From Krakow to Krypton

From Krakow to Krypton chronicles the history of Jewish artists, writers and publishers in the American comic book industry. The book traces the origin stories of major comic book companies and characters, highlighting the Jewish immigrants and first-generation Americans who shaped the medium. The narrative follows key figures like Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby through the Golden Age, Silver Age, and Modern Age of comics. Their personal experiences and cultural backgrounds influenced iconic characters including Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and the X-Men. Author Arie Kaplan connects Jewish traditions and values to the enduring themes found in superhero stories and graphic novels. The book examines how Jewish creators embedded their perspectives on social justice, discrimination, and identity into mainstream comic book narratives that resonated with millions of readers.

Readers found this history of Jewish comic book creators informative but noted it covers familiar ground. The book gets credit for detailing both well-known figures like Stan Lee and lesser-known creators like Al Jaffee. Likes: - Clear explanations of historical context - Strong focus on immigrant experiences - Well-researched connections between Jewish culture and superhero origins Dislikes: - Surface-level coverage of some topics - Writing style can be dry - Several readers felt it retreads material from similar books Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (82 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (11 ratings) One Goodreads reviewer wrote: "Good introduction but lacks depth compared to Danny Fingeroth's Disguised as Clark Kent." An Amazon reviewer praised the "fascinating look at how Jewish immigrant experiences shaped comic book storytelling" but wished for "more analysis of modern Jewish creators."

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🦸‍♂️ Many early comic book creators were Jewish immigrants or their children who used comics to process their experiences of discrimination and displacement, creating heroes who had dual identities and fought for justice. 📚 The book's title references Superman's journey from his home planet Krypton, drawing parallels with the Jewish immigrant experience in America and the creation of the comic book industry. ✍️ Author Arie Kaplan is not only a comics historian but also a MAD Magazine writer and has written for Superman, Speed Racer, and Pokemon comic books. 💫 The book reveals how Superman's origin story mirrors the biblical tale of Moses - both were sent away by their parents in vessels (spaceship/basket) to escape destruction and went on to become saviors. 🎨 Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, two pioneering Jewish comic creators featured in the book, created Captain America in 1941 - famously showing him punching Hitler on the cover of the first issue, months before America entered World War II.