Shalom, Superman!

Superheroes fulfill their mitzvahs

Comments (0) By Lyssa Oberkreser Thursday, Feb 2 2006

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Have you heard the one about Superman going to shul? Yeah, neither have we, but it is bound to come up during Harry Brod’s lecture about the Jewish roots of our most beloved comic book heroes, The People of the Comic Book: It’s a Man! It’s a Jew! It’s Supermensch!

Although many people know Superman’s real name is Kal El, few are aware that two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland -- Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster -- created the Last Son of Krypton. “Most of the comic book heroes were created by Jewish men,” says Brod, professor of philosophy and humanities at the University of Northern Iowa. “This lecture looks at the history of the industry and is an attempt to say, What’s going on here?” Brod’s research on the topic will be included in the upcoming book Images of Jewish Masculinity, edited by Kevin Eisenstadt. Sure, Brod knows what you’re thinking, but says not to worry: “It’s not a standard, dry academic talk. It’s a fun talk and very interesting.” Look for the Bat signal tonight at 7:30 and follow it to the Jewish Museum of Florida. Admission is free. For reservations call 305-672-5044, ext. 11.
Tue., Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.