W) Brennan Wagner (C) and me -- a 12 issue jog though The Spirit's canon / a 12 month boot camp in which Matt hammered me into a proper cartoonist. SO grateful to and for this book.
Today marks 5 years since the launch of @DynamiteComics' WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, by Matt Wagner (W) Brennan Wagner (C) and me -- a 12 issue jog though The Spirit's canon / a 12 month boot camp in which Matt hammered me into a proper cartoonist. SO grateful to and for this book.
Today marks 5 years since the launch of @DynamiteComics' WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, by Matt Wagner (W) Brennan Wagner (C) and me -- a 12 issue jog though The Spirit's canon / a 12 month boot camp in which Matt hammered me into a proper cartoonist. SO grateful to and for this book.
Today marks 5 years since the launch of @DynamiteComics' WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, by Matt Wagner (W) Brennan Wagner (C) and me -- a 12 issue jog though The Spirit's canon / a 12 month boot camp in which Matt hammered me into a proper cartoonist. SO grateful to and for this book.
Today marks 5 years since the launch of @DynamiteComics' WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT, by Matt Wagner (W) Brennan Wagner (C) and me -- a 12 issue jog though The Spirit's canon / a 12 month boot camp in which Matt hammered me into a proper cartoonist. SO grateful to and for this book.
There were a TON of rounds of tryouts for this book. First, I did these spec pages -- you can see I was still using the super fine SAN HANNIBAL microns. Some good stuff here and there, but there's a pervasive stiffness. It was that last pinup that ended up pushing me forward.
There were a TON of rounds of tryouts for this book. First, I did these spec pages -- you can see I was still using the super fine SAN HANNIBAL microns. Some good stuff here and there, but there's a pervasive stiffness. It was that last pinup that ended up pushing me forward.
There were a TON of rounds of tryouts for this book. First, I did these spec pages -- you can see I was still using the super fine SAN HANNIBAL microns. Some good stuff here and there, but there's a pervasive stiffness. It was that last pinup that ended up pushing me forward.
There were a TON of rounds of tryouts for this book. First, I did these spec pages -- you can see I was still using the super fine SAN HANNIBAL microns. Some good stuff here and there, but there's a pervasive stiffness. It was that last pinup that ended up pushing me forward.
There were a TON of rounds of tryouts for this book. First, I did these spec pages -- you can see I was still using the super fine SAN HANNIBAL microns. Some good stuff here and there, but there's a pervasive stiffness. It was that last pinup that ended up pushing me forward.
Next round was a test page from a sample script Matt had written. A version of this was eventually run with the Hollywood Reporter announcement of the series. I love Matt's scripts -- brief, percussive, with highlight words to dictate the tone of the panel. Great to work from.
Next round was a test page from a sample script Matt had written. A version of this was eventually run with the Hollywood Reporter announcement of the series. I love Matt's scripts -- brief, percussive, with highlight words to dictate the tone of the panel. Great to work from.
Next round was a test page from a sample script Matt had written. A version of this was eventually run with the Hollywood Reporter announcement of the series. I love Matt's scripts -- brief, percussive, with highlight words to dictate the tone of the panel. Great to work from.
(I can't prove it, but I think this was a soft trap for artists -- when he sent over the script, Matt said it was just a loose outline and could be expanded to however many panels/pages we wanted, but I think he was looking for somebody who could cram the action into a tight 4.)
At this point -- and there were many back-and-forth revision stages I haven't mentioned here -- I, like, 95% had the job. But there were still concerns over my stiffness. To help break up my anatomy a little (female in particular), Matt had me do a bunch of Gil Elvgren studies.
At this point -- and there were many back-and-forth revision stages I haven't mentioned here -- I, like, 95% had the job. But there were still concerns over my stiffness. To help break up my anatomy a little (female in particular), Matt had me do a bunch of Gil Elvgren studies.
At this point -- and there were many back-and-forth revision stages I haven't mentioned here -- I, like, 95% had the job. But there were still concerns over my stiffness. To help break up my anatomy a little (female in particular), Matt had me do a bunch of Gil Elvgren studies.
At this point -- and there were many back-and-forth revision stages I haven't mentioned here -- I, like, 95% had the job. But there were still concerns over my stiffness. To help break up my anatomy a little (female in particular), Matt had me do a bunch of Gil Elvgren studies.
Lucky thing, too -- this Gil Elvgren painting became the basis for my Ellen Dolan, which apparently was one of the things that finally put me over the top. I had the gig! Now it was time to get to it, we needed the issue in a month. An appropriate start to a comics career.
Lucky thing, too -- this Gil Elvgren painting became the basis for my Ellen Dolan, which apparently was one of the things that finally put me over the top. I had the gig! Now it was time to get to it, we needed the issue in a month. An appropriate start to a comics career.
Lucky thing, too -- this Gil Elvgren painting became the basis for my Ellen Dolan, which apparently was one of the things that finally put me over the top. I had the gig! Now it was time to get to it, we needed the issue in a month. An appropriate start to a comics career.
Thanks for letting me reminisce a bit (when I should have been working)! The series was collected in hardcover as THE SPIRIT RETURNS, which you can buy here, if you're keen: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Eisners-Spirit-Who-Killed/dp/1606908413
And if you want to see how I've applied what I learned on THE SPIRIT to something of my own, check out my mystery/adventure series LAVENDER JACK on Webtoon, why don't you: https://www.webtoons.com/en/super-hero/lavender-jack/list?title_no=1410
Lavender Jack

After the departure of Detective Theresa Ferrier and the defeat of Lord and Lady Hawthorne, the City of Gallery is left in the clawed hands of its vigilante hero, Lavender Jack. But as the City...

https://www.webtoons.com/en/super-hero/lavender-jack/list?title_no=1410
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