The Spirit 4/22/1950

April 23, 1950. Page 7 from “My Day at the Zoo.”

A terrified but brave young boy who has wandered into a zoo alone after dark, is about to be caught and mauled by a menacing lion. But he manages to elude the beast, who then falls safely into a pit. Once home his angry and skeptical parents spank him and send him to bed. Of course readers know he actually did elude and capture an escaped lion. This is an example of Spirit storytelling, employed fairly often by Will Eisner, where The Spirit himself plays a very token or peripheral role, one of the many aspects of The Spirit that break convention in a refreshing way. The finished art is primarily by Eisner.

Medium/Size/Condition: Brush, pen, and ink on Bristol board measuring 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 52.8 cm). There is some minor scratching on the ink to simulate falling rain. No significant White-out. No paste-ups. Excellent condition.