Aim Quote by Will Eisner
![“[Before the Spirit] I had been producing comic books for 15-year-old cretins from Kansas [I wanted to aim for] a 55-year-old who had his wallet stolen on the subway. You can't talk about heartbreak to a kid.” quote by Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/33a/will-eisner-30264_aim_before-the-spirit-i-had-been-producing-c_1208222.jpg)
“[Before the Spirit] I had been producing comic books for 15-year-old cretins from Kansas [I wanted to aim for] a 55-year-old who had his wallet stolen on the subway. You can't talk about heartbreak to a kid.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Comic Book Industry Talk, 1990s
Eisner emphasizes targeting mature audiences who can appreciate complex emotions, rather than simplistic youth.
In simple terms: Focus on adult readers for deeper stories.
Key Takeaway
Write for those who understand nuance.
Themes
audience
maturity
storytelling
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
advice
industry
When to use this quote
- graphic novels
- adult comics
- story development
Key Concepts
empathy
complexity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can creators balance depth with accessibility?
- What adult issues resonate most with readers?
A Different Perspective
Youth may not grasp heartbreak themes.
![“I entered high school she[ my mother] said, "Well, you're a teenager now, and comics are for kids, so you shouldn't read them anymore," and I went, "Oh, okay," and I gave away what, of course, would now be thousands of dollars worth of comics to the neighborhood kids.” quote by Trina Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7eb/trina-robbins-33748_courses_i-entered-high-school-she-my-mother-said_879053.jpg)
![“Still,[...] in all forms of comics the sequential artist relies upon the tacit cooperation of the reader. This cooperation is based upon the convention of reading and the common cognitive disciplines. Indeed, it is this very voluntary cooperation, so unique to comics, that underlies the contract…” quote by Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f4/will-eisner-30264_art_still-in-all-forms-of-comics-the-sequent_1816463.jpg)
![“He [an earnest young reporter] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be art, the object of children's books is to whip the little rascals into shape.” quote by Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cf/katherine-paterson-2365_adults_he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-s_6101.jpg)
![“I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback [in "The Invisible Woman"]. Ralph [Fiennes] was very open to my input, I think knowing that he couldn't always be there 100 percent, that he had dual aims with directing and acting.” quote by Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/56e/felicity-jones-2070_acting_i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-wa_11933.jpg)
