Eisner & Iger - Jerry Iger Account

Jerry Iger Account

In a 1985 account, Iger said:

Back in 1937, I had been producing a lot of material under my own banner, 'Universal Phoenix Features'. In my shop were some wonderful artists, many of whom worked free-lance on an 'as needed' basis. Included were such names as Mort Meskin and Will Eisner. ... Will was working for me doing 'Hawk of the Seas' and 'ZX-5'. He also did sports drawings that I syndicated with my other materials throughout the U.S. ... Universal Phoenix Features had gone into a "holding pattern" because I had gone into a brief partnership with Will Eisner in mid-1938 only to buy him out in 1940 when Will was drafted into the Army to do military posters. (Will had become so accomplished — and so expensive! — as a free-lance artist, that the only way I could afford his services was to make him a partner.) After 'Eisner & Iger, Ltd.' was dissolved, I returned to publishing as 'Phoenix Features'.

Note: Eisner was not drafted in 1940, but in 1942. Eisner did leave the firm in 1940 to produce The Spirit.