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Jewish Connections to Golden Age Superheroes

Started by Wayne-Tec,

41 posts in this topic

Wayne-Tec

Wayne-Tec

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Posted

I was doing some thinking today and I've been wondering how much of an impact Jewish culture has had on the Golden Age superheroes (and beyond).

 

Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Martin Nodell, Sheldon Moldoff, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, etc. were all Jewish.

 

I'm Jewish, and when I was attending service, I noticed that the Rabbi's tallit looked a somewhat similar to a cape. Knowing that both of Superman's co-creators were Jewish (as were the creators of many of the other popular superheroes), I was wondering if perhaps that visual was a partial-inspiration for the decision to equip many superheroes with capes.

 

Superman's Kryptonian name was originally "Kal-L", later updated to "Kal-El" which has connections (word-wise) to Judasim and the hebrew language:

 

http://www.ulc.org/2012/07/5-ways-superman-is-a-jewish-icon/

 

The link also discusses Superman's origin and the similarities it bares to the story of Moses (which has been discussed in documentaries that I've seen).

 

Was just hoping to get some fellow boardies thoughts on the subject.

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shrunkenhead

shrunkenhead

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There has been a lot of good scholarship in this area. Unfortunately, most of it is currently confined to academic journals as opposed to easily accessed books and such.

 

I know Shofar, a journal, did a special issue on "comics and Jewishness" a couple years ago.

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Wayne-Tec

Wayne-Tec

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There has been a lot of good scholarship in this area. Unfortunately, most of it is currently confined to academic journals as opposed to easily accessed books and such.

 

I know Shofar, a journal, did a special issue on "comics and Jewishness" a couple years ago.

 

(thumbs u

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esquirecomics

esquirecomics

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As a Jew and a comic collector/historian, this is a topic that has long interested me and I have lectured on it in the past. The Jewish community, for the most part, built the modern day comic book industry. Many of the major players, including publishers, artists and writers, in the 1930s and 1940s were Jewish.

 

The Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore is currently hosting an exhibit on the topic:

 

http://www.jewishmuseummd.org/exhibit/zap-pow-bam-superhero-golden-age-comic-books-1938-1950

 

And here are just a sampling of some books on the topic:

 

From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books

http://www.amazon.com/From-Krakow-Krypton-Comic-Books/dp/0827608438/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1368332069&sr=1-2

 

Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form

http://www.amazon.com/Jews-American-Comics-Illustrated-History/dp/1595583319/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332069&sr=1-11&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped The Comic Book Superhero

http://www.amazon.com/Up-Oy-Vey-History-Superhero/dp/1569804001/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332185&sr=1-12&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero

http://www.amazon.com/Disguised-Clark-Kent-Creation-Superhero/dp/0826430147/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332219&sr=1-14&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

 

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Wayne-Tec

Wayne-Tec

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As a Jew and a comic collector/historian, this is a topic that has long interested me and I have lectured on it in the past. The Jewish community, for the most part, built the modern day comic book industry. Many of the major players, including publishers, artists and writers, in the 1930s and 1940s were Jewish.

 

The Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore is currently hosting an exhibit on the topic:

 

http://www.jewishmuseummd.org/exhibit/zap-pow-bam-superhero-golden-age-comic-books-1938-1950

 

And here are just a sampling of some books on the topic:

 

From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books

http://www.amazon.com/From-Krakow-Krypton-Comic-Books/dp/0827608438/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1368332069&sr=1-2

 

Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form

http://www.amazon.com/Jews-American-Comics-Illustrated-History/dp/1595583319/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332069&sr=1-11&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped The Comic Book Superhero

http://www.amazon.com/Up-Oy-Vey-History-Superhero/dp/1569804001/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332185&sr=1-12&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero

http://www.amazon.com/Disguised-Clark-Kent-Creation-Superhero/dp/0826430147/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368332219&sr=1-14&keywords=jewish+comic+book

 

 

Those are some incredible links. Thank you so much! :headbang:

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jpepx78

jpepx78

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Here's a series of excellent articles from Reform Judaism Magazine by Arie Kaplan.

One of the reasons there were many Jewish comic book illustrators and writers in the Golden Age was that other areas of commercial illustration were virtually closed to them. The comic business in the 1930s was brand-new, bottom of the social ladder and wide open to anybody according to Will Eisner. There were definitely cultural connections and references in many of the comics.

 

HOW THE JEWS CREATED THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY

Part I: The Golden Age (1933-1955)

Link 1

 

HOW JEWS TRANSFORMED THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY

Part II: The Silver Age (1956-1978)

Link 2

 

HOW JEWS TRANSFORMED THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY

Part III: The Bronze Age (1979 - )

Link 3

 

 

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Stevenrams

Stevenrams

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If you want to read a really great book about the connection between Jews and Comic books, you will do well by reading "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel by Michael Chablon. You can find it at any library. Sure, it's fiction but oftern fiction reveals more than non-fiction. "1984" "Brave New World" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" are examples. There are of course thousands more.

 

It's more of a thinly veiled novel of Simon & Kirby.

 

I think you'll enjoy it.

 

Also, Comic Book Marketplace ran an article on "Jews and the American Comic Book" I have every issue. If you are a scholar, I will be willing to lend it to you or maybe even give it you. Why not? You're a full-fledged member of the tribe.

 

SLR

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jmg3637

jmg3637

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Last weekend I went to an exhibit of a Jewish artist who cuts up his old comics and makes Jewish themed art work from the pieces. This exhibit appened to be at his neighborhood comicbook store, and he also happened to be there on Sunday when my wife and I went to look the the pieces. It turns out he is married to one of the Rabbi's from my Temple

 

We got a presonalized tour with him explaining the inspiration for each piece. I already knew most of what he was explaining. It was very fun trading Jewish and comicbook history with him.

 

Most of the pieces sold at the first day of the exhibit, but I did manage to get one of the last prints of the "Live Long and Prosper" print

 

 

http://www.nicejewishartist.com/Links/IsaacB2_BNW-catalog-2013_web.pdf

 

In the Golem piece he used IronMan as his comic inspiration. I could recognize an early Mile High centerfold ad. I think those were from the Mile High II find, and contained the prices for the Ironman books

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Hepcat

Hepcat

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Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Martin Nodell, Sheldon Moldoff, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, etc. were all Jewish.

 

I'm Jewish, and when I was attending service, I noticed that the Rabbi's tallit looked a somewhat similar to a cape. Knowing that both of Superman's co-creators were Jewish (as were the creators of many of the other popular superheroes), I was wondering if perhaps that visual was a partial-inspiration for the decision to equip many superheroes with capes.

 

Superman's Kryptonian name was originally "Kal-L", later updated to "Kal-El" which has connections (word-wise) to Judasim and the hebrew language:

 

Was just hoping to get some fellow boardies thoughts on the subject.

 

Clearly a vital building block in the international Zionist conspiracy to corrupt young minds.

 

:preach:

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shrunkenhead

shrunkenhead

Posted
Posted
Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Martin Nodell, Sheldon Moldoff, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, etc. were all Jewish.

 

I'm Jewish, and when I was attending service, I noticed that the Rabbi's tallit looked a somewhat similar to a cape. Knowing that both of Superman's co-creators were Jewish (as were the creators of many of the other popular superheroes), I was wondering if perhaps that visual was a partial-inspiration for the decision to equip many superheroes with capes.

 

Superman's Kryptonian name was originally "Kal-L", later updated to "Kal-El" which has connections (word-wise) to Judasim and the hebrew language:

 

Was just hoping to get some fellow boardies thoughts on the subject.

 

Clearly a vital building block in the international Zionist conspiracy to corrupt young minds.

 

:preach:

 

Wow, so incredibly not funny.

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goldust40

goldust40

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What? So why did you fellows take all this trouble to convince me then?

 

???

 

I guess I should be more wary about accepting what I read on this board as fact.

 

:insane:

 

Or maybe you should stop posting such invocations.

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