So(u)l Talks

A large poster with a background of yellow and blue comic book style pops, speech bubbles, and dots. A speech bubble at the top says, "Jewish American Heritage Month: Comic Books & Superheroes," leading to a panel of Kitty Pryde intensely saying, "I AM Jewish. I AM a mutant. And I want people to know who and what I am. I tell people because, hey, if we're going to have a problem with it… I'd like to know." Her name has a bi flag flying above it.

White panels outlined in heavy black pencil are scattered down the middle of the poster, saying: "1933 was the worst year of the Great Depression. The whole world was struggling. So a Jewish salesman named MAX GAINES created a fun little zine that reprinted Sunday comics, to cheer people up. Max made their colors brighter, and added a brand new comic called "SCRIBBLY." It was about a boy cartoonist, based on its Jewish creator, SHELDON MAYER. This became the WORLD'S FIRST COMIC BOOK. People across America loved it! Soon, Max met a new friend, JACK LIEBOWITZ. Jack was a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine, just like Max's parents. He and Max created their own comic book company, DETECTIVE COMICS. We now know it as DC."

Here, the white panels of text are interrupted by one of the comic book panels illustrating a Jewish character. In this one, a rabbi says, "It may be difficult in the face of hardship, but it will always carry you through. Hold on to your faith, just as the Maccabees did. Your miracle will arrive soon enough." In the next panel, RAGMAN, gazing at a menorah with seven lit candles and holding the shamash - the helper candle that lights the others - says, "I hope you're right, rabbi." The rabbi smiles at him encouragingly.

The text panels continue: "JERRY SIEGEL and his best friend JOE SHUSTER, two more kids of low-income Jewish immigrants, started writing and drawing SUPERMAN in high school. They tried to get published in newspapers for FOUR YEARS. Finally, in 1937, SHELDON MAYER saw their work and told Max Gaines that this would be 'THE NEXT BIG THING.' DC bought Siegel and Shuster's work, kicking off THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMICS.

"Jewish artists went on to create Archie Comics, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Avengers, X-Men, Silver Surfer, AND MORE."

Superman himself is floating in the top right corner, saying, "It's not about where you were born or the powers you have or what you wear on your chest; it's about what you do."

A yellow and blue banner across him says, "Who was the first superhero?" followed by an explosion-style bubble with the answer: "Superman! He isn't Jewish himself - just created by Jewish artists. Here are a few canonically Jewish characters! They're often whitewashed. But we know the truth."

Clockwise down this side of the poster and up the other side, there's a panel of Billy Caplan wearing a kippah at his wedding, kissing his new husband, Teddy Altman (Hulkling). A rainbow pride flag sticker flies over the frame. To his right, Gert Yorkes (from The Runaways) hugs her dinosaur friend.

Below them are icons for Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake - Batman and Robin - with a small bi flag for Tim Drake - next to a large panel in which Harley Quinn (bi flag) tightly hugs Kate "Batwoman" Kane (lesbian flag) saying, "Just for that, you don't have to buy me anything for Hanukkah!" Kate is saying, "I WASN'T going to buy you anyth… ugh! STOP!"

Below them is Ben Grimm (The Thing), saying, "Nothing two dozen knishes to go from King's won't fix! They're worth traveling the entire galaxy for!" The baker pressing the bag of knishes into his hand says, "You're too kind, Ben. Zayt mir gezunt un shtark!" A small footnote translates the Yiddish: "Be well for me!"

The bottom left corner of the poster has Kevin Cole (White Tiger) lying across his partner's lap. She is saying, "This poor kid -- half Korean, quarter black, quarter Jewish…." He banters back, "the good quarter. We'll serve bulgogi and ribs at his bar mitzvah."