Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist: Andrew D. Cooke

I almost wish that I hadn't seen Andrew D. Cooke's Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist. The reason is that I have wasted almost a week gorging myself on the man's comics. I needed that time for school work, y'know? Now that I have begun this review with one of my trademark bait-and-switch intros, I feel that I should get around to saying what I think of this film. In truth, the film is a fantastic examination of one of sequential art's most important pioneers: Will Eisner. Perhaps best known for the masked detective/crime-fighter named The Spirit, Eisner helped transform comics from immature serials for children into genuine art. But this film is about more than just Eisner. It is, in fact, about the birth of the comic industry itself. Again and again, as the industry expands and grows, Eisner keeps popping up as the man responsible for many of its most daring creative leaps. Unconventional paneling and perspectives? Eisner. Comics that both children and adults can enjoy? Eisner. Graphic novels? Eisner. I had always known that Eisner was just as important to the comic industry as, say, Jack Kirby. But Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist was the first time that I truly grasped and understood what that meant.

8/10