Authors: Michael Schumacher
Will Eisner (52 page)
It seems to me that, as a biographer, the easiest thing on earth to do is to thank someone for his or her assistance; the most difficult is to adequately express that gratitude. We depend on so many people to give us information, verify facts, supply connections, offer advice and guidance, provide valuable research materials, and, in general, become collaborators in the biography. This was especially true with this book. Although I was aware of Will Eisner’s work for decades prior to the beginning of my research, I never met the man and, sadly, I would never have the opportunity to do so.
First, I’d like to thank Ann Eisner for sharing her memories of her life with her husband. Some of my questions were difficult for me to ask, and for her to answer, and I am certain that there will be analysis in this book that she will not agree with; but it’s my hope that at the very least, she will find it as fair and honest as she is. In the dedications and acknowledgments of his books, Eisner always made a point of mentioning her importance—and for good reason.
Carl Gropper, Eisner’s nephew, a true Will Eisner believer and guardian of the Will Eisner Studio, was invaluable in the writing of this book, not only for the information and photographs he supplied, but also for his friendship. Meeting Carl and his wife, Nancy, was one of the highlights in the researching and writing of this book, and I will always be grateful for the day they spent with me, driving me around to the Will Eisner sites in White Plains and New York City and especially for taking me to visit Eisner’s grave.
Denis Kitchen, Eisner’s friend, publisher, and agent, provided me with a wealth of information about Eisner and his work, including essential correspondence that added texture to this book and much of the artwork you see herein. Denis and I had crossed paths, although briefly, many years prior to the writing of this book, when we were both young and, as Eisner would put it, dreamers. It was a pleasure reconnecting on this project. I also appreciate the hospitality of Denis’s wife, Stacey, for her help with photographs and her hospitality during my stay in the Kitchens’ Massachusetts home.
I am pleased and proud to call Judy Hansen my friend. Her work in marketing Will Eisner’s literary properties has been nothing shy of remarkable, and her candid observations on the business side of placing and publishing Eisner’s work have been extremely valuable to this book. She deserves more credit than she will ever receive for helping shape the later portion of his career and, on a grander scale, helping shape the direction of comics. Thanks also to her husband, Peter Spielmann, who was initially responsible for connecting me with some of the others mentioned in these acknowledgments.
I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the comic book artists, writers, editors, publishers, filmmakers, historians, and friends and relatives of Will Eisner for their assistance: Neal Adams, Jim Amash, Lee Ames, Murphy Anderson, John Benson, Charles Brownstein, Paul Buhle, Nick Cardy, Andrew Cooke, Jon B. Cooke, N. C. Christopher Couch, John Dilworth, Lila Eisner, Jackie Estrada, Mark Evanier, Jules Feiffer, Paul E. Fitzgerald, Bob Fujitani, Neil Gaiman, Michael T. Gilbert, Kenneth Ginniger, Eliot Gordon, Jerry Grandenetti, Allan Gropper, Irwin Hasen, Tom Heintjes, Robert C. Horvey, Carmine Infantino, M. Thomas Inge, Al Jaffee, Charlie Kochman, Joe Kubert, Adele Kurtzman, Batton Lash, Stan Lee, Paul Levitz, Jay Lynch, David Mandel, Fran Matera, Scott McCloud, Frank Miller, Dennis O’Neil, Robert Pizzo, Peter Poplaski, Ken Quattro, Mike Richardson, Jerry Robinson, Diana Schutz, Roy Thomas, Maggie Thompson, Michael Uslan, Jim Vance, John Walker, Bob Weil, and Stephen Weiner. Thanks also to those who assisted me in lining up interviews and for other logistical help: Spencer Newlin-Cushing, Amy Gall, Joanna Gallardo, Lorraine Garland, and David Hyde.
Danny Fingeroth and David Hajdu, authors of outstanding books on comics, went far beyond the call of duty in helping me with this book. I feel blessed to have been able to spend a few hours with them, talking about comics in general and Eisner in particular, and both were extremely generous in assisting me in connecting with other important people on this list.
I met Dave Schreiner on several occasions in what now seems like a former life, at a time when he was editing a weekly alternative newspaper in Milwaukee and I was publishing my first work in the paper; but I never had the opportunity to talk to him after he began his work as Eisner’s editor. Eisner trusted Schreiner implicitly, and it would have been good to hear Schreiner talk about his experiences. I had to settle for Dave’s “Stage Settings” column in
The Spirit
comic book, in which Eisner discussed each of his postwar
Spirit
entries—a column that was later picked up and beautifully produced by Tom Heintjes. Even though we didn’t talk, I owe Schreiner a lot, as I do his widow, Lesleigh Luttrell, who listened to my nonstop talking and, when I came up for air, provided me with valuable information about her husband and the photo of Dave and Will in this book.
Lucy Caswell oversees the Eisner collection at Ohio State University, and she and her staff were very helpful in answering my questions about Eisner and the collection and in supplying me with many of the photos in this book.
My most sincere appreciation to my agent, David Black, his assistant, Antonella Iannarino, and the staff at the David Black Literary Agency. David, I hope this book finds a place among all those impressive books in your office. It would certainly be an honor.
Margaret Maloney, my editor on this book, had worked on previously published books by Will Eisner, and her enthusiasm for Eisner and this biography was absolutely infectious. Working with her was a pleasure. Additional thanks to Kathy Belden and the staff of Bloomsbury.
Thanks to friends and family, who offered support, encouragement, or a good ear when needed: Al and Diane Schumacher, Susan Schumacher, Ken and Karen Ade, the folks at Franks Diner (especially past, present, and honorary “Backroom Boys”): I’m honored to know Mike Gordon, who was extremely helpful in the making of this book.
Finally, I’d like to thank my children—Adam, Emily Joy, and Jack Henry—for teaching me what really counts in life. It really
is
a chocolate-coated habanero pepper.
—Michael Schumacher
March 1, 2010
A N O T E O N T H E A U T H O R
Michael Schumacher
is the author of ten books, including
Dharma Lion
,
Crossroads
,
There but for Fortune
,
Mighty Fitz
, and, most recently,
The Wreck of the
Carl D. He lives in Wisconsin.
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
Reasons to Believe: New Voices in American Fiction
Creative Conversations: The Writer’s Complete Guide to Conducting Interviews
Dharma Lion: A Critical Biography of Allen Ginsberg
Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton
There but for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs
Francis Ford Coppola: A Filmmaker’s Life
Family Business: Selected Letters Between a Father and Son,
by Allen and Louis Ginsberg (editor)
Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the
Edmund Fitzgerald
Mr. Basketball: George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers,
and the Birth of the NBA
Wreck of the
Carl D.:
A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea
Copyright © 2010 by Michael Schumacher
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Bloomsbury USA, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Published by Bloomsbury USA, New York
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Schumacher, Michael.
Will Eisner : a dreamer’s life in comics / Michael Schumacher.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-60819-013-3 (hardcover)
1. Eisner, Will. 2. Cartoonists—United States—Biography. I. Title.
PN6727.E4Z78 2010
741.5'6973—dc22
[B]
2010011283
First published by Bloomsbury USA in 2010
This e-book edition published in 2010
E-book ISBN: 978-1-60819-524-4