Starting on February 13, New York's Philippe Labaune Gallery is set to host an important exhibition celebrating the life and work of pioneering cartoonist Will Eisner, considered the father of the modern graphic novel. Spanning over 60 years of Eisner's career, the exhibit will feature 79 original pieces, including wartime illustrations, pages from The Spirit, and selections from New York: The Big City. Attendees will also have the rare opportunity of seeing an almost complete sequential presentation of A Contract With God: The Super—a pivotal work in the history of graphic storytelling (see exclusive excerpt below).
Organized in collaboration with Denis Kitchen and the Eisner estate, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view Eisner's artistic growth up close and personal. From his earliest published cartoons in Wow Magazine (1936) to his later works that redefined the potential of comics as a literary and artistic medium, the show is a testament to Eisner's enduring influence. His innovations in panel design, pacing, and character-driven storytelling would set the stage for generations of graphic novelists that followed.
First published in 1978, A Contract with God is widely regarded as the first modern graphic novel, blending autobiographical themes with illustrated narratives. The story cycle, set in a Bronx tenement, captures the trials, triumphs, and moral quandaries of urban life. The Super, one of the book's most haunting tales, explores the contentious relationship between a building's tenants and their building super. Eisner's empathy for and understanding of the human condition seems to be expressed in every brushstroke and impeccably inked line.
"Will Eisner's legacy is immeasurable, shaping the comics industry in ways that continue to influence creators and storytellers across generations," gallery owner Philippe Labaune tells Boing Boing. He continues: "His groundbreaking work elevated the comic book medium to an art form, pioneering techniques in visual storytelling and panel design that remain foundational today. Beyond his technical innovations, Eisner's ability to weave complex narratives with emotional depth and social relevance established him as a master of both graphic art and storytelling. His creation of iconic characters like The Spirit and his exploration of diverse, real-world issues in A Contract with God has left a lasting imprint, ensuring that Eisner's contributions will continue to define the future of comics."
The Philippe Labaune Gallery, known for its international comic art curation, has long been a bridge between the European and American traditions of sequential storytelling. Past exhibitions have featured legends like Guido Crepax, Dave McKean, and François Schuiten, but this Eisner retrospective is poised to be a milestone event for comics enthusiasts and students of popular art.
The Will Eisner Exhibit runs from February 13 to March 8, with an opening reception on February 13 from 6 PM to 9 PM. If you love comics and storytelling, and want to better understand the foundation upon which modern graphic novels stand, this is a not-to-be-missed show.
Boing Boing was lucky enough to get a hold of this exclusive excerpt of "The Super" from A Contract with God.
