Things To Do All Over The World This March If You Like Will Eisner

Last year, there were quite a few events all over the world in celebration of Will Eisner Week at the beginning of March, but that doesn't hold a candle to how many events are being planned this year to honor Eisner's legacy and educate about the comics medium.

Originally organized in 2009 by The Will & Ann Eisner Family Foundation, the CBLDF, and MCAD, the events revolving around Will Eisner's birthday on March 6th have expanded this year to over 20 separate celebrations in over 12 US cities as well as in Glasgow and London in the UK.

Will Eisner Week 2014 events include:

February 27-March 1, SAVANNAH, GA: The Savannah College of Art and Design will hold events run by Professor David Duncan featuring artist Kevin Cannon.

March 1, 7:30-9:00 PM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The Cartoon Art Museum will host a presentation about James Bond as seen in comics including a little-known Spirit-James Bond connection – with museum chair Ron Evans and critic Alan J. Porter.

March 1, NEW YORK CITY, NY: 1:00-2:00 PM at the New Yorker Hotel: Mike Carbo's Comic Book Marketplace: "The Genius of Will Eisner" panel with Danny Fingeroth, Howard Zimmerman (who worked with Eisner on a digital Spirit project), and a special, surprise guest or two.

March 1, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: A screening of "Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist," by Jon and Andrew Cooke, at the Glasgow International Film Festival, followed by a reading of Eisner's graphic novel "A Family Matter," at the new building of the Glasgow School of Art.

MARCH 1-7, ARKADELPHIA, AR: At Henderson State University's Huie Library. "Will Eisner at War," a display of Eisner's work (P*S Magazine, To the Heart of the Storm, etc.), produced by the Comics Arts Club.

MARCH 3: NEW YORK CITY, NY: At Parsons School of Design. "Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel." Writer Paul Levitz (former president/publisher of DC Comics) will read from Will Eisner: The Dreamer and the Dream, Levitz's work-in-progress about Eisner's unique role in the evolution of the American Graphic Novel, to be published in 2015 by Abrams ComicArts.

MARCH 4: NEW YORK CITY, NY:  At Columbia University. "Celebrating Al Jaffee." 7:00 pm, 523 Butler Library. A panel moderated by Paul Levitz, featuring Jaffee, the inventor of the Mad Fold-In, who started his career working for Will Eisner; Mad art director Sam Viviano; and Mad cartoonist Peter Kuper.

MARCH 5, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND at 6:00 PM: At Glasgow University. A Will Eisner Symposium/Roundtable followed T 8:00 PM by An Eisner-related comics quiz!

MARCH 5: PORTLAND, OR: 7:00 PM: At the Art Institute of Portland, 1122 NW Davis Street. Open Space Room. Dark Horse Comics Executive Editor Diana Schutz gives an in-depth presentation on the innovative and prolific 70-year career of the founding father of sequential art, Will Eisner. As Eisner's editor for several years until his 2005 death, Schutz brings a uniquely personal insight into his work.

MARCH 6: CAMBRIDGE, MA: At the Cambridge Public Library. A talk by Dennis Kitchen and Paul Hornscheimer on Will Eisner, followed by a signing at the Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge. [All Eisner books 10% off all week]

MARCH 6: AMHERST, MA: Time and place to be determined. Screening of a new documentary about comic book stores, which were a passion of Eisner's.

MARCH 7: PORTLAND, OR: 7:30 PM: At Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch Street. Comic book legend Matt Wagner reads from Eisner's "Invisible People," with accompanying slides from the graphic novel. Wagner will talk about the impact of Eisner's work and create a drawing inspired by Eisner, which will be given to one lucky attendee.

MARCH 7 & 8: MINNEAPOLIS, MN: The Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) will host a mini-comic con, with a table of Eisner promotional materials and books. The documentary "Will Eisner, Profession: Cartoonist," directed by Marisa Furtado, will be shown.

MARCH 8: MINNEAPOLIS, MN:  At the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) at 12:00 noon. Screening, at the mini-comic con, of John and Andrew Cooke's "Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist."

MARCH 8: CAMBRIDGE, MA: At the Cambridge Public Library. Art activity led by Jef Cjeka, followed with a signing by several Boston area cartoonists, including Paul Hornschmeier, at the Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge. [All Eisner books all week at 10% off.]

MARCH 8: PITTSBURGH, PA: The Toonseum hosts Jimmy Gownley who will be making a special appearance and discussing his latest book, "THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER!"

MARCH 8, SACRAMENTO, CA:  At the Wizard World Sacramento comics convention. "Why Eisner Matters," a panel moderated by Danny Fingeroth, featuring artist and comics historian Trina Robbins, and UC Berkeley professors Tom Andrae and Mel Gordon.

MARCH 15, NEW YORK CITY, NY:  At the Society of Illustrators/MoCCA. A special day of Eisner-oriented history and art lessons for students of the NYC High School of Art & Design, with practicing cartoonists including Dean Haspiel, facilitated by Danny Fingeroth. [Sorry, not open to the public.]

MARCH 29: SEATTLE, WA, 4:40 PM. At Emerald City Comic Convention, the panel: "Why Eisner Matters," featuring Jeff Smith, Peter David, Jimmy Palmiotti, Matt Fraction, and Michael Avon Oeming.