THE SPIRIT: April 2015

Preliminary sketches for Various Spirit reprint covers, accompanied by the final cover:
All art by Will Eisner (Colorists and inkers are posted below respective covers)
Some are obvious others were changed completely

Warren Publishing The Spirit #4 (1974)
Inks and Coloring by Ken Kelly. Inspired by "Life Below" 2/22/48

Warren Publishing The Spirit #5(1974)
Inks and Coloring by Ken Kelly
Both Prelim and Final Cover Inspired by different aspects of "Hamid Jebru" 5/8/49

Warren Publishing The Spirit #10(1975)
Inks and Coloring by Ken Kelly
Prelim 1 inspired by "The Octopus is Back" 2/11/51(?).
Prelim 2 inspired by "Heat" 7/15/51.
Final cover inspired by ?

Warren Publishing The Spirit #11(1975)
Inks and Coloring by Ken Kelly
Prelims 1 and 2 inspired by "The Jewel" 3/12/50
(the octopus he's struggling with never appears though)
Prelim 3 inspired by "Plaster of Paris" 11/7/48

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #4(1984)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Pete Poplaski
Inspired by "The Last Trolley" 3/24/46

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #6(1984)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Pete Poplaski
Inspired by "Carrion's Rock" 5/19/46

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #10(1985)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Pete Poplaski
Prelim inspired by "Meet P'Gell" 10/6/46(?). Final Cover Inspired by "Meet P'Gell" 10/6/46

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #36(1987)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Ray Fehrenbach
Prelim 1 inspired by "Gold" 10/10/48
Prelim 2 and Final cover inspired by "Tooty Compote" 10/3/48

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #61(1989)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Ray Fehrenbach
Inspired by "Teacher's Pet" 9/10/1950

Kitchen Sink Comix The Spirit #71(1990)
Inks by Will Eisner, Colors by Ray Fehrenbach
Inspired by "Wanchu" 6/10/51

Just a few obviously. More to come in the future!

After 35 years, the lost pencil-test trailer for Brad Bird's cancelled 1980 animated Spirit film has finally been released. Despite the blessing of Eisner, the film was never completed as no studio would finance it. You can read the full sad tale HERE in a LA Times interview with producer Steven Paul Leiva.

Our good friend and Eisner Biographer, Bob Andelman also sat down and interviewed Leiva for his Mr. Media segment and talked about the film.

CartoonBrew also has a great article on the subject ,which includes comments by concept artist and animator Jerry Rees and Brad Bird!

And finally here it is! The 1980 pencil-test trailer for Brad Bird's THE SPIRIT: