Customer Reviews

Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form

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I had heard an interview by the author, Buhle, and I was delighted to receive this book. Yet, I found it somewhat disppointing, in that I had expected trenchant commentary in a volume JAM-PACKED with graphics. There are some graphic gems, but too few, and some of the examples are of recent vintage, not classics. Plus, the narrative was on the plodding, cumbersome side.

From reviews, it appears that another book, "From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books," might be more what I had in mind.

I bought this book on the suggestion of Amazon when I sought to buy Krakow to Krypton. From the beginning, the author's style of writing was very hard for me to follow let alone enjoy. I don't think it was too technical, but seemed very 'high brow' with many citations noted. It was a drudgery to read. I enjoyed most of the comic strip examples until the end with all the Anti-Israel, Anti-Jewish comics by ultra liberal, left wing Jewish artists. Unfortunately, I do not recommend.

Looks like this book lost out in the battle with the snappily titled From Krakow to Krypton. For my money it's the winner. Neither a denizen of fandom nor himself Jewish, Buhle came to the comics world via popular culture (From the Lower East Side to Hollywood, 2004) and through shared radical interests with the late Harvey Pekar (see Yiddishkeit, his fitting memorial). I find this work superior in both text and iconography to Arie Kaplan's rival publication, whose cover, which looks ironically aimed at the kids, despite the JPS imprint really IS aimed at the kids!

Given the lasting impact made by Jews throughout the history of comics, from Will Eisner to Art Spiegelman to Harvey Kurtzman to Sheldon Mayer, Jews and American Comics is a welcome collection and wonderful tribute--as well as a wealth of information.

The book traces the history of Jews in comics from early newspaper work at the turn of the 20th century (first in Yiddish papers and later in mainstream newspapers across the country). The exploration of the comic art form and its natural convergence with the Jewish American experience is a seeming oddity that makes perfect sense. How Jewish writers and illustrators used the format to convey the collective experiences of their people, as well as their current place in society, and used animals, superheroes, and everyday people to draw it all out is important and useful knowledge for students of history and social studies just as much as for fans of comics.

Brown University professor Paul Buhle, a historian of the Jewish culture and the author of a three-volume Jews in American Pop Culture series, continues his exploration of how Jewish culture has become embedded in works of art, analyzing not only its influences but also the influences it in turn has had on later works. Buhle's essays are the framework for the book, which also collects hundreds of works from artists over the past century, and traces the birth of this distinct art form and parallels it with the development of the Yiddish language.

The juxtaposition of comics images on the pages ranges throughout the past century and draws excellent parallels to Jewish life, bringing in history, philosophy, economic issues, prejudices, and more to develop a cohesive theme of art reflecting Jewish life. The book includes excerpts of works from so many people, well-known and little-known, such as Milton Caniff, Kim Deitch, Will Elder, Justin Green, Jules Feiffer, and so many more. Spanning such a broad range of talents further illustrates Buhle's points in a great way.

-- John Hogan

Comic strip history and the Jewish influence on comic strip writers and artists are the subject of "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form". In a collection knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Paul Buhle, "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" is comprised of more than two hundred examples of the work of Jewish comic artists dating back a century. Paul Buhle informs readers on just how the 'People of the Book' became the 'People of the Comic Book'. Enhanced with three information packed essays written by Buhle, and with the cited comics arranged by Jewish themes and Jewish related content, readers will explore the history and discover the parallels of the comic book format with the history of Yiddish literacy culture. Readers will learn beyond the fact that many to the great talents of the comic trade who happen to be Jewish, but that the Jewish role is part of the full history of this comic (artistic) tradition. Interesting in fact, history and comics "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" is a fascinating exploration of the influences and traditions of comics. Recommended for public libraries and universities who teach comic book design, "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" will prove a fascinating read for anyone who grew up reading comics as a kid.