Rocketeer Spirit #1 and #2, (Cover Preliminary Art) July/August 2013
Continuing our celebration of “Will Eisner Week,” with other creators’ takes on the beloved and influential character, The Spirit.
As noted last year, the late Darwyn Cooke was likely the closest modern creator to fully realize Will Eisner’s legacy. Darwyn was an astonishing storyteller, designer illustrator, letterer and more. (Among dozens of awards and nominations, he also received an Emmy nomination for his work on the 2008 animated film Justice League: New Frontier.)
DC launched its ongoing Cooke Spirit series with a Batman / Sprit crossover, and this Spirit / Rocketeer crossover (covers only) brings some closure to that brief run.
The covers are designed to form one single unit, and a limited variant wraparound cover might exist, although I can’t find it in my collection — or on-line. ( I can’t recall if we ended up printing it or not.)
As for these prelims? They are oversize on real art board… and they are spectacular.
“I can remember it was one of those days when I was thirteen, and I was in a comic store, and there was nothing that I wanted to get. On the wall was a copy of Warren’s Spirit magazine. I think it’s number three, where he is running down the elevated track straight at you, and the train is behind him. It’s just one of the most exciting images I have ever seen…”
-Darwyn Cooke interview From Will Eisner: A Spirited Life by Bob Andelman
