Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero (review)

Abstract

Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and Creation of Superhero, by Danny Fingeroth, foreword by Stan Lee. New York: Continuum, 2007. 184 pp. $28.95 (c ); $19.95 (p). Amidst a slew of recent scholarly works on superhero comics, Danny Fingeroth's Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and Creation of Superhero marks a solid contribution. Just as Clark Kent parades as a mild-mannered average reporter for Daily Planet with a meager pair of Buddy Holly-style glasses as his disguise, Jewish influence over superhero comics and resultant iconic, mega-market industry has also remained hidden beneath our very noses, and apparently plain sight. According to Fingeroth, this disguise has worked almost too well. Through careful scholarship and impressive interviews with some of leading creators of comic book superheroes, he argues it was not simply a matter of coincidence that progenitors of such characters as Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and X-Men were Jewish. Despite this, Fingeroth explicitly states that he is in no way saying that [superhero] creators intended such [Jewish] meaning or content (p. 19). Thus, he is able to make substantial assertions that directly contradict those of such comic book icons as Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, and Bob Kane, who maintain that their Jewish heritage did not find its way into their creations. The fact that Fingeroth positions his thesis stark contrast to these legends (with exception of Stan Lee, who seems to find Jewish link to superheroes more than plausible) makes Disguised as Clark Kent a significant addition to study of superhero comics. Fingeroth methodically and logically lays out historical evidence, initiating his investigation with a seemingly simple question: What's so Jewish about superheroes, anyway? The answers, which make up vast majority of his book, are numerous. Indeed, impetus for Fingeroths entire project is need to discover whether there was anything particularly Jewish about superheroes general or any superhero particular (p. 25). The first and perhaps most important superhero to begin with is, of course, Superman. Two youngjewish men from Cleveland named Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster created Man of Steel, a fact well documented. Fingeroth regards this not just as a curious fact, however, but also as an invitation to examine Superman's connection to same traditions as those of his creator. In fact, Fingeroth sees Superman as a sort of wish fulfillment of Jewish (American) Dream to become the quintessential American, unafraid to speak truth to power, especially to types of petty tyrants that people face on a day-to-day basis (p. 49). As ultimate immigrant, Superman harkens back to many biblical figures, but one most apt, Fingeroth claims, is Moses. Additionally, Superman's outsider status, his preternatural willingness to do good, his noninterest overabundant wealth, and perhaps most important, his all-important secret identity compose not only America's idealization of individual (p. 48) but also Jewish immigrant's hope to invent new self. . . this new world (p. 49). Superman, then, becomes an archetype for superheroes to come. Once he establishes Superman connection to Jewishness, Fingeroth moves on to later iterations of superhero figure. As with Superman, author takes great care to establish Batman's Jewish heritage. Bob Kane, controversial creator of Batman, apparently diminished role of his ancestry whenever possible. Fingeroth relies heavily on a biographical reading of Batman through lens of Kane, and at times it feels like a bit of a stretch. …