Is Superman Circumcised?

The Complete Jewish History of the World's Greatest Hero

Häftad, Engelska, 2021

544 kr

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Beskrivning

Superman is the original superhero, an American icon, and arguably the most famous character in the world--and he's Jewish! Introduced in June 1938, the Man of Steel was created by two Jewish teens, Jerry Siegel, the son of immigrants from Eastern Europe, and Joe Shuster, an immigrant. They based their hero's origin story on Moses, his strength on Samson, his mission on the golem, and his nebbish secret identity on themselves. They made him a refugee fleeing catastrophe on the eve of World War II and sent him to tear Nazi tanks apart nearly two years before the US joined the war. In the following decades, Superman's mostly Jewish writers, artists, and editors continued to borrow Jewish motifs for their stories, basing Krypton's past on Genesis and Exodus, its society on Jewish culture, the trial of Lex Luthor on Adolf Eichmann's, and a future holiday celebrating Superman on Passover. A fascinating journey through comic book lore, American history, and Jewish tradition, this book examines the entirety of Superman's career from 1938 to date, and is sure to give readers a newfound appreciation for the Mensch of Steel!

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2021-05-19
Mått:178 x 254 x 19 mm
Vikt:658 g
Format:Häftad
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:374
Förlag:McFarland & Co Inc
ISBN:9781476662909

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Mer om författaren

Roy Schwartz has written for newspapers, magazines, websites, academic organizations, law firms, tech companies, toy companies, and production studios. He has taught English and writing at the City University of New York and is a former writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library. He is the director of marketing and business development of a regional law firm.

Recensioner i media

“An in-depth examination of the Jewish roots of the character…a deep-dive into arguably the world’s most famous and iconic fictional character and his Jewish influences. …This book is a must-have for any fan of superheroes, comic books and Jewish history and literature.”—Jerusalem Post

Innehållsförteckning

Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroductionMethodologyPart I. Scriptural Superheroes: The Ancient Roots of the Man of TomorrowSamson, Solomon and Other SupermenParadigmatic Parallels: Superman as MosesSent by His Father: Superman as JesusWorld’s Finest: Settling the Denominational DebatePart II. Shticks from the Shtetl: How Jews Created Comics and Caped CrusadersHitler, Hollywood and HoudiniFamous Funnies and Other Firsts: The Birth of Comic BooksThe Big BangPart III. Mensch of Steel: Fulfilling Jewish Fantasy and FaithThe Jewish Experience: Context Is ContentBirthrightThe Secret Identities of Heroes and HebrewsThe Galactic GolemThe Brave and the Bold: Superman vs. ÜbermenschPhone Booth, Voting Booth, Confession Booth: Superman’s Religion and PoliticsPart IV. Postwar to Postmodern: Redefining Superman, Comics and JudaismSuperman vs. the Mad Scientist: The Postwar EraIf I Were a Superman: The Silver AgeNazis in Space and Superman on Screen: The Bronze AgeSecond Coming: The Dark AgeSuperman Supernal: The Modern AgeChapter NotesBibliographyIndex