Welcome To Will Eisner Week 2016

Celebrate one of my most influential comic book creators this week by reading a book by Will Eisner.

On March 6th, Will Eisner would have been 99 years old. To celebrate the occasion, Will & Ann Eisner Family Foundation announces Will Eisner Week 2016, the annual series of events from March 1st to 7th in more than 50 cities worldwide that celebrates graphic novels, sequential art, free speech, and the amazing legacy of Will Eisner, one of the most innovative figures in the history of comics and graphic novels.

To the general public, Will Eisner isn’t a popular of a name than say Stan Lee, but Eisner’s legacy still lives on his body of work. And there are still new artists that come out everything inspired by Eisner. He was there on the ground floor of the birth of the modern comic book (which he depicted in his semi-autobiographical story The Dreamer), working with people like Jack Kirby, Bob Kane, and many more. Eisner’s influence is so great, that the “Oscars” of comics was renamed the Eisners back in 1988.

I discovered Will Eisner around 1986 with reprint of his most popular character The Spirit, back in 1985. And from there I was introduced to what many consider the first graphic novel, A Contract With God. Totally captured my interest and then I was hooked on Eisner for life.

But I digress.

The theme of Will Eisner Week is extremely simple: READ A GRAPHIC NOVEL. Not that hard. Preferably one written by Eisner himself. Honestly, any creator’s will pretty much do, but if you have never read anything by Will Eisner, this is the perfect time to do so.

You can check out a full list of Will Eisner’s work HERE.

To find an event for Will Eisner Week, check out their website.

Will Eisner Week events are presented in universities, colleges, art schools, libraries, museums, bookstores, and comic book shops in the weeks around Will Eisner’s March 6th birthday.

I hope you all enjoy Will Eisner Week and are introduced to the legacy and the legend that is Will Eisner.