Will Eisner is universally acknowledged as one of the great masters of comic book art. Born in 1917, he studied under anatomist George Bridgman and painter Robert Brachman before finding his true vocation as a cartoonist during the late 1930s. He was one of the early comic book creators. After a successful career as a packager of comic books for various publishers, he concentrated his efforts on a weekly newspaper comic book insert, THE SPIRIT, which was syndicated worldwide for a dozen years and influenced a generation of young cartoonists. From his studios emerged many of whose work became classics. In 1952, with THE SPIRIT concluded, Eisner devoted himself to the then-unique field of educational comics. Among such projects, he produced a monthly mechanical manual employing comics that was successfully published by the United States Army for over two decades. During those years he also published teaching material in comic book form for schools. In the mid-1970s, Eisner returned to his first love -- sequential art as a story-telling medium. In 1978 he wrote and drew the pioneering graphic novel "A CONTRACT WITH GOD." Since then he produced eight other graphic novels, satirical and serious. After several graphic novellas he has recently completed a major world "DROPSIE AVENUE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD." This book, COMICS & SEQUENTIAL ART, is based on the popular course he has taught for several years at New York's School of Visual Art, and it contains an accumulation of his ideas, theories and advice on the practice of graphic story-telling and the uses to which the comic book art form can be applied. It is designed to be a useful guide to the serious student, practicing professionals and involved teachers. Since its initial publication this book has enjoyed a wide reception here and abroad. It is employed in film classes as well as popular culture and English literature courses at may universities.
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