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Is Superman Circumcised?: The Complete Jewish History of the World's Greatest Hero
SUPERMAN is the most famous character in the world. He's the first superhero, an American icon—and he's Jewish!
Introduced in June 1938, the Man of Steel was created by two Jewish teens, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the sons of emigrants from Eastern Europe. They based their hero's origin story on Moses, his strength on Samson, his mission on the golem and his nebbish secret identity on themselves. They made him a refugee fleeing catastrophe on the eve of World War II and sent him to tear Nazi tanks apart nearly two years before the US joined the war.
In following decades Superman's mostly Jewish writers, artists and editors continued to borrow Jewish motifs for their stories, basing Krypton's past on Genesis and Exodus, its civilization on Jewish culture, the trial of Lex Luthor on Adolf Eichmann's and a holiday celebrating Superman on Passover.
Exploring these underlying themes of a beloved modern mythology, Is Superman Circumcised? The Complete Jewish History of the World's Greatest Hero is a fascinating and entertaining journey through comic book lore, American history and Jewish tradition, sure to give readers a newfound appreciation for the Mensch of Steel!
Introduced in June 1938, the Man of Steel was created by two Jewish teens, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the sons of emigrants from Eastern Europe. They based their hero's origin story on Moses, his strength on Samson, his mission on the golem and his nebbish secret identity on themselves. They made him a refugee fleeing catastrophe on the eve of World War II and sent him to tear Nazi tanks apart nearly two years before the US joined the war.
In following decades Superman's mostly Jewish writers, artists and editors continued to borrow Jewish motifs for their stories, basing Krypton's past on Genesis and Exodus, its civilization on Jewish culture, the trial of Lex Luthor on Adolf Eichmann's and a holiday celebrating Superman on Passover.
Exploring these underlying themes of a beloved modern mythology, Is Superman Circumcised? The Complete Jewish History of the World's Greatest Hero is a fascinating and entertaining journey through comic book lore, American history and Jewish tradition, sure to give readers a newfound appreciation for the Mensch of Steel!
374 pages, Paperback
Published May 19, 2021
15 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Roy Schwartz
4 books5 followersRoy Schwartz has written for newspapers, magazines, websites, academic organizations, tech companies, toy companies, and production studios. THE DARKNESS IN LEE'S CLOSET AND THE OTHERS WAITING THERE is his debut novel.
He graduated magna cum laude from The New School University with a BA in English, majoring in creative writing, and cum laude from NYU with an interdisciplinary MA in English and social thought. He has taught English and writing at CUNY, the City University of New York, and is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library. When not writing, he is the director of communications of a regional law firm.
He can be found at royschwartz.com and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as RealRoySchwartz.
He graduated magna cum laude from The New School University with a BA in English, majoring in creative writing, and cum laude from NYU with an interdisciplinary MA in English and social thought. He has taught English and writing at CUNY, the City University of New York, and is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library. When not writing, he is the director of communications of a regional law firm.
He can be found at royschwartz.com and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as RealRoySchwartz.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 25, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding the first three parts absolutely brilliant, the fourth more of a catalogue of the various incarnations of the Man of Tomorrow, er, the Man of Steel...... since World War II...
That said, Roy Schwartz gets Superman that he is mean to be the the ideal to which we should all aspire, an inspiration that we can do the right thing.... and that maybe within all--or at least most--of us, we have a secret identity, a hero who would right wrongs and help the downtrodden.
Highly recommended.
That said, Roy Schwartz gets Superman that he is mean to be the the ideal to which we should all aspire, an inspiration that we can do the right thing.... and that maybe within all--or at least most--of us, we have a secret identity, a hero who would right wrongs and help the downtrodden.
Highly recommended.
August 16, 2024
Excellent book, with thorough analysis of the origin and development of Superman across all his various media. The author brings a delightful biting humor to the discussion, perhaps to further develop the Jewish perspective of who Superman is and was.
My only issue with the book is that the vocabulary level was so high that the analysis is out-of-reach of many people who could benefit from engaging with it.
My only issue with the book is that the vocabulary level was so high that the analysis is out-of-reach of many people who could benefit from engaging with it.
April 8, 2023
Superman (or at least Clark Kent) is a Methodist, according to official DC continuity. His creators, Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, claimed that they did not think of Superman as having any religion at all. However, it is clear that subsequent writers utilised Superman, and his mild-mannered alter ego, as a cipher for the Jewish experience in America. As European Jews found a new home in America, especially in the years following WWII, they adopted a new identity. Culturally and linguistically ‘strange visitors from another planet’, they became committed to ‘truth, justice and the American way’ by adopting a costume that enabled them, not only to survive, but to flourish in their new environment. Kryptonian civilization possessed an advanced literary and scientific culture, until it was destroyed in a fiery holocaust, leaving Superman as the sole survivor with the task of protecting the people of his adopted home. Schultz argues that Jews came to understand their role in American society against the backdrop of this mythic narrative.
First appearing in Action Comics #1 (cover dated June but appearing on newsstands in April 1938), Superman initially had somewhat limited powers (he couldn’t fly, for example) and his enemies were the kind of petty gangsters often featured in the Warner Brothers social conscience films of the era. Once Fascism reared its head in Europe, however, the stakes were raised and before long, Superman was selling war bonds and being depicted riding astride missiles aimed at Nazi Germany. Over at DC’s competitor, Timely (later Marvel), Captain America was punching Hitler in the face on the cover of his first issue (Captain America Comics #1, March 1941). Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (the Holy Trinity of the DC universe) joined countless other heroes in the effort to crush the ‘Japanazis’ who were the super villains threatening the peace of the free world. Superman arose as a ‘Galactic Golem’ to liberate the Jews (and all people) from fascism. The Nazis themselves recognised the symbolism of Superman as a Jewish freedom fighter, warning against the danger of his ‘degenerate’ example.
Built on extensive research, this book functions well as a cultural history that takes the genre of comic books and their costumed characters seriously. The broader general discussion of the history of comics is well-trodden territory and Schwartz could have done with a skilled editor as there is a tendency to report every observation collected and to repeat the same idea in different places from multiple sources. There are many passages that are essentially a long string of parallels between Superman and elements of Judaism and the Jewish experience. While this has some interest, more construction of argument rather than the mere collating of data would have been preferred.
In Part I, Schwartz explores the scriptural basis for superheroes and the lengthy, blow by blow descriptions of biblical narratives are not particularly interesting to those who are familiar with them, though the general reader might benefit. There are a number of jarring anachronisms such as when the establishing of the Law at Sinai is referred to as the creation of ‘a government of the people and by the people.’ The theological analysis is not particularly sophisticated. For example, there is a misunderstanding (or perhaps ignorance) of two-natures Christology in the comparison between Superman as divine and Clark Kent as human. The book also suffers from many conjectural opinions, including that Seigel and Shuster based their characters on biblical figures (Superman is Moses, Lex Luthor is Pharaoh – partly because both are bald! – and Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White are Gospel writers). The repetition of the phrase ‘intentionally or not’ undermines such claims and provides a convenient ‘out’ for any parallel that might strike the reader as too outlandish.
The author is on surer footing when he explores (as in Parts II and III) the reception history of Superman – how the character was read by Jews and spoke so powerfully to the Jewish experience. That American Jews created comics (and much else besides) is undeniable. as is the claim that the ‘Mensch of Steel’ fulfilled ‘Jewish fantasy and faith’. It is certainly the case that later creators, including in the filmed versions of Superman, introduced Christological elements to the character and laid them on rather thickly (though Schwartz downplays the extent of this). I was not convinced, however, by the book’s argument that in this development an earlier Jewish iteration of the character was being supplanted. It is significant that many of the writers who added Christian elements (for example, Elliot S. Maggin) were themselves Jewish. The title is deliberately provocative, earning an award for the ‘oddest book title’ of 2021. If Kal-El was circumcised it would have to have been on Krypton before he rocketed to earth where, under a yellow sun, he developed an invulnerability that would elude any mohel’s scalpel. The silliness of this last observation underscores the point that, in the final analysis, Superman, as a fictional character, is whatever the writers and artists entrusted with curating his legacy, and those who read their stories, make of him.
Parts IV and V go on to trace the character’s development from the Atomic Age to the Modern Age. Here and elsewhere, the book reads more like a history of comics or a history of Jewishness in American popular culture as it goes well beyond Superman in its focus. Here again is where some careful editing would have been welcomed. Scholarly investigations of popular culture are very important because they both mirror and shape the human experience. After all, Shakespeare, Dickens, and Eliot were all popular culture in their day. My own motto as a collector of such ephemera as comic books and other forms of pulp fiction is, ‘Just because it’s trash doesn’t mean it’s not important’. While there are better examples of the genre of popular culture criticism, Is Superman Circumcised? is nonetheless an entertaining and informative book. It helps us better understand a beloved character who has captured the world’s imagination for the last 85 years. The myth of the Man of Tomorrow will doubtless continue to reflect both the Jewish and the human experience for a very long time to come.
First appearing in Action Comics #1 (cover dated June but appearing on newsstands in April 1938), Superman initially had somewhat limited powers (he couldn’t fly, for example) and his enemies were the kind of petty gangsters often featured in the Warner Brothers social conscience films of the era. Once Fascism reared its head in Europe, however, the stakes were raised and before long, Superman was selling war bonds and being depicted riding astride missiles aimed at Nazi Germany. Over at DC’s competitor, Timely (later Marvel), Captain America was punching Hitler in the face on the cover of his first issue (Captain America Comics #1, March 1941). Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (the Holy Trinity of the DC universe) joined countless other heroes in the effort to crush the ‘Japanazis’ who were the super villains threatening the peace of the free world. Superman arose as a ‘Galactic Golem’ to liberate the Jews (and all people) from fascism. The Nazis themselves recognised the symbolism of Superman as a Jewish freedom fighter, warning against the danger of his ‘degenerate’ example.
Built on extensive research, this book functions well as a cultural history that takes the genre of comic books and their costumed characters seriously. The broader general discussion of the history of comics is well-trodden territory and Schwartz could have done with a skilled editor as there is a tendency to report every observation collected and to repeat the same idea in different places from multiple sources. There are many passages that are essentially a long string of parallels between Superman and elements of Judaism and the Jewish experience. While this has some interest, more construction of argument rather than the mere collating of data would have been preferred.
In Part I, Schwartz explores the scriptural basis for superheroes and the lengthy, blow by blow descriptions of biblical narratives are not particularly interesting to those who are familiar with them, though the general reader might benefit. There are a number of jarring anachronisms such as when the establishing of the Law at Sinai is referred to as the creation of ‘a government of the people and by the people.’ The theological analysis is not particularly sophisticated. For example, there is a misunderstanding (or perhaps ignorance) of two-natures Christology in the comparison between Superman as divine and Clark Kent as human. The book also suffers from many conjectural opinions, including that Seigel and Shuster based their characters on biblical figures (Superman is Moses, Lex Luthor is Pharaoh – partly because both are bald! – and Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White are Gospel writers). The repetition of the phrase ‘intentionally or not’ undermines such claims and provides a convenient ‘out’ for any parallel that might strike the reader as too outlandish.
The author is on surer footing when he explores (as in Parts II and III) the reception history of Superman – how the character was read by Jews and spoke so powerfully to the Jewish experience. That American Jews created comics (and much else besides) is undeniable. as is the claim that the ‘Mensch of Steel’ fulfilled ‘Jewish fantasy and faith’. It is certainly the case that later creators, including in the filmed versions of Superman, introduced Christological elements to the character and laid them on rather thickly (though Schwartz downplays the extent of this). I was not convinced, however, by the book’s argument that in this development an earlier Jewish iteration of the character was being supplanted. It is significant that many of the writers who added Christian elements (for example, Elliot S. Maggin) were themselves Jewish. The title is deliberately provocative, earning an award for the ‘oddest book title’ of 2021. If Kal-El was circumcised it would have to have been on Krypton before he rocketed to earth where, under a yellow sun, he developed an invulnerability that would elude any mohel’s scalpel. The silliness of this last observation underscores the point that, in the final analysis, Superman, as a fictional character, is whatever the writers and artists entrusted with curating his legacy, and those who read their stories, make of him.
Parts IV and V go on to trace the character’s development from the Atomic Age to the Modern Age. Here and elsewhere, the book reads more like a history of comics or a history of Jewishness in American popular culture as it goes well beyond Superman in its focus. Here again is where some careful editing would have been welcomed. Scholarly investigations of popular culture are very important because they both mirror and shape the human experience. After all, Shakespeare, Dickens, and Eliot were all popular culture in their day. My own motto as a collector of such ephemera as comic books and other forms of pulp fiction is, ‘Just because it’s trash doesn’t mean it’s not important’. While there are better examples of the genre of popular culture criticism, Is Superman Circumcised? is nonetheless an entertaining and informative book. It helps us better understand a beloved character who has captured the world’s imagination for the last 85 years. The myth of the Man of Tomorrow will doubtless continue to reflect both the Jewish and the human experience for a very long time to come.
March 4, 2022
This is a book that really lives up to its (sub) title. It is incredibly expansive in scope, covering Superman from his maiden voyage in the comics to more recent comics and covering all the radio, TV, and film adaptations as well. Just the research alone is impressive, even before he puts all the pieces together.
It's a pity this is published by McFarland as their pricing policy will cause many people to reject it due to cost. If, however, you have an interest in the subject and can possibly afford it, I would recommend you do so. And if you're interested and can't afford it, request your local library to order it.
Don't let the provocative title put you off. Yes, he does actually answer the question, but this book really is an extensive examination of not just Superman, but also the comics industry, its history, and a picture of life for Jews in America in the 20th century. As Jews in Europe were confined to just a few occupations, Jews in America did not have full access to employment. Writing was one field which was open to them and in which they excelled. (It's no secret that Stan Lee was born Stanley Lieber, but many other comics writers with anglo-sounding names also had Jewish birth names. Most of the big names in comics were Jewish.)
I was fascinated by how Schwartz traced Superman's inspiration back to biblical stories - not just Moses and Samson, the obvious examples, but also Esther. She, and many of her literary descendants, are examples that "...Jews don't hinge their fate on deliverance by a higher power, they save themselves through wit and subterfuge." [p. 218] Certainly this is a description of Lois Lane at her best even though she's a shiksa.
You can't have a book dealing with comics and not mention Dr. Frederic Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent, which hobbled comics for many years. Now it's known that Wertham's book was not exactly fact based (I suppose he was one of the first to use "alternate facts"). Schwartz exposes Wertham's blindspot. "It also didn't occur to Wertham to correlate the supposed rise in juvenile crime with the absence and death of fathers sent off to wars, the militarization of culture during wartime, secularization, the baby boom growth in youth population, urban crowding or simply the increased interest and reporting capacity of the media." [p. 287]
There are also some spots of humor here. I was amused when, speaking of Kryptonite, Schwartz points out that the biggest threat to Superman is a rock. Also, in tracing the evolution of nemesis Lex Luthor from boyhood-pal-turned-mad-scientist to ruthless businessman, "...Luthor was largely based on Donald Trump, a real estate mogul both admired and reviled in New York circle, with added influences of Ted Turner, Howard Hughes, Thomas Edison, and Satan." [p. 228]
So if Superman was created by a couple of Jews and maintained through the years by many more, why do so many people see him as a Christ figure? Schwartz answers that question, too, carefully tracing the influences, primarily from the films. I was very impressed by how much analysis and research he put into the non-printed media. I certainly couldn't bear to watch all those movies when they were new! (I did see the original Christopher Reeve one and I think the second one as well. I was very put off by the redesign of Krypton, first in the film and then in the comics. It's actually why I stopped reading Superman. I preferred the Jetsons-like Krypton of my silver age Superman.)
I would consider this an important book of scholarship for Superman, for the comics industry, and for twentieth center life for American Jews. It may be the best book on Superman we're ever likely to see.
It's a pity this is published by McFarland as their pricing policy will cause many people to reject it due to cost. If, however, you have an interest in the subject and can possibly afford it, I would recommend you do so. And if you're interested and can't afford it, request your local library to order it.
Don't let the provocative title put you off. Yes, he does actually answer the question, but this book really is an extensive examination of not just Superman, but also the comics industry, its history, and a picture of life for Jews in America in the 20th century. As Jews in Europe were confined to just a few occupations, Jews in America did not have full access to employment. Writing was one field which was open to them and in which they excelled. (It's no secret that Stan Lee was born Stanley Lieber, but many other comics writers with anglo-sounding names also had Jewish birth names. Most of the big names in comics were Jewish.)
I was fascinated by how Schwartz traced Superman's inspiration back to biblical stories - not just Moses and Samson, the obvious examples, but also Esther. She, and many of her literary descendants, are examples that "...Jews don't hinge their fate on deliverance by a higher power, they save themselves through wit and subterfuge." [p. 218] Certainly this is a description of Lois Lane at her best even though she's a shiksa.
You can't have a book dealing with comics and not mention Dr. Frederic Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent, which hobbled comics for many years. Now it's known that Wertham's book was not exactly fact based (I suppose he was one of the first to use "alternate facts"). Schwartz exposes Wertham's blindspot. "It also didn't occur to Wertham to correlate the supposed rise in juvenile crime with the absence and death of fathers sent off to wars, the militarization of culture during wartime, secularization, the baby boom growth in youth population, urban crowding or simply the increased interest and reporting capacity of the media." [p. 287]
There are also some spots of humor here. I was amused when, speaking of Kryptonite, Schwartz points out that the biggest threat to Superman is a rock. Also, in tracing the evolution of nemesis Lex Luthor from boyhood-pal-turned-mad-scientist to ruthless businessman, "...Luthor was largely based on Donald Trump, a real estate mogul both admired and reviled in New York circle, with added influences of Ted Turner, Howard Hughes, Thomas Edison, and Satan." [p. 228]
So if Superman was created by a couple of Jews and maintained through the years by many more, why do so many people see him as a Christ figure? Schwartz answers that question, too, carefully tracing the influences, primarily from the films. I was very impressed by how much analysis and research he put into the non-printed media. I certainly couldn't bear to watch all those movies when they were new! (I did see the original Christopher Reeve one and I think the second one as well. I was very put off by the redesign of Krypton, first in the film and then in the comics. It's actually why I stopped reading Superman. I preferred the Jetsons-like Krypton of my silver age Superman.)
I would consider this an important book of scholarship for Superman, for the comics industry, and for twentieth center life for American Jews. It may be the best book on Superman we're ever likely to see.
July 3, 2022
It's meticulous but easy to read, dispels a lot of urban legends, and adds nuance to past discussions ("is Frank Miller's Batman fascist or Nietzchean?") ("is Superman more Christ figure or Moses figure?"). Strangely no reference to Harry Brod's book "Superman is Jewish?" but beyond that an impeccably documented look at past scholarship, and a compelling argument that wherever comic books go next as an industry, Superman and his uniquely Jewish heritage will play a large part in it.
July 18, 2025
Loads of comic history and interesting thoughts on Superman and his religious influce and the Cleveland, Ohio based writer and artist who created this classic masterpeice of comic story telling.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews