The Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation is proud to announce Will Eisner Week 2014, a ten-day series of events in more than a dozen cities worldwide celebrating graphic novels, free speech awareness, and the career and legacy of Will Eisner, one of the most innovative figures in the history of comics and graphic novels.
Will Eisner Week’s theme this year is Read a Graphic Novel, which will be the underlying message of all the events. Cities holding celebrations include Portland, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis—and Glasgow, making Will Eisner Week an international phenomenon!
“This year, we will be having Will Eisner Week celebrations in even more places than ever before,” said Will Eisner Week Organizing Committee Chair Danny Fingeroth. “The people doing the events are planning some amazing happenings that will spread the word about how cool graphic novels are, and that celebrate Will Eisner’s astonishing body of work done over a career that spanned seven decades.”
Will Eisner Week 2014 Portland, Oregon events include:
MARCH 5: PORTLAND, OR: 7:00 PM. The Art Institute of Portland, 1122 NW Davis Street. Open Space Room on the Second Floor. Dark Horse Comics Executive Editor Diana Schutz will give an in-depth presentation examining the innovative and prolific 70-year career of the founding father of sequential art, Will Eisner. As Eisner's editor for several years until his death in 2005, Schutz brings a uniquely personal insight into the work of this creative genius. There will also be refreshments and giveaways. Free admission!
MARCH 7: PORTLAND OR: 7:30 PM. Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch Street, Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 241-0227. Comic book legend Matt Wagner will be reading a tale excerpted from Will Eisner’s acclaimed “Invisible People” graphic novel, presented with accompanying slides of the story. Wagner will then talk about Eisner’s work and its impact on the industry and Matt’s own career. Matt will also be doing a live black-and-white drawing inspired by Eisner's work, which will be given to one lucky attendee, randomly chosen from among the first 50 people arriving at the event.
The Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation is proud to announce Will Eisner Week 2014, a ten-day series of events in more than a dozen cities worldwide celebrating graphic novels, free speech awareness, and the career and legacy of Will Eisner, one of the most innovative figures in the history of comics and graphic novels. Will Eisner Week’s theme this year is Read a Graphic Novel, which will be the underlying message of all the events. Cities holding celebrations include Portland, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis—and Glasgow, making Will Eisner Week an international phenomenon!
“This year, we will be having Will Eisner Week celebrations in even more places than ever before,” said Will Eisner Week Organizing Committee Chair Danny Fingeroth. “The people doing the events are planning some amazing happenings that will spread the word about how cool graphic novels are, and that celebrate Will Eisner’s astonishing body of work done over a career that spanned seven decades.”
Will Eisner Week 2014 Portland, Oregon events include:
MARCH 5: PORTLAND, OR: 7:00 PM. The Art Institute of Portland, 1122 NW Davis Street. Open Space Room on the Second Floor. Dark Horse Comics Executive Editor Diana Schutz will give an in-depth presentation examining the innovative and prolific 70-year career of the founding father of sequential art, Will Eisner. As Eisner's editor for several years until his death in 2005, Schutz brings a uniquely personal insight into the work of this creative genius. There will also be refreshments and giveaways. Free admission!
MARCH 7: PORTLAND OR: 7:30 PM. Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch Street, Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 241-0227. Comic book legend Matt Wagner will be reading a tale excerpted from Will Eisner’s acclaimed “Invisible People” graphic novel, presented with accompanying slides of the story. Wagner will then talk about Eisner’s work and its impact on the industry and Matt’s own career. Matt will also be doing a live black-and-white drawing inspired by Eisner's work, which will be given to one lucky attendee, randomly chosen from among the first 50 people arriving at the event.
Will Eisner Week 2014 events in other areas include:
February 27-March 1, SAVANNAH, GA: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) will hold several events run by Professor David Duncan, featuring guest-artist Kevin Cannon.
March 1, 7:30-9:00 PM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The Cartoon Art Museum. A presentation about James Bond as seen in comics—including the Spirit-James Bond connection—with Cartoon Art Museum board chair Ron Evans, comedian Mike Capozzola, and special guest Alan J. Porter.
March 1, NEW YORK, NY: 1:00-2:00 PM. The New Yorker Hotel. Mike Carbo’s Comic Book Marketplace convention. “The Genius of Will Eisner” panel, moderated by Danny Fingeroth.
March 1, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: Showing of the documentary “Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist,” by Jon and Andrew Cooke, at the Glasgow International Film Festival, followed by a dramatized reading (featuring Jody Jamieson and Sharon Osdin) of the Eisner 1998 graphic novel “A Family Matter” at the new building of Glasgow School of Art (opposite Mackintosh Building).
Dates to be confirmed: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: A Will Eisner Symposium at Glasgow University.
Date to be confirmed: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: The Glasgow League of Writers hold a discussion on how to tell a story the Eisner way (title and venue on the way) Reading Group - city bookstore
MARCH 1-31, PITTSBURGH, PA: The Toonseum hosts a series of graphic novel events that will extend through the month of March. In addition, the Toonseum comics reading library will have a special focus on books by Eisner.
MARCH 1-7 (and possibly beyond), ARKADELPHIA, AK. Henderson State University. The Graphic Novel as Literature Special Collection room of the HSU Huie Library. “Will Eisner at War,” a display of Eisner’s work (P*S Magazine, To the Heart of the Storm, etc.) and some commentary and comics about Will Eisner at War produced by the students in the school’s Comics Arts Club.
MARCH 3: NEW YORK, NY: Parsons School of Design. “Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel.” Writer PAUL LEVITZ (former president and publisher of DC Comics) will do a reading from Will Eisner: The Dreamer and the Dream, Levitz’s work-in-progress to be published in 2015 by Abrams ComicArts. The book explores Eisner's unique role in the evolution of the American Graphic Novel, and a discussion of the factors that came together to create the preconditions that finally made the form successful.
MARCH 6: CAMBRIDGE, MA: The Cambridge Public Library. A talk by Denis Kitchen and Paul Hornscheimer on Will Eisner, followed by a signing at the Million Year Picnic. [All Eisner books all week at 10% off. Inquiries to Tony Davis or Kelly Cooper at the Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 617-492-6763.]
MARCH 7 & 8: MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) hosts a mini-comic con, with a table for Eisner promotional materials and a display of his books. The documentary “Will Eisner, Profession: Cartoonist,” directed by Marisa Furtado, will be running on a display by the table.
MARCH 8: MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD). 12:00 noon. Screening, at the mini-comic con, of John and Andrew Cooke’s documentary “Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist.”
MARCH 8: CAMBRIDGE, MA. The Cambridge Public Library. An art activity, led by Jef Cjeka followed with a signing by several Boston area cartoonists, including Paul Hornschmeier, at the Million Year Picnic. [All Eisner books all week at 10% off. Inquiries to Tony Davis or Kelly Cooper at the Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 617 492 6763.]
MARCH 7-9, SACRAMENTO, CA. Wizard World Sacramento comics convention. “Why Eisner Matters,” a panel moderated by Danny Fingeroth, featuring Trina Robbins and others.
MARCH 15, NEW YORK, NY: Society of Illustrators/MoCCA. A special day of Eisner-oriented history and art lessons for students of the High School or Art and Design, facilitated by Danny Fingeroth. [Not open to the general public.]
MARCH 29: SEATTLE, WA. 4:40 PM. Emerald City Comic Convention panel: “Why Eisner Matters,” featuring Jeff Smith, Peter David, Jimmy Palmiotti, Matt Fraction, and Michael Avon Oeming.
Celebrations are also being planned for Amherst, MA and Baltimore, MD, and Los Angeles, CA. Check www.willeisnerweek.com for updates on all events.