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Zap! Pow!Bam! Maltz exhibit offers super Superheroes
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BY: SUSAN H. KAHN Assistant Editor
It’s a bird … it’s a plane … it’s Superman!
No longer up in the sky, the Man of Steel and his superhero brothers (and sisters) have landed at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Visitors to the special exhibit “Zap! Pow! Bam! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950” can learn all about those legendary characters who fought evil and injustice. They can also learn about their predominantly Jewish creators.
The exhibit, which opens Sept. 16 and runs through Jan. 4, will delight visitors of all ages. It has a high nostalgia quotient for those who grew up during the 1930s and ’40s, some of whom may have been Glenville classmates of Superman’s co-creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Baby boomers, too, will get a kick out of revisiting the diversions of their youth, whose characters were popularized even further by television in the 1950s. The historical significance of the comics may be lost on the youngest visitors, but they’ll be tickled by a ride in an original, kid-sized, mechanized Batmobile, or a chance to emerge in full superhero regalia from a vintage phone booth.
Originally developed by The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta, the exhibit’s guest curator was Jerry Robinson, who worked with Batman creator Bob Kane. Robinson is credited with naming Batman’s young protégé Robin and co-creating Batman’s nemesis, The Joker. Many items from Robinson’s personal collection are on display.
Setting the scene at the exhibit entry is a replica of a newsstand hung with old papers touting the exploits of comic superheroes. “Syndicate chief halted by masked man’s heroics,” shouts a mock headline.
A bit further into the exhibit are samples of the frightening, real-life news banners n “Wall Street panics as stocks crash;” “Japan attacks Pearl Harbor” n of the era that saw the birth of the comic book. Anyone who viewed the comics as pure escapist entertainment will gain a new appreciation for the way in which their story lines were “ripped from the headlines,” offering a snapshot of America as it struggled to recover from the Depression and plunged into World War II.
The exhibit describes the genesis of the American comic book as a 20th century phenomenon, with roots in the 19th century pulp paper magazines and dime novels. Initially, the books were comprised of reprints of strips from the Sunday newspapers reduced to half-tabloid size. These were hugely successful and by the mid-1930s publishers ran out of previously printed material and began to employ writers and artists to create new stories. This creative opportunity was particularly attractive to many young, educated, ambitious Jewish men in New York City who were out of work during the Depression.
A point of Cleveland pride is the fact that two Jewish teens from here created the very first comic superhero in 1933. While still in high school, buddies, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster dreamed up a science fiction hero for a story about a superman and tried to sell it as a series to the publisher of Detective Dan. The idea was rejected, but they were undeterred. They decided to recreate the character as a comic strip. For the next three years, their Superman strip was turned down by every comic syndicate in the country.
In 1938, when DC comics was looking for material for its new title, Action Comics, Superman was finally accepted for publication. Siegel and Shuster sold their first story for $130 and with it the sole copyright ownership of their creation. By the end of 1940, each issue of the bi-monthly Superman comics was selling over a million copies. (Earlier this year, a Federal District Court in California awarded the Siegel family a share in the copyright of the Superman story in Action Comics #1.)
The exhibit traces the evolution of comic book story lines. Early superheroes fought fictional bad guys, defending the “common man” against urban corruption. But with World War II engulfing Europe in 1939-40, comic book publishers saw new opportunity in stories mirroring world affairs. Superheroes like Captain Marvel fought Nazi U-boats and tanks, and Daredevil battled Hitler. Eight months before America entered the war, Timely (now Marvel) Comics introduced Captain America. The first book cover showed the all-American hero slugging Hitler in the face. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese villains, including Prime Minister Tojo, appeared. Capitalizing on patriotic zeal, comic book sales tripled between 1940-45.
In the early post-war years, publishers continued to print war-related books, but as America settled into suburban, middle-class life, the editorial direction of the comics turned away from social commentary and towards fantasy. Among the few superheroes that survived a crowded market were Superman and Batman. But they moved farther away from their earlier characterizations, fighting villains that were comic buffoons and engaging in ever more fantastical exploits. The exhibit suggests that creation of the Atomic Bomb signaled the end of the Golden Age of comics. Finally, there was a weapon far beyond the capabilities of any superhero.
“Zap! Pow! Bam!” includes over 70 artifacts n vintage artwork, rare early comic books, scripts and original toys and games. Visitors can listen to audio interviews with many of the superheroes’ creators, and view 1940s serials in the old-time movie theater. Those who get footsore can peruse an assortment of vintage comics while they rest a bit on a thoughtfully placed park bench. Just one caution n watch out for the Kryptonite!
skahn@cjn.org
No longer up in the sky, the Man of Steel and his superhero brothers (and sisters) have landed at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Visitors to the special exhibit “Zap! Pow! Bam! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950” can learn all about those legendary characters who fought evil and injustice. They can also learn about their predominantly Jewish creators.
The exhibit, which opens Sept. 16 and runs through Jan. 4, will delight visitors of all ages. It has a high nostalgia quotient for those who grew up during the 1930s and ’40s, some of whom may have been Glenville classmates of Superman’s co-creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Baby boomers, too, will get a kick out of revisiting the diversions of their youth, whose characters were popularized even further by television in the 1950s. The historical significance of the comics may be lost on the youngest visitors, but they’ll be tickled by a ride in an original, kid-sized, mechanized Batmobile, or a chance to emerge in full superhero regalia from a vintage phone booth.
Originally developed by The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta, the exhibit’s guest curator was Jerry Robinson, who worked with Batman creator Bob Kane. Robinson is credited with naming Batman’s young protégé Robin and co-creating Batman’s nemesis, The Joker. Many items from Robinson’s personal collection are on display.
Setting the scene at the exhibit entry is a replica of a newsstand hung with old papers touting the exploits of comic superheroes. “Syndicate chief halted by masked man’s heroics,” shouts a mock headline.
A bit further into the exhibit are samples of the frightening, real-life news banners n “Wall Street panics as stocks crash;” “Japan attacks Pearl Harbor” n of the era that saw the birth of the comic book. Anyone who viewed the comics as pure escapist entertainment will gain a new appreciation for the way in which their story lines were “ripped from the headlines,” offering a snapshot of America as it struggled to recover from the Depression and plunged into World War II.
The exhibit describes the genesis of the American comic book as a 20th century phenomenon, with roots in the 19th century pulp paper magazines and dime novels. Initially, the books were comprised of reprints of strips from the Sunday newspapers reduced to half-tabloid size. These were hugely successful and by the mid-1930s publishers ran out of previously printed material and began to employ writers and artists to create new stories. This creative opportunity was particularly attractive to many young, educated, ambitious Jewish men in New York City who were out of work during the Depression.
A point of Cleveland pride is the fact that two Jewish teens from here created the very first comic superhero in 1933. While still in high school, buddies, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster dreamed up a science fiction hero for a story about a superman and tried to sell it as a series to the publisher of Detective Dan. The idea was rejected, but they were undeterred. They decided to recreate the character as a comic strip. For the next three years, their Superman strip was turned down by every comic syndicate in the country.
In 1938, when DC comics was looking for material for its new title, Action Comics, Superman was finally accepted for publication. Siegel and Shuster sold their first story for $130 and with it the sole copyright ownership of their creation. By the end of 1940, each issue of the bi-monthly Superman comics was selling over a million copies. (Earlier this year, a Federal District Court in California awarded the Siegel family a share in the copyright of the Superman story in Action Comics #1.)
The exhibit traces the evolution of comic book story lines. Early superheroes fought fictional bad guys, defending the “common man” against urban corruption. But with World War II engulfing Europe in 1939-40, comic book publishers saw new opportunity in stories mirroring world affairs. Superheroes like Captain Marvel fought Nazi U-boats and tanks, and Daredevil battled Hitler. Eight months before America entered the war, Timely (now Marvel) Comics introduced Captain America. The first book cover showed the all-American hero slugging Hitler in the face. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese villains, including Prime Minister Tojo, appeared. Capitalizing on patriotic zeal, comic book sales tripled between 1940-45.
In the early post-war years, publishers continued to print war-related books, but as America settled into suburban, middle-class life, the editorial direction of the comics turned away from social commentary and towards fantasy. Among the few superheroes that survived a crowded market were Superman and Batman. But they moved farther away from their earlier characterizations, fighting villains that were comic buffoons and engaging in ever more fantastical exploits. The exhibit suggests that creation of the Atomic Bomb signaled the end of the Golden Age of comics. Finally, there was a weapon far beyond the capabilities of any superhero.
“Zap! Pow! Bam!” includes over 70 artifacts n vintage artwork, rare early comic books, scripts and original toys and games. Visitors can listen to audio interviews with many of the superheroes’ creators, and view 1940s serials in the old-time movie theater. Those who get footsore can peruse an assortment of vintage comics while they rest a bit on a thoughtfully placed park bench. Just one caution n watch out for the Kryptonite!
skahn@cjn.org
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