Will Eisner, a giant in the world of comic book art, deserves a place among the greats. His legacy is now being celebrated at New York's Philippe Labaune Gallery with an exhibition showcasing original artwork from iconic works like The Spirit and A Contract with God.
Below is a slideshow preview of some Spirit pages from the "Tarnation" story featured in the exhibition:
The Spirit: "Tarnation" Preview Gallery
6 Images
The Philippe Labaune Gallery's Will Eisner Exhibit spans his entire career, from 1941 to 2002. It features pages from The Spirit, New York: The Big City, and a nearly complete presentation of his groundbreaking graphic novel, A Contract with God: The Super.
"Will Eisner’s The Spirit, first published in 1940, revolutionized comics with its innovative style," Labaune told IGN. "His masterful use of cinematic techniques—dynamic panel layouts, varying perspectives, clever transitions—mimicked the flow of film. Eisner also used visual symbolism, employing backgrounds and environmental details to reflect characters' emotions and scene tone, adding layers of meaning. His splash pages and fluid page designs broke from rigid structures, creating a more immersive reading experience. Eisner set new standards for comic art and showed the medium's potential for sophisticated storytelling."
The Will Eisner Exhibit opens Thursday, February 13th, with a reception from 6pm to 9pm ET. It runs through Saturday, March 8th. The Philippe Labaune Gallery is located at 534 West 24th Street in New York and is open Thursday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm ET.
For more comic book news, check out our previews of Marvel's and DC's 2025 plans.
