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Full Description
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!
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Methodology
Part I. Scriptural Superheroes: The Ancient Roots of the Man of Tomorrow
Samson, Solomon and Other Supermen
Paradigmatic Parallels: Superman as Moses
Sent by His Father: Superman as Jesus
World's Finest: Settling the Denominational Debate
Part II. Shticks from the Shtetl: How Jews Created Comics and Caped Crusaders
Hitler, Hollywood and Houdini
Famous Funnies and Other Firsts: The Birth of Comic Books
The Big Bang
Part III. Mensch of Steel: Fulfilling Jewish Fantasy and Faith
The Jewish Experience: Context Is Content
Birthright
The Secret Identities of Heroes and Hebrews
The Galactic Golem
The Brave and the Bold: Superman vs. Übermensch
Phone Booth, Voting Booth, Confession Booth: Superman's Religion and Politics
Part IV. Postwar to Postmodern: Redefining Superman, Comics and Judaism
Superman vs. the Mad Scientist: The Postwar Era
If I Were a Superman: The Silver Age
Nazis in Space and Superman on Screen: The Bronze Age
Second Coming: The Dark Age
Superman Supernal: The Modern Age
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
