Will Eisner - Michael Schumacher [194]
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