Test Your Knowledge: Jews in Comics
By Elizabeth Friedly
Despite annually clogging a half-mile’s worth of downtown Atlanta with superheroes and Disney princesses since 1987, Dragon Con’s exact purpose is lost on a large portion of this city. Simply put, it’s a pop culture convention that includes aforementioned parade, costume contests, meet-ups, merchandise galleries, workshops and celebrity panels.
Many are familiar with such Jewish pop culture staples as Stan Lee’s comic characters and Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi films. But how well do you really know your canon-Jewish comic book heroes?
Did you know …
X-Men supervillain Magneto’s real name?
Those who have seen the X-Men films know Magneto as Erik Lehnsherr, a Jewish-born German who survived the Holocaust. Yet canonically he was born Max Eisenhardt. He assumed another identity before making his way to Israel and meeting his friend-turned-adversary Charles Xavier (a.k.a. Professor X).
How Kitty Pryde defeated Dracula?
X-Men character Kitty Pryde (Katherine Anne Pryde) was created as the granddaughter of Samuel Prydeman, a Holocaust survivor. In 1982’s Uncanny X-Men, Kitty defeats Dracula with her silver Star of David necklace.
How the Thing spent his childhood?
Born Benjamin Jacob Grimm, the Fantastic Four’s Thing needed 40 years to reveal his religion. Not only is he shown to be Jewish, but Grimm recites the Kaddish and celebrates becoming a bar mitzvah in “Remembrance of Things Past.”
What Batwoman’s holiday plans were?
DC’s Kathy Kane, a.k.a Batwoman, debuted in 1956, only to be written out of existence in 1985. She was resurrected in 2006 as a modern, out-lesbian in addition to being Jewish. During her recent run, she celebrated Chanukah for the first time since her creation.
comments