Panels - Jewish Comic Con

It’s a fact that many of the founders of the comic book industry were Jewish. Why did comics bloom from the Jewish community? Why did Jewish creators mostly hide their heritage in the early years? Let’s travel back to the fascinating Golden Age of comics! Moderated by Arie Kaplan/Danny Fingeroth with Julian Voloj (Joe Shuster graphic novel) and more.

While the industry was shaped largely by Jewish creators, positively depicted Jewish heroes are very hard to find. Sure, there are some Jewish characters in comics. There are monsters like The Thing (in Fantastic Four), neuroticslike Kitty Pryde (in X-Men), sociopaths like Marvel’s Moon Knight, conflicted souls like DC’s Ragman and world class villains like Magneto (X-Men, again). Let’s try to figure why we got to this situation. We’ll also ask the question: Do you need to be Jewish to create or write a Jewish character? Moderated by Arie Kaplan/Danny Fingeroth with special guest Greg Pak (Magneto, Hulk, Batman/Superman…) and Fabrice Sapolsky (Intertwined).

Jewish creators and/or Jewish themes have always been around in independent comics and publications. While Jewish Comic Con honors the founders of the industry, we also want to keep the mic open for the current generation of creators. Between comics journalism, activism and reality-based fiction, our guests deliver fascinating and edgy content you’ll be thrilled to discover! Moderated by Arie Kaplan/Danny Fingeroth with Ariel Schrag (TBC), Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld.

It’s the question so many fans are asking all the time. How do you break into the industry? What challenges will you face? And once you get your foot in the door… how do you stay in? Four creators talk about their experience in comics and will give their tips. Moderated by Arie Kaplan (comic book writer and author of From Krakow to Krypton) with guests: Danny Fingeroth (former Marvel editor and writer, author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics and the Creation of the Superhero), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook) and Fabrice Sapolsky (Intertwined, Spider-Man Noir).

We know Bob Kane and Bill Finger were Jewish. We know Batwoman has been reinvented, a decade ago, as a Jewish LGBTQ character. But what about Batman and the others? Let’s explore the Jewishness of the Dark Knight universe through history and characters. Moderated by Arie Kaplan/Danny Fingeroth with guests Jordan Gorfinkel and Sholly Fisch (both respectively former Batman editor and All New Batman: The Brave & the Bold writer at DC Comics).

The noted comics historian Craig Yoe and Jewish historian Rafael Medoff recently co-authored a book called Cartoonists Against the Holocaust. It brings together 150 political cartoons about the plight of Europe's Jews, which appeared in U.S. newspapers in the 1930s and 1940s--some of them by Jewish cartoonists such as Arthur Szyk, Herbert Block, and Carl Rose. For this panel, Craig and Rafel will discuss the book, show images of some of the cartoons, and do a Q & A

An interfaith roundtable of comics industry-related pros who are people of faith and/or work on projects involving religion discuss how beliefs shape their work and careers. A landmark panel. Moderated by Jordan B. Gorfinkel (Batman, Birds Of Prey, 3 O'Clock Club)