Jews created the first comic book, the first graphic novel, the first comic book convention, the first comic book specialty store, and they helped create the underground comics (or "Comix") movement of the late '60s and early '70s. Many of the creators of the most famous comic books, such as "Superman", "Spiderman", "X-Men", and "Batman", as well as the founders of "MAD Magazine", were Jewish. This book tells their stories, and demonstrates how they brought a uniquely Jewish perspective to their work and to the comics industry as a whole.Presented in full color, with sidebars and text boxes presented like cartoon bubbles, "From Krakow to Krypton" is filled with graphics from the many comics that Jews had an important part in creating, as well as original design sketches and photographs. Thus, the book offers both a visually stunning and fun approach to the history of Jews in the comic book industry.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Good Book!:
A good, solid book! Amazing how Kaplan, keeps things straight and in order. Entertaining and informative!
This book is fun!:
If you enjoyed Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay then you'll love this delightful treatment of the influence of Jews and the Jewish experience on the evolution of the comic book experience. No, that's not really a Hebrew letter Shin instead of an S on Superman's chest, its an S for Siegel and his Canadian cousin Shuster, but Kal-El is Hebrew and Clark Kent is the quintessential immigrant trying to hide his past and blend in. And yes, the origin of the evil Magneto's animus... more info
An informed and informative history that is packed with history and nostalgia from beginning to end:
Comic books have been an integral part of American popular culture since their invention as a mass market media in the early 1930s. The first comic books were simply collections of newspaper comics. It was Jewish writers and artists who took this new medium and expanded it as a form of popular literature that we know today beginning with the creation of such characters a Superman and Batman and the legions of superheroes and villains that were to follow down to this very day. What is less well known is that... more info
Remarkable:
Once upon a time, I read comic books for enjoyment. I used to buy Howard the Duck, Spiderman, Batman, Nova, and the 1970's Marvel westerns. That was then, this is now. At the tender age of 40 plus, I finally learn that the creators of my favorite books were Jewish! Not that it made a difference to my enjoyment that Bob Kane, Stanley Lieber, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and so many others had a Judaic background, but now that I know that, some pieces have fallen into... more info
