Jews and the Comic Book
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Transcript of Jews and the Comic Book
Jews and the Comics
Presented by
Arlene B. Holtz, Ph.D.
For Temple Sholom Broomall
August 31, 2011
Follow-‐up Ac+vity
• Create a presenta*on that in some way responds to the essen*al ques*ons:
• How did the people of the book become the people of the comic book?
• How did Jewish iden*ty, sense of jus*ce, and American culture influence the work of Jewish comic writers and illustrators?
• What do these characters say to us today?
Jews were Pioneers of Comics
• Superman
• Batman • Captain America • Spiderman
• Flash • Green Lantern • X -‐Men
• Sgt. Rock • Green Lantern • The Spirit • Alfred E. Neuman (MAD)
• Tales from the Crypt • Dr. Doom
• KiTy Pryde
What’s Jewish about Superman?
• Sent away – like Moses • Original home destroyed • Older genera*on sacrificed • Kal-‐El • Dual iden*ty • Tzaddik – selfless, righteous
Innate quali*es of goodness
Purity of purpose
Selfless
Superior & common
Batman
“figh*ng for righteousness and apprehending the wrong doer”
Captain America
The Thing
Ben Grimm – persecuted for his looks
In back story readers learn of his Jewish iden*ty
The Thing
Returns Jewish Star
Beats up Powderkeg who asks, “Are you really Jewish? You don’t look Jewish.
Hate
EC Comics, 1950s
Addressed controversial topics including an*-‐Semi*sm
Hate
WriTen by Al Feldstein, illustrated by Wally Wood
Hate
Judgment Day
Socially conscious
An* discrimina*on
Art Spiegelman
Maus
Pulitzer Prize
Jews as mice Germans as cats
Maus
Maus