"Ivanhoe" King Classics #15 (1977), p. 5. Story by Walter Scott. Adapted by Dr. Marion Kimberly.Artist Unknown. © King Features
"Ivanhoe" Marvel Classics Comics #16 (1976), p. 35. Story by Walter Scott. Adapted by Doug Moench. Art by Jess Jodloman. © Marvel Comics
"Ivanhoe" Pocket Classics #C40 (1978), p. 32. Story by Walter Scott. Adapted by Naunerle Farr. Artist Unknown. © Academic
There was also an adaptation of the Shakespeare play The Merchant of Venice in which Jessica defied her father by secretly eloping with her Christian love Lorenzo.
"The Merchant of Venice" Pocket Classics #S6 (1978?). Story by William Shakespeare. Adapted by Naunerle Farr. Art by Jun Lofamia. © Academic
Vampire Tales, mostly concerned with Dracula-type vampires, had a 1-page retelling of the Lilith legend.
"Lilith : The First Vampire" Vampire Tales #4 Apr. 1974. Text by Tony Isabella.
Art by Ernie Chan. © Marvel Comics
A Superman backup story featured Clark Kent’s wealthy boss Morgan Edge and his mother. At first glance, she seems to be the embodiment of the negative Jewish mother stereotype – self-depreciating and guilt-inducing. However, she showed that she was proud – not ashamed – of working as a cleaning woman and that the reason for her making Morgan feel guilty was mainly his denial of his true Jewish identity.
"My Son, The Orphan" Action Comics #468 (Feb. 1977), 2nd story, p. 2. Story by Martin Pasko. Art by Curt Swan & Frank McLaughlin. © DC Comics
Harvey Pekar told of how a Jewish senior was nice enough to offer to let him go ahead of her in line and who also tried to correct a cashier’s mistake in her favor. However, he did so by contrasting her with the typical “old Jewish ladies” who held up the lines in the supermarket, arguing with the cashier about prices or trying to get a special deal.
"Standing Behind Old Jewish Ladies in Supermarket Lines" American Splendor #3 (1978), 2nd story, p. 1. Reprinted in American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar ; Bob & Harv's Comics ; and The Complete Crumb Comics #12. Story by Harvey Pekar. Art by Robert Crumb. © Harvey Pekar .
Two comics presented Holocaust-era stories with women in the role of resistance fighters
"Crossroads"Men of War #10 (Nov. 1978), 1st story p. 7-8. Story by Roger McKenzie. Art by Dick Ayers & Romeo Tanghal.© DC Comics
"The Tourists" Blitzkrieg #8 (July-Aug. 1976), 1st story, p. 4. Story by Robert Kanigher. Art by Ric Estrada. © DC Comics
and a horror comic showed a Holocaust survivor presenting testimony at a war crimes trial.
"Gypsy Shade" House of Mystery #261 (Oct. 1978), 2nd story, p. 3. Story by Arnold Drake. Art by Jess Jodloman. © DC Comics
A Captain America story revealed that Steve Rogers’ landlady was a Holocaust survivor and she shared her story with him.
"From the Ashes..." Captain America #237 (Sept. 1979), p. 22. Story by Chris Claremont & Roger McKenzie. Art by Sal Buscema &Don Perlin. © Marvel Comics
A Contract with God, considered to be the first Jewish graphic novel, consists of 4 stories, 3 of them with significant Jewish women. In the title story, the life of a young girl – who was being raised by a Hasidic immigrant – was cut short, causing Frimme to question his faith.
"A Contract with God" A Contract with God and other Tenement Stories (1978), 1st story, p. 24-25. Story & art by Will Eisner. © Baronet
In “The Street Singer”, Sylvia Speegel – a has-been diva – discovered a young talent and hoped for a comeback with him.
“Cookalein” has Fanny (who carefully saves up money so that she can afford to take her kids to a resort) and Goldie (who goes there pretending to be well-off, hoping to attract a wealthy suitor).
Aline Komisky-Crumb’s autobiographical comic didn’t shy away from negative characterizations, showing her mother as overly materialistic and claiming that her grandmother never cared about her father. Yet she also showed herself as a high-achieving student, her mother as a successful sales rep, and her grandmother as seemingly hysterical at her father’s funeral.
"Blabette 'n Arnie" The Bunch's Power Pak Comics #1 (Sep. 1979), 2nd story, p. 15. Story and art by Aline Kominsky-Crumb.
© Kitchen Sink
In “Die Bubbeh”, Sharon Rudahl briefly told the story of her grandmother, who was secretly taught how to read in 3 languages, who unsuccessfully tried to hide a rabbi’s radical son from the police, and who sold her valuables in order to ease the family’s escape from their shtetl after a pogrom.
"Die Bubbeh" Wimmen's Comix #5 (June 1975), 10th story, p. 2. Story & art by Sharon Rudahl. © Last Gasp
Funny thing...
ReplyDeleteIn modern day Hebrew, Elfs (like at Tolkin's books) are called "Sons of Lilith". I don't know if it is the same in the original text as I didn't read it in English. However, I always found it ammusing.