Panel traces historic Jewish influence on the comic book industry

By Cailin Acosta in San Diego, California

Comic-Con attendees packed a panel room to learn about the often-overlooked role that Jewish creators have played in shaping the comic book industry.

Mark S. Zaid, Esq., an Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide advisor, comic book historian, author, and creator of GI’s Rabbi); Danny Fingeroth, former Marvel editor and writer, author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero; and Dr. Andrew Fogel, historian of popular culture and author of Superman’s Jaw presented an engaging PowerPoint lecture titled “The Jewish Experience in Comics: Characters and Creators.”

The presentation explored how the Jewish identities and experiences of many of comics’ most influential creators shaped the stories they told and the heroes they created. The panel traced the origins of iconic characters such as Superman, the Thing, and Magneto, examined the personal histories of Golden and Silver Age comic book creators, and discussed whether Jewish cultural identity was intentionally woven into their work.

The speakers also addressed how publishers approached sensitive subjects such as the Holocaust and examined the lasting influence of Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Will Eisner’s groundbreaking graphic novels on Jewish storytelling in comics.

According to Zaid, contemporary portrayals of Jewish characters in comic books are generally positive. Earlier depictions, however, often reflected the stereotypes and prejudices common during the 1920s and other periods of the early twentieth century.

To illustrate the industry’s foundations, Zaid presented a “roll call” of influential Jewish creators and publishers whose contributions helped build modern comic books.

Among the earliest pioneers was Maxwell Charles Gaines (born Max Ginsberg), who helped establish the modern comic book format and founded Educational Comics (EC Comics).

Harry Donenfeld, together with business partner Jack Liebowitz (born Yacov Lebovitz), co-founded DC Comics and helped launch Superman.

Martin Goodman (born Moe Goodman) founded Timely Comics, the company that would later become Marvel Comics.

Stan Lee (born Stanley Lieber) became the public face of Marvel Comics and co-created Spider-Man, Iron Man, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Black Widow, and countless other legendary superheroes.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster famously created Superman, while Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) and Joe Simon (born Hymie Simon) created Captain America, Boy Commandos, and Captain 3-D. Kirby later co-created the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, and the X-Men alongside Stan Lee.

Batman’s creation was credited to Bob Kane (born Robert Kahn) and Bill Finger (born Milton Finger), while Jerry Robinson is widely recognized for creating the Joker.

The panel also highlighted the enormous contributions of Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit and one of comics’ most influential storytellers; Joe Kubert, creator of Sgt. Rock and founder of the Kubert School; Mort Weisinger, whose tenure as Superman editor introduced Supergirl, Krypto, the Phantom Zone, Kandor, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and numerous forms of Kryptonite; Julius Schwartz, one of the architects of DC’s Silver Age; and Sheldon Mayer, one of DC’s earliest editors and creators.

The history of Mad magazine also featured prominently. Bill Gaines transformed EC Comics and Mad into one of America’s most influential humor publications. Harvey Kurtzman founded and edited Mad, while Al Feldstein served as editor for nearly three decades. Will Elder became one of the magazine’s signature artists, and Al Jaffee achieved a Guinness World Record for the longest career as a comic artist, spanning 78 years, including 65 years with Mad. The audience also learned that Kurtzman, Elder, and Jaffee all attended the same high school.

Additional influential figures included Gil Kane (born Eli Katz), who co-created Green Lantern and the Atom for DC and Adam Warlock and Iron Fist for Marvel; Neal Adams, whose work on Batman, Green Lantern/ Green Arrow, and Deadman revolutionized comic book art; and Jeanette Kahn, who became DC Comics publisher at just 28 years old and later president, overseeing one of the company’s most innovative eras.

One of the panel’s most fascinating discussions centered on Nazi Germany’s reaction to Superman. Fogel displayed a German Secret Service newspaper article attacking Superman’s Jewish creators. Germany eventually banned Superman, portraying him as a symbol of capitalist propaganda designed to brainwash American youth. The article specifically criticized Jerry Siegel’s Jewish identity, referenced his circumcision, accused him of using Yiddish rather than German, and labeled him an Untermensch (subhuman). The publication argued that Superman was not the true Übermensch (superman), claiming he violated the laws of science by defying gravity, lacked proper masculinity because of his circus-like costume, and represented irrationality rather than Aryan ideals.

Another memorable segment focused on Captain America, who debuted in 1941. The panel drew a compelling parallel between Steve Rogers and the biblical King David. Like David, Rogers begins as a physically small but determined young man who volunteers to confront a powerful enemy threatening his people.

The speakers also noted that Captain America’s shield resembles a Star of David, reinforcing symbolic connections to Jewish history and identity. The discussion included images from an early Captain America story depicting concentration camp prisoners marching at gunpoint toward crematoria, with human bones visible among the ashes—a striking example of how comic books confronted the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II.

The panel also examined lesser-known examples of Jewish representation. Nine issues of Charlton Comics’ Just Married (1973–1974) explored religious and cultural tensions through the relationship between David Goldman, an Orthodox Jew, and Cathy O’Brien, an Irish Catholic. The series reflected changing American attitudes and was likely inspired by the 1972 CBS television series Bridget Loves Bernie, which also centered on an interfaith marriage.

Will Eisner’s landmark 1978 graphic novel A Contract with God was highlighted as one of the first modern graphic novels. Set in a New York City tenement, it tells deeply personal stories about working-class Jewish immigrants and demonstrated that comic books could tackle mature, literary themes.

The presentation successfully connected decades of comic book history with the personal experiences of the Jewish men and women who helped create the industry’s most beloved characters. It demonstrated how their cultural backgrounds, values, and historical experiences often found their way into stories that became part of American popular culture.

This was one of the most informative and thought-provoking panels I attended at Comic-Con. My husband joined me for the presentation, and despite attending Comic-Con for nearly 20 years, he walked away having learned numerous new historical connections between Judaism and comic books. It was an eye-opening experience that offered a deeper appreciation for the people and stories behind some of the world’s most recognizable superheroes.

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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.