Jewish Side of San Diego Comic Con (SDCCI) 2022 - an abridged post

 Those who've been following my blog for over 2 years might recall that I usually put quite a bit of time and effort into highlighting the Jewish content of comic conventions. Alas, while life got busy for me personally, I kept putting off looking into this year's SDCCI until I had already missed day 1.

Therefore, this will be a very brief post highlighting the most significant individuals I wish I would have been able to meet (or meet again) and panels I wish I could have attended, had I been able to get to San Diego this year. I apologize for what I'm certain will be many unintended omissions, but I chose brevity and speed over trying to be thorough and not getting the post published before I head to sleep.

**********

The SDCCI (which officially started today [July 21st] and had its preview night [July 20th]) will have plenty of Jewish comics professionals in attendance, as well as some non-Jewish comics professionals who have done "Jewish" work and 5 sessions which I would specifically recommend to those who will be there.

Friday, July 22, 2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Room 28DE

The New Face of Jewish Comics

DESCRIPTION :

The portrayal of Jews in comics and Jewish people making comics has grown and changed immensely from titles involving Nazis or neurotic New Yorker stereotypes. This panel profiles the best and brighest up-and-coming Jewish talent and titles, moderated by Barbra Dillon (editor-in-chief, Fanbase Press). Barbra has kindly shared with me that the panelists will include Dani Colman, Fabrice Sapolsky (past organizer of Jewish Comic Con), Ramy Dubrow, and Arnon Shorr (writer of the PJ Library graphic novel José and the Pirate Captain Toledano).

Friday, July 22, 2022

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Room 28DE

Spotlight on Danny Fingeroth

DESCRIPTION

Danny Fingeroth has had a long and accomplished career in and around the comics industry. After 18 years as a writer and Group Editor at Marvel, best known for his work on Spider-Man, Danny has worked in executive positions at digital entertainment companies Virtual Comics and Visionary Media and created and packaged Write Now! magazine for TwoMorrows. He’s taught comics-related topics at venues including NYU and the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, where he was the director of education. Danny serves as Chair of Will Eisner Week for Will Eisner Studios and as a consultant to the current traveling exhibition. His books on popular culture include Superman on the Couch and Disguised as Clark Kent : Jews Comics and the Creation of the Superhero. His most recent book is A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee, chosen as an Entertainment Book of the Year by the Times of London and SyFy. Danny discusses his life and career with pop culture historian Jerry Beck (The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons).

Saturday, July 23, 2022

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Sails Pavilion: AA07

Real Comics, Real Issues

Panelists include Jerry Craft (Class Act), Johnnie Christmas (Swim Team), Terri Libenson (Remarkably Ruby, the comic strip The Pajama Diaries, and a compilation of strips titled Bat-Zilla), Laura Gao (Messy Roots), Yehudi Mercado (Chunky, Chunky Goes To Camp, Throne of Secrets)

Sunday, July 24, 2022

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Room 4

Spotlight on Miriam Libicki

DESCRIPTION

Comic book author, illustrator, and critic Deb Aoki (Bento Box) interviews Miriam Libicki (jobnik!,  But I Live, illustrated essays "Towards a Hot Jew: The Israeli Soldier as Fetish Object" and "Jewish Memoir Goes Pow! Zap! Oy!" & the illustrated mini-journals Ceasefire and Fierce Ease) about her path in comics, from art school to the indie con circuit, academia and beyond. Miriam is a pioneer of the graphic essay and plumbs American-Jewish identity using multiple perspectives and mediums.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Room 26AB

Comics Arts Conference Session #15: The Jewish Graphic Novel: From A Contract with God to Tunnels

DESCRIPTION

When asked to compare his graphic novels to the prose work of Jewish-American novelist Saul Bellow, Will Eisner replied, “Bellow is doing nothing more than I'm doing . . . I've been selling the same pretzel on the same corner." Having innovated comics in the 1940s with his legendary The Spirit, Eisner burst back onto the scene with his pioneering 1978 graphic novel A Contract with God. He devoted the rest of his career to telling stories of Jewish life in 20th-century America. In Contract’s wake, new generations of Jewish graphic novelists followed in Eisner’s footsteps. Trina Robbins (A Minyn Yidn Un Andere Zakhn), Ken Krimstein (When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers), and Karen Green (Columbia University) discuss how the Jewish graphic novel developed in the years after Eisner’s groundbreaking publications. Danny Fingeroth (Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero) moderates.

*******

It's too late to announce these, but I would like to recognize two interesting panels which I wish I had promoted in time to let people know about them.

Thursday, July 21, 2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Neil Morgan Auditorium, San Diego Central Library

Podcasting 101

DESCRIPTION

Aziz Al-Doory (History of Westeros, Podcast of Surprise), Jonathan Eigen (Sagas and Sass, Vassals of Kingsgrave Podcast), Michal Schick (Nice Jewish Fangirls, Podcast of Surprise), and David Hsieh (CEO of GlocalStar, Bastards of Kingsgrave Podcast) offer tips and tricks for and the intricacies of planning, recording, editing, releasing, and promoting your own podcast. Moderated by Amin Javadi (A Podcast of Ice and Fire). 

Thursday, July 21, 2022

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Room 4

Art from The Holocaust: Art as a Lifeline

DESCRIPTION

David Beck Brown (artist/creator, The Unknown Artist-History Erased), Sandra Scheller (USC Shoah Foundation interviewer), Stephen D. Smith (CEO, StoryFiles), and Heidi S. Straus (USC Shoah Foundation interviewer, Holocaust educator) examine and discuss drawings, illustrations, and graphics made by Holocaust prisoners in the face of potentially mortal consequences. They will discuss such prisoner artists as Horst Rosenthal, Dina Babbitt, and Otto Ungar and offer a special tribute to Neal Adams, creator of the Artist from Auschwitz graphic. 

The Jewish Side of TCAF 2022 - this weekend

 On Saturday, June 18th & Sunday, June 19th, readers, writers, artists, publishers and fans of comix will converge at the Toronto Reference Library ( and nearby venues)  to take part in the the FREE Toronto Comic Arts Festival (aka TCAF).

Among the talented people who will be at TCAF this year are a small number of comix professionals who have done (or researched) comic art using Jewish characters or themes, as well as a visiting Israeli cartoonist.

*****

Ben Kahn is the author of the graphic novel Heavenly Blues.

Fantagraphics Books is the publisher of Jewish Images in the Comics, Palestine, and Barracuda in the Attic.

First Second Books is the publisher of Klezmer : Tales of the Wild East, the Rabbi's Cat books, and the Resistance series.

Fredrik Strömberg, author of the book Jewish Images in the Comics, will be one of the panelists on the Nordic Bridges panel on Sunday afternoon (2:00-3:00 PM) in the Learning Centre.

Ido Yogev is an illustrator and cartoonist currently residing in Givatayim, Israel. His work has been published in the Haaretz newspaper.

Jonathan Baylis is the author of the So ... Buttons minicomics series. his Jewishness is evident in many of the stories in this comic, including "So ... My Dad Got Drafted" (in which Jonathan's father expresses his disdain for France because "Dey hate da Jews" and Jonathan mentions (after their dinner of ribs) that their stomachs were full of pork "like the good Jews we are"  ; "So ... Only Nixon Could've Gone to China" shows Jonathan visiting a concentration camp while on a trip to Germany. Incidentally, I enjoyed that last story better when I read it on Baylis's website, since it had the music playing in the background while you read the last page.

Jonathan Rotsztain is the author-illustrator of the self-published works Self-Loving Jew and Journey into Jonathan. The first issue of his new series  Self-Loving Jew Needs Love will debut at TCAF.

Josh Rosen is the illustrator of the book The Good Fight, inspired by the infamous Chrstie Pits Riot. The book was long-listed for the City of Toronto Book Award in 2021.

Mattie Lubchansky is a cartoonist who writes and illustrates the webcomic Please Listen to Me. Their 3-ingredient Passover brisket recipe comic was published online at Saveur and their response to the use of Holocaust imagery in Trump's America was included in the piece "Never Again?" (The Nib).

Neil Gaiman (appearing virtually) contributed scripts for stories that appeared in the anthology Outrageous Tales of the Old Testament. Cyril Camus discussed how Neil's Jewish background contributed both to certain characters and concepts in the Sandman series, as well as to the critical way that he presented his adaptations in the Knockabout anthology (see The "Outsider": Neil Gaiman and the Old Testament in Shofar :An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies vol. 29, N°2). On Sunday, a pre-recorded conversation between Neil and Mark Askwith will take place in the Hilton Learning Theatre from 3-4 PM.

NBM Graphic Novels  is the publisher of the Jew in Communist Prague books, Brownsville, The Big Khan, and the Isaac the Pirate books.

Penguin Books is the current publisher of the Pulitzer-winner Holocaust graphic memoir Maus.

Robert Sikoryak is a cartoonist who has adapted classic stories into comic-style retellings, including a Dagwood-style "Adam and Eve", which was reprinted in Masterpiece Comics.

Rotem Anna Diamant is the founder and librarian of the Canada Comics Open Library, as well as a self-taught artist. Among her published works is the zine Cute Nose.

S. Bear Bergman is the author of the book Special Topics in Being a Human. One of the essays not included in the book is "How to Have a Disagreement without Having a Fight", which was published on the Jewish Book Council website.

Saul Freedman-Lawson is the illustrator  of the book Special Topics in Being a Human. One of the essays not included in the book is "How to Have a Disagreement without Having a Fight", which was published on the Jewish Book Council website.

Shira Neiss is a freelance illustrator and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is an irreverant, satirical exploration of her Ultra Orthodox Jewish upbringing.

Shira Spector , self-described as "an infertile, high-femme, low income, non-biological Jewish mom, dyke drama queen, and ectopic pregnancy survivor" is the author-illustrator of the graphic memoir Red Rock Baby Candy.

TO Comix Press is the publisher of anthologies of comic stories that take place in Toronto, written and drawn by Torontonian talents. One of the stories in the book Osgoode as Gold is "Finkel and Sons" by Sam Ruano, Xan Grey, Nechama Frier, and Andrew Thomas. Taking place during the infamous Chrstie Pits Riot, the tale invlolves a shopkeeper's son who must quickly decide how best to protect his family.

Funny, They Don't Look Jewish! A Live Comic Book Podcast @ AJL - Thursday, July 2nd

For the first time in its history, the Association of Jewish Libraries is holding a five-day virtual conference promoting Jewish literacy through enhancement of libraries and library resources and through leadership for the profession and practitioners of Judaic librarianship.

On Thursday, July 2nd (2:00 - 3:30 PM EST), Brandon Bernstein (former campus rabbi at Northwestern Hillel) & Henry Bernstein (an artist & teacher who teaches middle school Judaic Studies at the Chicago Jewish Day School) will co-host a new episode of their entertaining and engaging podcast "Funny, They Don't Look Jewish!" which explores explicitly Jewish content in comic books.

Together, they will make the case that superhero comics are an excellent avenue to get young people to read, as well as an untapped tool to explore Jewish identity in a positive, thought-provoking and inclusive way. 

Whereas, most writers, teachers and fans tend to focus on the Jewishness of comic creators (i.e.: Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, etc.), they rarely talk about the presence of substantive Jewish content within the pages. The Bernsteins present explicit Jewish content in the form of characters self-identifying as Jewish, participating in Jewish ritual or quoting Jewish text.

Unlike previous episodes of their podcast, this episode will be steamed live via Zoom (allowing viewers to see the hosts, as well as hear them).

In order to attend the Zoom session (which will conclude with a Q-&-A), you must be registered for the conference. To register please go to https://jewishlibraries.org/meet-reg1.php?id=24.

Costs :

non-members : $136

members : $36

library school students : $36

The session will be moderated by Steven M. Bergson, editor of Jewish Comix Anthology and SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology.

#AJLConnect20

Artist's Alley at the Comics Studies Society conference in Toronto

On Friday, July 26th (during Day 2 of the 2nd annual conference of the Comics Studies Society) at Ryerson University, there will be an Artist's Alley, which will be free and open to the public from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM in the Student Learning Centre Atrium.

At this event, you may meet the artists and publishers, browse their works, purchase those works, &/or get their works personally signed. Sometimes, the artist will even include a free sketch.

A list of the artists and publishers who will be at the event may be found at https://z-m-www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220186635044386&set=gm.2407593162630745&type=1&theater

Among the Jewish-content creators who will be there are :

* Alternate History Comics is the publisher of Jewish Comix Anthology and SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology

* Adam Gorham is the author-illustrator of the stories "The Magic Mirror of Rabbi Adam" and "Yaish and the Protector" (both in Jewish Comix Anthology) and the illustrator of the "Android" pinup in SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology)

* Jamie Michaels is the author of the graphic historical fiction book Christie Pits

Canadian publisher Drawn and Quarterly  (publisher of The Property, Exit Wounds, Jamalti and Other Stories, The Golem's Mighty Swing, Jerusalem : Chronicles from the Holy City, Towards a Hot Jew, and Mary Wept Over the Feet of Jesus) will be exhibiting in room POD-250 on all 3 days of teh conference (i.e. July 25-27). On Thursday from 11:15 - 1:15 and on Friday from 3:15 - 4:30, Chester Brown (author-illustrator of Mary Wept Over the Feet of Jesus) will be signing.

The Jewish Side of the 2019 CSS conference in Toronto

The 2nd annual conference of the Comics Studies Society will convene in Toronto (at Ryerson University) from July 25th (tomorrow) until July 27th.

The theme of this year's conference is : Comics/Politics.

Among the works being discussed at the conference will be comic literature with Jewish / Holocaust / Israeli content.

Below is a list of those panels. A complete list of panels (Acrobat format) may be found at http://comicssociety.org/documents/ComicsPoliticsProgramFinal.pdf

Conference attendance (for panels) is limited to those who have registered via Eventbrite - http://comicssociety.org/conference/registration/ or those who have registered on-site.

There will also be an Artist's Alley on Friday, which is free to the public.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Panel 2.2

Steven M. Bergson (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto). How SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology Transformed into a Political Work

Friday July 26, 2019

Panel 6.4

Phillip Smith. Early Holocaust Narratives in Comics

Panel 8.1

Jenny Blenk. Dorkish Anxieties : Social Expectations and the Performance of Anxieties in Evan Dorkin's "'Dork"

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Panel 9.3

Jamie Michaels. Graphic Backgrounds : Collective Dissociative Trauma is Rutu Modan's Exit Wounds

Jews and Comics : People of the Book - Toronto panel discussion - Sat., Feb. 23rd

On the forthcoming Motzei Shabbos (approximately 8:30 PM EST), the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto synagogue will be hosting a panel discussion titled "Jews and Comics : People of the Book", moderated by Rabbi Daniel Korobkin.

Location :  Rebbetzin Judy Taub Hall
                  Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto
                  613 Clark Ave. W.
                  Thornhill, ON
                   L4J 5V3

Sponsor : Gerald & Sheryl Hartman

Refreshments donated by The Association of Jewish Libraries (Ontario chapter)

The panelists are :

* Jordan B. Gorfinkel is a veteran comic book editor and writer, newspaper cartoonist, and music and video producer. As a DC comic editor for nearly a decade, Gorf was front and center in a 400% growth of the Batman franchise. Gorf writes and illustrates Everything's Relative, a weekly newspaper comic strip published internationally. Through Koren Publishers, he recently published the world's first Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel, written by Gorf, and illustrated by Israeli artist Erez Zadok.

Jordan will offer insight into his creative process.

* Steven M. Bergson is a data processing specialist at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. He discovered comics at age 4 and has been reading them ever since. He set up his own free website, the Jewish comics bibliography while still in library school. It grew over the years until it encompassed hundreds of entries. Over time, Steve was able to network with enough Jewish comics professionals to publish a Jewish comics anthology. To date, 2 volumes have been published.

Steven will be discussing Orthodox comics, Orthodox fans, and Orthodox comic creators. 

* Gerald Hartman is President of True North Imaging, a medical imaging organization based in Toronto. As well, he serves as President of the IDCA, the provincial industry association for this healthcare sector. He and his wife Sheryl spent the majority of their time working on community activities and chesed initiatives on behalf of klal yisroel. Gerald is the child of Hungarian and Slovak Holocaust survivors. He has been a collector of World War II era comics for 25 years.

Gerald will be discussing World War 2 era comics (focusing on Jewish artists) and the use of propaganda.

***

Copies of Jewish Comics Anthology (both volumes) and Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel will be on sale (and may be signed) following the panel.

Zap! Pow! Oy! exhibition launch in Toronto - Oct. 23

Zap! Pow! Oy! Jews and the Comic Book Industry

Date : Tues., October 23, 2018

Time : 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Location : Beth Tzedec Congregation, 1700 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5P 3K3

This exhibit presents the Jewish storytellers, cartoonists and publishers who developed and influenced the comic book industry over the past 80 years. 

No charge, but reservations for exhibit opening night are requested. 

Guest exhibit curators: Steven M. Bergson and Ron Kasman

A limited number of books will be available for purchase during the launch : 

Jewish Comix Anthology volume 1 (edited by Steven M. Bergson)

SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2 (edited by Steven M. Bergson)

The Tower of the Comic Book Freaks (written and illustrated by Ron Kasman)

For information about this exhibit or to book a group tour, please contact museum curator Dorion Liebgott at 416-781-3514 ext. 232. Exhibit continues through March 2019.

NYCC 2018 - upcoming "Jewish" panels

Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel Revolution

October 06, 2018, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Room 1B03 – Javits Center

Will Eisner (author-illustratator of Fagin the Jew, The Plot : The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion ; 2002 winner of the  Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Federation for Jewish Culture) revolutionized comics with his pioneering 1978 graphic novel, A Contract with God. GN sales have now outgrown comic book sales and can be found in an amazing array of genres and styles. Denis Kitchen A Contract With God Curator’s Collection, Karen Green (Curator of Comics & Cartoons at Columbia), N.C. Christopher Couch (Will Eisner Companion), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook) and Paul Levitz (Brooklyn Blood) discuss the evolution of the graphic novel and what the future holds.

DC Superman 80th

October 06, 2018, 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Room 1A06 – Javits Center

Join legendary creators (including Brian Michael Bendis, who has declared that he's going to return Superman to his Jewish roots) celebrating the spirit of truth, hope and justice during Superman’s 80th anniversary panel. Don’t miss this insightful conversation between industry giants as they discuss the relevance of Superman 80 years after his creation, how they’re interpreting the Man of Steel in their perspective projects and their favorite Superman moments in comics, television and movies!

DC Spotlight on Brian Michael Bendis

October 06, 2018, 5:15 PM - 6:15 PM

Room 1A24 – Javits Center

Since his DC Comics debut on ACTION COMICS and SUPERMAN, award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis (who has declared that he's going to return Superman to his Jewish roots) has been the talk of comic book fans everywhere! Join him for this special spotlight panel to hear his upcoming plans of the Man of Steel, his creator owned Jinxworld characters and more.

Nice Jewish Fangirls presents: Figuring out Me and Jew: Jewish Representation in Modern Fandom

October 07, 2018, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Room 1A18 - Javits Center

From Magneto to Monica Geller, Felicity Smoak to Susan Ivanova, Jewish representation has had a spotty record in TV, film, comics, and beyond. Join the hosts of the Nice Jewish Fangirls podcast (Tamar Herman, SM Rosenberg, and Michal Schick) as they discuss the ups and (occasionally hilarious) downs in Jewish representation, and answer questions like, “Should Jewish actors play Jewish superheroes?”, "What stories get Jewish representation right?" and, maybe most importantly, “Seriously, is Wonder Woman Jewish?"

The Jewish Side of NYCC 2018

Today (October 6th) is the 3rd day of the 4-day New York Comic Con which will be held at the Javits Center.

One sessions which should be of interest to those who enjoy Jewish-content comics will be held on Sunday. A Holocaust-themed session was already held on Thursday.


Nice Jewish Fangirls Presents  : Figuring Out Me and Jew : Jerwish Representation in Modern Fandom

October 07, 2018, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Room 1A18 – Javits Center


From Magneto to Monica Geller, Felicity Smoak to Susan Ivanova, Jewish representation has had a spotty record in TV, film, comics, and beyond. Join the hosts of the Nice Jewish Fangirls podcast (Tamar Herman, SM Rosenberg, and Michal Schick) as they discuss the ups and (occasionally hilarious) downs in Jewish representation, and answer questions like, “Should Jewish actors play Jewish superheroes?”, "What stories get Jewish representation right?" and, maybe most importantly, “Seriously, is Wonder Woman Jewish??"

We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust

October 04, 2018, 5:15 PM - 6:15 PM, Room 1B03 – Javits Center


Neal Adams, iconic artist legend, Dr. Rafael Medoff, Director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, and multiple Eisner Award-winner Craig Yoe, discuss their acclaimed book, We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust. Explore this powerful—and timely—multimedia presentation and behind-the-scenes discussion. A do-not-miss! 

-------

Several creators of Jewish comic stories and graphic novels (i.e. ones which have at least one Jewish character in them) will be in attendance. Below is a list of the ones which I've identified.

Abrams ComicArts (booth 2228) is the publisher of the Hereville books, the English edition of Pascal Croci's Auschwitz, Yiddiskeit, and the English edition of Boxer: The True Story of Holocaust Survivor Harry Haft by Reinhard Kleist

Neal Adams  (booth 2544) is the illustrator of the “Son O’ God” stories, which appeared in the pages of National Lampoon. You may read all of the Son O’God stories (as well as the story of how Adams was recruited to be the artist) at Dial B for Blog. Adams also illustrated the Batman story “Night of the Reaper” in which the vengeful Grim Reaper is revealed to be a Nazi-hunting Holocaust survivor. Adams penciled “The Last Outrage” (inked by Joe Kubert) which appeared in both The New York Times and the final issue of the miniseries X-men : Magneto : Testament and which also appeared as a stop-motion video on YouTube. He also co-authored the anthology We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Brian Michael Bendis is the author-illustrator of Fire, a comic series about a Jewish-American college student named Benjamin Furst, who is recruited into a Central Intelligent Agency operation known as Project Fire.

Marguerite Bennett (booth L28) is a writer for the series DC Bombshells, which features both a Jewish lesbian (Batwoman) and a Jewish-Romani woman (Zatanna).

Caliber Comics (booth 1056) published the series Saint Germaine. In its first issue, Holopcaust survivor and Nazi informant Jacob Weinman commits suicide, as well as the series U.N.Force which featured Israeli superhero Sentinel.

Chris Claremont (booth G41) is the writer who introduced the Jewish character Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat) and who wrote stories which implied that Magneto was Jewish, both in the pages of The Uncanny X-Men

Dark Horse Comics (booth 1636) is the publisher of the 2nd issue of Ghost, which features a golem and publisher of 10th anniversary edition of Fagin the Jew.

Peter David (booth E11) is the writer who infamously used the names of seder plate items for aliens in a Star Trek novel and who wrote the stories for The Incredible Hulk #386-387 ; see
http://www.leaderslair.com/noexcuses/hulk2-386.html andhttp://www.leaderslair.com/noexcuses/hulk2-387.html)

Denis Kitchen Publishing (booths G2 & G3) was the original publisher of several Will Eisner graphic novels including The Contract with God Trilogy.

Europe Comics (booth 1558) is the publisher of The Jewish Brigade, The Red Poster, Mezek, and Second Generation.

Danny Fingeroth (booth E13A) is the author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero.

Keith Giffen is the author of the Ragman miniseries that reintroduced the title character as a Jewish superhero and is also the creator of the characters Dreidel and Rabbi Zone, who both appeared in the pages of the last issue of the series The Heckler.

Adam Gorham (booth A23) is the author-illustrator of the stories "The Magic Mirror of Rabbi Adam" and "Yaish and the Protector" (Jewish Comix Anthology volume 1) and the illustrator of the "Android" pinup (SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2).

Larry Hama (booth 113) is the author of the story "Words of Honor" in G.I Joe Special Missions #2.

IDW (booth 1844) is the publisher of the series Drafted and the book We Spoke Out : Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Arie Kaplan is the author of From Krakow to Krypton : Jews and Comic Books.

Adam Katzenstein (booth K8) is the illustrator of gag cartoons which may be found in the New Yorker. Two Jewish examples may be found at http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/cartoonings-jewish-je-ne-sais-quoi

Rob Liefeld is the illustrator of stories in the Youngblood series, which included the Israeli superheroine Masada.

David Mack (booth 118) illustrated a pinup which appears in Sci : Jewish Comics Anthology (vol.2).

Jim Mahfood (booth 117) is the author-illustrator of Grrl Scouts. 

Rafael Medoff is a historian who has assisted with such works as "The Last Outrage" (X-Men : Magneto : Testament #5), They Spoke Out : American Voices Against the Holocaust, and "The St. Louis Refugee Ship Blues" (Washington Post, 2009) ; co-author of We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

Yehudi Mercado (booth C6) is the author-illustrator of the graphic novel Throne of Secrets,which takes the traditional biblical tale of Queen Esther and "amps up the adventure of this historic epic"

Oni Press (booth 2028) is the publisher of the golem comic Brik).

Greg Pak (booth B22) is the illustrator of the X-Men : Magneto : Testament miniseries

Jimmy Palmiotti  is the co-creator of the short-lived golem series The Monolith from DC Comics.

Paul Pope (booth A19) is the author-illustrator of the story "Berlin Batman" in The Batman Chronicles #11 (reprinted in Batman : Year 100), in which Batman is a Jewish painter named Baruch Wane.

Matthew Rosenberg (booth K27) is the author of the comic book series 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, which includes the character Daniel "Berger" Berger aka Crotch the Sticky.

Rachelle Rosenberg (booth F5) is the colorist of Iceman #6, in which Iceman dates a Jewish man.

Joe Rubinstein is an illustrator of the 2nd Mendy & the Golem series and contributor to both Journeys : The Collected Edition and Balm in Gilead.

Steven T. Seagle (booth K8) is the author of the graphic novel "It's a Bird ..." which examines various aspects of the Superman mythos, including his creation by 2 American Jews.

Fred Van Lente (booth B23) is the author of the comic series Action Philosophers!, which featured the story of the golem and the Jewish mystical tradition (the Kabbalah) in its fourth issue.

Viz Media (booth 1336) is the publisher of the English edition of the 5-book manga Adolf : A Tale of the Twentieth Century.

Marv Wolfman (booth E2) is the author of the story "Return from the Grave!" in Tomb of Dracula #27, "Introducing the Hybrid" in The New Teen Titans #24 and Homeland : The Illustrated History of the State of Israel.

Craig Yoe is a co-author of We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

The Jewish Comics Side of Fan Expo Canada 2018 (Aug. 30 - Sep. 2)

Starting tomorrow, fans of various genres (including science-fiction, anime, horror, gaming, and comics) will converge on the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the 24th annual fall edition of Fan Expo Canada, the 3rd largest popular culture event in North America.

Among this year's guests will be those who have written, drawn, &/or published comics work with Jewish content.

* Neal Adams  (738) is the illustrator of the “Son O’ God” stories, which appeared in the pages of National Lampoon. You may read all of the Son O’God stories (as well as the story of how Adams was recruited to be the artist) at Dial B for Blog. Adams also illustrated the Batman story “Night of the Reaper” in which the vengeful Grim Reaper is revealed to be a Nazi-hunting Holocaust survivor. Adams penciled “The Last Outrage” (inked by Joe Kubert) which appeared in both The New York Times and the final issue of the miniseries X-men : Magneto : Testament and which also appeared as a stop-motion video on YouTube. He also co-authored the anthology We Spoke Out: Comic Books and the Holocaust.

* AH Comics Inc. (A420) is the publisher of Jewish Comix Anthology (vol. 1) and SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology (vol. 2). Andy Stanleigh - writer/artist/publisher - will be at the table throughout Fan Expo.

*  Willow Dawson (716B on Frday) is ,a talented Canadian artist who has illustrated the anthology No Girls Allowed : Tales of Daring Women Dressed as Men for Love, Freedom and Adventure, written by Susan Hughes & published by Kids Can Press. The anthology includes the story of Esther Brandeau, the first Jewish person to immigrate to Canada.

* Adam Gorham (P055A) is the author-illustrator of the stories "The Magic Mirror of Rabbi Adam" and "Yaish and the Protector" (Jewish Comix Anthology volume 1) and the illustrator of the "Android" pinup (SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2).

* Sam Noir (404) is the author of the story "Major North" (Toronto Comics volume 2), which included the Canadian-Jewish character Aaron.

* Matthew Rosenberg (P079) is the author of the comic book series 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, which includes the character Daniel "Berger" Berger aka Crotch the Sticky.

* Ty Templeton (P007A) is the author-illustrator of the adaptation "The Rabbi Who Tested His Metal" (SCI : Jewish Comics Anthology volume 2).

* Toronto Comics (561) is the collective which publishes the eponymous Toronto Comics series of anthologies. Volume 2 contained the story "Major North" (by Sam Noir and Christopher Yao) which included the Canadian-Jewish character Aaron. Volume 4 (Osgoode as Gold) includes the story "Finkel and Sons" by Sam Ruano, Xan Grey, Nechama Frier, & Andrew Thomas, in which "a Jewish shopkeeper's son must quickly decide how best to protect his family."