Zap! Pow! Oy! exhibition launch in Toronto - Oct. 23

Zap! Pow! Oy! Jews and the Comic Book Industry

Date : Tues., October 23, 2018

Time : 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Location : Beth Tzedec Congregation, 1700 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5P 3K3

This exhibit presents the Jewish storytellers, cartoonists and publishers who developed and influenced the comic book industry over the past 80 years. 

No charge, but reservations for exhibit opening night are requested. 

Guest exhibit curators: Steven M. Bergson and Ron Kasman

A limited number of books will be available for purchase during the launch : 

Jewish Comix Anthology volume 1 (edited by Steven M. Bergson)

SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2 (edited by Steven M. Bergson)

The Tower of the Comic Book Freaks (written and illustrated by Ron Kasman)

For information about this exhibit or to book a group tour, please contact museum curator Dorion Liebgott at 416-781-3514 ext. 232. Exhibit continues through March 2019.

NYCC 2018 - upcoming "Jewish" panels

Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel Revolution

October 06, 2018, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Room 1B03 – Javits Center

Will Eisner (author-illustratator of Fagin the Jew, The Plot : The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion ; 2002 winner of the  Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Federation for Jewish Culture) revolutionized comics with his pioneering 1978 graphic novel, A Contract with God. GN sales have now outgrown comic book sales and can be found in an amazing array of genres and styles. Denis Kitchen A Contract With God Curator’s Collection, Karen Green (Curator of Comics & Cartoons at Columbia), N.C. Christopher Couch (Will Eisner Companion), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook) and Paul Levitz (Brooklyn Blood) discuss the evolution of the graphic novel and what the future holds.

DC Superman 80th

October 06, 2018, 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Room 1A06 – Javits Center

Join legendary creators (including Brian Michael Bendis, who has declared that he's going to return Superman to his Jewish roots) celebrating the spirit of truth, hope and justice during Superman’s 80th anniversary panel. Don’t miss this insightful conversation between industry giants as they discuss the relevance of Superman 80 years after his creation, how they’re interpreting the Man of Steel in their perspective projects and their favorite Superman moments in comics, television and movies!

DC Spotlight on Brian Michael Bendis

October 06, 2018, 5:15 PM - 6:15 PM

Room 1A24 – Javits Center

Since his DC Comics debut on ACTION COMICS and SUPERMAN, award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis (who has declared that he's going to return Superman to his Jewish roots) has been the talk of comic book fans everywhere! Join him for this special spotlight panel to hear his upcoming plans of the Man of Steel, his creator owned Jinxworld characters and more.

Nice Jewish Fangirls presents: Figuring out Me and Jew: Jewish Representation in Modern Fandom

October 07, 2018, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Room 1A18 - Javits Center

From Magneto to Monica Geller, Felicity Smoak to Susan Ivanova, Jewish representation has had a spotty record in TV, film, comics, and beyond. Join the hosts of the Nice Jewish Fangirls podcast (Tamar Herman, SM Rosenberg, and Michal Schick) as they discuss the ups and (occasionally hilarious) downs in Jewish representation, and answer questions like, “Should Jewish actors play Jewish superheroes?”, "What stories get Jewish representation right?" and, maybe most importantly, “Seriously, is Wonder Woman Jewish?"

The Jewish Side of NYCC 2018

Today (October 6th) is the 3rd day of the 4-day New York Comic Con which will be held at the Javits Center.

One sessions which should be of interest to those who enjoy Jewish-content comics will be held on Sunday. A Holocaust-themed session was already held on Thursday.


Nice Jewish Fangirls Presents  : Figuring Out Me and Jew : Jerwish Representation in Modern Fandom

October 07, 2018, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Room 1A18 – Javits Center


From Magneto to Monica Geller, Felicity Smoak to Susan Ivanova, Jewish representation has had a spotty record in TV, film, comics, and beyond. Join the hosts of the Nice Jewish Fangirls podcast (Tamar Herman, SM Rosenberg, and Michal Schick) as they discuss the ups and (occasionally hilarious) downs in Jewish representation, and answer questions like, “Should Jewish actors play Jewish superheroes?”, "What stories get Jewish representation right?" and, maybe most importantly, “Seriously, is Wonder Woman Jewish??"

We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust

October 04, 2018, 5:15 PM - 6:15 PM, Room 1B03 – Javits Center


Neal Adams, iconic artist legend, Dr. Rafael Medoff, Director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, and multiple Eisner Award-winner Craig Yoe, discuss their acclaimed book, We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust. Explore this powerful—and timely—multimedia presentation and behind-the-scenes discussion. A do-not-miss! 

-------

Several creators of Jewish comic stories and graphic novels (i.e. ones which have at least one Jewish character in them) will be in attendance. Below is a list of the ones which I've identified.

Abrams ComicArts (booth 2228) is the publisher of the Hereville books, the English edition of Pascal Croci's Auschwitz, Yiddiskeit, and the English edition of Boxer: The True Story of Holocaust Survivor Harry Haft by Reinhard Kleist

Neal Adams  (booth 2544) is the illustrator of the “Son O’ God” stories, which appeared in the pages of National Lampoon. You may read all of the Son O’God stories (as well as the story of how Adams was recruited to be the artist) at Dial B for Blog. Adams also illustrated the Batman story “Night of the Reaper” in which the vengeful Grim Reaper is revealed to be a Nazi-hunting Holocaust survivor. Adams penciled “The Last Outrage” (inked by Joe Kubert) which appeared in both The New York Times and the final issue of the miniseries X-men : Magneto : Testament and which also appeared as a stop-motion video on YouTube. He also co-authored the anthology We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Brian Michael Bendis is the author-illustrator of Fire, a comic series about a Jewish-American college student named Benjamin Furst, who is recruited into a Central Intelligent Agency operation known as Project Fire.

Marguerite Bennett (booth L28) is a writer for the series DC Bombshells, which features both a Jewish lesbian (Batwoman) and a Jewish-Romani woman (Zatanna).

Caliber Comics (booth 1056) published the series Saint Germaine. In its first issue, Holopcaust survivor and Nazi informant Jacob Weinman commits suicide, as well as the series U.N.Force which featured Israeli superhero Sentinel.

Chris Claremont (booth G41) is the writer who introduced the Jewish character Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat) and who wrote stories which implied that Magneto was Jewish, both in the pages of The Uncanny X-Men

Dark Horse Comics (booth 1636) is the publisher of the 2nd issue of Ghost, which features a golem and publisher of 10th anniversary edition of Fagin the Jew.

Peter David (booth E11) is the writer who infamously used the names of seder plate items for aliens in a Star Trek novel and who wrote the stories for The Incredible Hulk #386-387 ; see
http://www.leaderslair.com/noexcuses/hulk2-386.html andhttp://www.leaderslair.com/noexcuses/hulk2-387.html)

Denis Kitchen Publishing (booths G2 & G3) was the original publisher of several Will Eisner graphic novels including The Contract with God Trilogy.

Europe Comics (booth 1558) is the publisher of The Jewish Brigade, The Red Poster, Mezek, and Second Generation.

Danny Fingeroth (booth E13A) is the author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero.

Keith Giffen is the author of the Ragman miniseries that reintroduced the title character as a Jewish superhero and is also the creator of the characters Dreidel and Rabbi Zone, who both appeared in the pages of the last issue of the series The Heckler.

Adam Gorham (booth A23) is the author-illustrator of the stories "The Magic Mirror of Rabbi Adam" and "Yaish and the Protector" (Jewish Comix Anthology volume 1) and the illustrator of the "Android" pinup (SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2).

Larry Hama (booth 113) is the author of the story "Words of Honor" in G.I Joe Special Missions #2.

IDW (booth 1844) is the publisher of the series Drafted and the book We Spoke Out : Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Arie Kaplan is the author of From Krakow to Krypton : Jews and Comic Books.

Adam Katzenstein (booth K8) is the illustrator of gag cartoons which may be found in the New Yorker. Two Jewish examples may be found at http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/cartoonings-jewish-je-ne-sais-quoi

Rob Liefeld is the illustrator of stories in the Youngblood series, which included the Israeli superheroine Masada.

David Mack (booth 118) illustrated a pinup which appears in Sci : Jewish Comics Anthology (vol.2).

Jim Mahfood (booth 117) is the author-illustrator of Grrl Scouts. 

Rafael Medoff is a historian who has assisted with such works as "The Last Outrage" (X-Men : Magneto : Testament #5), They Spoke Out : American Voices Against the Holocaust, and "The St. Louis Refugee Ship Blues" (Washington Post, 2009) ; co-author of We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Yehudi Mercado (booth C6) is the author-illustrator of the graphic novel Throne of Secrets,which takes the traditional biblical tale of Queen Esther and "amps up the adventure of this historic epic"

Oni Press (booth 2028) is the publisher of the golem comic Brik).

Greg Pak (booth B22) is the illustrator of the X-Men : Magneto : Testament miniseries

Jimmy Palmiotti  is the co-creator of the short-lived golem series The Monolith from DC Comics.

Paul Pope (booth A19) is the author-illustrator of the story "Berlin Batman" in The Batman Chronicles #11 (reprinted in Batman : Year 100), in which Batman is a Jewish painter named Baruch Wane.

Matthew Rosenberg (booth K27) is the author of the comic book series 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, which includes the character Daniel "Berger" Berger aka Crotch the Sticky.

Rachelle Rosenberg (booth F5) is the colorist of Iceman #6, in which Iceman dates a Jewish man.

Joe Rubinstein is an illustrator of the 2nd Mendy & the Golem series and contributor to both Journeys : The Collected Edition and Balm in Gilead.

Steven T. Seagle (booth K8) is the author of the graphic novel "It's a Bird ..." which examines various aspects of the Superman mythos, including his creation by 2 American Jews.

Fred Van Lente (booth B23) is the author of the comic series Action Philosophers!, which featured the story of the golem and the Jewish mystical tradition (the Kabbalah) in its fourth issue.

Viz Media (booth 1336) is the publisher of the English edition of the 5-book manga Adolf : A Tale of the Twentieth Century.

Marv Wolfman (booth E2) is the author of the story "Return from the Grave!" in Tomb of Dracula #27, "Introducing the Hybrid" in The New Teen Titans #24 and Homeland : The Illustrated History of the State of Israel.

Craig Yoe is a co-author of We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.