The Four Color Media Monitor

The Jewish Journal has a history item about the roles of Jewish women in comics, both behind the scenes and in stories themselves, now the subject of a book titled, “Jewish Women in Comics: Bodies and Borders”:

Though the influence of Jewish men on comics has been widely explored, Jewish women’s impact has not. However, now that’s changed, with the new book “Jewish Women in Comics: Bodies and Borders” (Syracuse University Press), a collection of essays edited by Heike Bauer, Andrea Greenbaum and Sarah Lightman that explores the representation of Jewish women’s bodies and their bodily experience in pictorial narratives.

“Jewish women and their comics are such a thriving and dynamic field for both creators and scholars,” said Lightman, who also wrote the graphic autobiography “The Book of Sarah.” “It’s very exciting to see how many articles and books have been written, how many events continue to celebrate this flourishing domain. We are delighted that our volume continues this trajectory, putting Jewish women artists, and their work, in the spotlight.”

“Jewish Women in Comics” highlights Jewish women’s involvement and significant contributions to the comic book industry and brings up topics like motherhood, gender, Haredi and Orthodox family life, miscarriages and spirituality. The comics featured range from serious subjects to more light-hearted stories. “Sheretz,” by American-Israeli comic artist Miriam Libicki, is about the author believing she has a miscarriage; in another comic by Efi Ungar, a husband comes home soaking from the rain outside and is shocked to find that his wife is also wet. “What happened to you?!” the husband asks. “I gave Dvir a bath …” says the wife, who is pictured bathing their baby.

I hope the citation of gender isn't a hint at woke propaganda, because you never know what these university publications are capable of these days. Though I must say, interesting they focus on topics like motherhood, not something very respected by far-left ideologues in this era. The article also says:

The book is divided up into comics, interviews and essays, and features contributions from New Yorker artists Emily Steinberg and Amy Kurzweil and Sharon Rudahl, an illustrator who was one of the forerunners of the 1970’s underground comix movement. It’s dedicated to two other pioneers who passed in 2022, Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Diane Noomin. Kominsky-Crumb made autobiographical underground comic books and closely collaborated with her husband, fellow comic book artist Robert Crumb, while Noomin worked with Kominsky-Crumb and made feminist underground comics.

Decades ago, feminism of the liberal kind probably wasn't as extreme-yet-hypocritical as it's become today, but it'd be ill-advised to think it wasn't a bad influence as practiced by leftists in the past 50 years. The book does sound like it's got some interesting subject to offer on comics and cartoons penned by women. But if the part about feminism is any suggestion, it could still contain questionable content that would have to be taken with a grain of salt. It certainly does seem to contain topics that can be considered adult, that's for sure.

Labels: comic strips, Europe and Asia, history, politics, science