Here they are, three of Will Eisner's greatest works -- A Contract with God, Life Force and Dropsie Avenue -- all together in one handsome hardcover volume, rounded out with a dozen new illustrations  executed by Eisner specifically for this volume shortly before his death earlier this year.  Originally published in 1978, A Contract with God is considered the first American graphic novel, making this work a must read on historical grounds alone.  This work -- not technically a novel, but rather a collection of related short pieces taking place in "the neighborhood" of Eisner's youth that is the setting for all the pieces in this volume -- is, however, much more than just a first, it is also one of the most emotionally moving works comics has yet produced, one that went a long way toward demonstrating the latent capacities of the medium, capacities that Life Force and Dropsie Avenue further extended.   This new edition (well, it was "new" at the time this listing was originally posted, in 2005 - ed.) from the veritable literary publisher W.W. Norton -- which prints all three works in the sepia tone that was the trademark of Eisner's mature work -- presents these unique cultural creations in a manner befitting their stature.  It is a volume that will be treasured by every lover of the form.