NYT ON WILL EISNER'S THE PLOT

[MattBrady]

Not all new comics news shows up on websites, Wizard, or blogs.

Today's New York Times Books section features an interview with legend Will Eisner regarding his newest book, The Plot, a rebuttal, in the form of a graphic novel, to the myth surrounding The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a fictional work created by Russian anti-semites, which outlined the purported plan by Jews to rule the world.

As interviewed by the Times' Steven Lee Beeber, Eisner is quoted as saying:

"I was surfing the Web one day when I came across this site promoting `The Protocols' to readers in the Mideast," said Mr. Eisner, 86. "I was amazed that there were people who still believed `The Protocols' were real, and I was disturbed to learn later that this site was just one of many that promoted these lies in the Muslim world. I decided something had to be done."

In telling his story, Eisner is teaming with N. C. Christopher Couch, an instructor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst who teaches a course on graphic novels, and Benjamin Herzberg. Together, the three have been piecing together the convoluted history of The Protocols.

Eisner is currently inking The Plot, which runs about 100 pages.

Click the above link for the full story in the Times.

[MarcDeering]

Eisner is a GOD!

[jd142]

Will Eisner is probably the greatest American artist of the 20th and 21st centuries.

My only hope is that Eisner really understands just how much joy he has brought to people over the years. Not just for his technical expertise, many people are good without being entertaining, but for the real humanity and compassion his characters show. The Spirit Archives should be required reading for everyone. I challenge anyone to read any of the Christmas Spirit stories and not get a little choked up.

[roach04]

And, word is that Eisner may be making the trip to Toronto for the convention in late June. Anybody even remotely close to T.O. that's never seen Eisner speak should try and make that for certain.

[mc (_(\/)_)achete]

eisner's the man.

his books are grossly overlooked when selecting literature for schools.

[jsnsbags]

this is interesting as hell!

Damn I'm gonna have to pick this one up.

bless you eisner for your phenomenal work

[White Knight]

Can I ask where you have heard this? that would be big news for us Canadians!

Originally posted by roach04
And, word is that Eisner may be making the trip to Toronto for the convention in late June. Anybody even remotely close to T.O. that's never seen Eisner speak should try and make that for certain.

[punkmonkey]

Will Eisner is coming to my school to speak at a comics symposium during our workshop week in March!!!
I can't wait!!!

[kevthemev]

Last week Mr. Eisner positively replied to our invitation to attend the upcoming Paradise Conventions TORONTO COMICON www.torontocomicon.com on June 18-20, 2004.

He will be joining other confirmed guests like Dave Sim, Darwyn Cooke, Cary Nord, Steve McNiven, Roy Thomas, Mike Kaluta, Jimmy Palmiotti - just to name a few.

Of course we are EXTREMELY HONORED to have Mr. Eisner as a a guest at our event.

Kevin Boyd
Paradise Conventions
Kevin@torontocomicon.com

[Tom Daylight]

I am not Will Eisner...

[xpositive]

Send a copy to Mel Gibson's dad!

[bigshotshotdown]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Eisner once. Meeting a living legend is one thing, having him explain so many things about this little industry he had a huge hand in creating was like going back to the source. No medium of art that exists in this world right now has as many living legends as comics. and Eisner is the one at the top of the pyramid. Him and Alex Toth. Someone ought to carve their faces into a mountain. I hope they live to be a thousand years old. Because when we lose these guys I think we lose some of our purity, our insight into why we all were fascinated with narrative to begin with.

Eisner told us this funny story about illustrating a " How to plant crops" manual for some poor country full of farmers who couldn't read. Anyway, it went something like this: at the end of the story, you could see the farmers surrounded by a bountiful harvest. The panel depicting this was cropped at the knees of the farmers. They thought it meant that if they had a good harvest that they would all lose their legs at the knee and were terrified. Might sound trivial, but this had a huge impact on me as to how narrative can influence ideas. Just thank him if you ever get lucky enough to. I did...

[Michael Norton]

Originally posted by xpositive
Send a copy to Mel Gibson's dad!

Good thought! Send one to Billy Graham too!

Michael Norton

[SuddenChad]

This story is great on so many levels. First, at 86 years or age, Eisner doesn't have to do a damn thing to add to his reputation. Yet at a time of life where most people his age (if they have made it that far) are fortunate to even be mobile and/or in control of their own faculties, Will surfs the web, gets pissed off over this racist garbage...and goes out and makes a 100 page graphic novel!! Eisner is not only a comic book god and a man of great integrity, but he is also the absolute role model for how we should all want to age. Give 'em hell, Will.

[Caramuru]

That's great news. I'm most definitely buying it.

The scary thing is how this Protocols shit is still accepted by some people. In my neighborhood, there's a little Spanish language bookstore that featured not one but two different versions of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion on thier window.

[Darth Presley]

I posted this info here yesterday in the Talk@ forum - I guess it got sunk by the TTROY debacle

I love Will Eisner.

Thanks for posting the story in news so everyone can see!

[John Osen]

ever sees any info about the publisher or publication date of this, please PM me. I'd be very grateful.