A bit of perspective on the Spirit movie from Eisner himself

[Bubastis]

JOZIC: The Spirit has been around for a very long time and he seems to be one of the few costume characters that hasn't succumbed to various, and sundry, film adaptations.

EISNER: Not yet, anyway. He's at the threshold of succumbing. [laughs]

JOZIC: Oh, really?

EISNER: Yeah, the people who produced Batman purchased the rights from me about two or three years ago to do a Spirit film. And very candidly, I couldn't care less about film. I'm totally uninterested in film. If they do a good Spirit movie, I won't get the credit for it. If they do a bad one, my status as a writer and a cartoonist, will not be diminished. You will not think any less of me if they put a lousy film out. It's like Shakespeare. There are lousy productions of Shakespeare and there are good ones. It doesn't mitigate the essential character of the man's work.
http://www.aspiritedlife.com/blog/2007/04/will-eisner-interview-from-2006.html

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

difference is shakespeare never took a big fat cheque

 

[Bubastis]

Did Eisner?

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

he says people purchased the rights to use his product.

ultimately even though its not his skills as a creator that are on show in his film, but his subject matter that ultimately gets portrayed badly. Sooner or later you become smaller than your creation and that becomes your money making rather than your artistic skills. When that happens you need to make sure the views of that product aren't compromised.

comparing himself to shakespeare is kinda different as it was shakespeare's writing, not characters that was his money maker (it's not like his plays have somewhat evolved, they are still pretty much delivered word for word perfect).

 

[Bubastis]

When that happens you need to make sure the views of that product aren't compromised.

To my understanding, Eisner does have the handicap of being dead, so there isn't much he can do.

 

[The Shadow]

True.

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

To my understanding, Eisner does have the handicap of being dead, so there isn't much he can do.

Ah I see, the interview gave the impression that he was still alive in a similar situation to what stan lee would be.

fair enough then

 

[honest george]

JOZIC: The Spirit has been around for a very long time and he seems to be one of the few costume characters that hasn't succumbed to various, and sundry, film adaptations.

EISNER: Not yet, anyway. He's at the threshold of succumbing. [laughs]

JOZIC: Oh, really?

EISNER: Yeah, the people who produced Batman purchased the rights from me about two or three years ago to do a Spirit film. And very candidly, I couldn't care less about film. I'm totally uninterested in film. If they do a good Spirit movie, I won't get the credit for it. If they do a bad one, my status as a writer and a cartoonist, will not be diminished. You will not think any less of me if they put a lousy film out. It's like Shakespeare. There are lousy productions of Shakespeare and there are good ones. It doesn't mitigate the essential character of the man's work.
http://www.aspiritedlife.com/blog/2007/04/will-eisner-interview-from-2006.html

Gotta love the insight the man had on his own work.

 

[Eison]

To my understanding, Eisner does have the handicap of being dead, so there isn't much he can do.

Yeah that's probably going to hold him back a bit and it doesn't appear that his buddy Frank Miller is going to any help in that department either.