Up, Up, and Oy Vey!: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero [Paperback]

Simcha Weinstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2006

From the birth of Krypton in Cleveland to the Caped Crusader, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and more, Up, Up, and Oy Vey chronicles the uncanny story behind the story about the origins of the planet's most famous superheroes. While the Jewish contribution to film, theater, music, and comedy has been well-documented, the Jewish role in the creation of the All-American superhero has not been--until now! The official publication date of this book is June 27, 2006, which is two weeks after the 3rd X-Men movie is released and three days before Superman Returns hits the theaters. Additionally, Geppi's Entertainment Museum will be opening in Baltimore on July 4th as well, and this museum is being touted as a one-of-a-kind, fun, interactive museum. . .with a focus on pop culture in all media, toys, and comic characters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: Leviathan Press; First Edition edition (June 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881927326
• ISBN-13: 978-1881927327
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,543,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Simcha Weinstein is an internationally known, best-selling author. He has appeared on CNN Showbiz Tonight and NPR, and has been profiled in leading publications, including The New York Times, The Miami Herald and The London Guardian. He chairs the Religious Affair's Committee at the renowned New York art school, Pratt Institute.

Simcha holds a bachelors degree in Film History from the Manchester Metropolitan University, England. Following graduation, he became an associate for the British Film Commission and coordinated the production of hundreds of feature films throughout the United Kingdom. They say that "when man makes plans, God laughs" as his path veered from show business to the yeshiva, and he eventually became a rabbi.

Simcha's unique background and life experiences have led him to reconsider the popular culture of his youth through the lens of his commitment to Jewish ethics and spirituality. This one-of-a-kind perspective, along with his wit, makes him an entertaining and much sought-after public speaker.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of the subject but slightly lacking in depth. April 13, 2007

By Jason Schaeffer

Format:Paperback

This book is a good introduction to the subject of the influence that Jewish history and culture have had upon the comic book industry. Unfortunately it is doomed to stay an introduction due to its lack of depth and relatively short pieces. It is more or less a collection of short essays on various superheroes and superhero teams, none more than twenty pages long. That it not to say that this is a bad book. One thing I really like about this book is that it covers not just the expected superheroes like Superman and Batman, who are always referred to in Comic Theory books like these, but also heroes that aren't thought of to be studied in conjunction with Judaism like the Justice League, The Incredible Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. It is extremely informative and to pack so much information in such a small space is to be commended but if the reader is looking for an in depth study of religion in comics, specifically Judaism, that goes into great amounts of detail then he should look for something else. However, if one is looking for more of a light read that packs serious, scholarly information in an introductory manner, then this book could not be more on the mark.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Are Superman and Batman landsmen (Jewish)? July 8, 2006

By J T Cooper

Format:Paperback

This book is a must for anyone who read comic books as a child or teenager. It is funny and informative about the origins of our favorite comic book characters, including Superman, Batman, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Spiderman, the Xmen, the Incredible Hulk and Sabra. Weinstein goes into the origins of each of these superheros and tells us how these talented Jewish comic book artists melded Jewish history, legends and culture into their stories, including the Golem. The author doesn't neglect the female comic characters either. Sabra is the most prominent 'Eshes Chayil' or woman of valor. She proceeds to 'kick tuches and take names' in her comic book appearances. I was impressed with the amount of research that the author did in producing this book. It ought to be part of the curriculum in high school literature classes along with all of those dead goyishe authors like Shakespeare.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Well documented, must read. December 14, 2006

By Fatimah Hashi

Format:Paperback

This book is a must read for everyone who takes superheros seriously, Weinstein studies the psychology behind each of our favorites icons, and draws the links between their creators and the personage.

Batman, Superman, and all the other heroes are put in the context of their creator's biblical and cultural heritage, and Weinstein does a great job on documenting and arguing that connection