World Superman Was Jewish?

[deaconx]

Hey guys,

I've been reading the boards for a while, but this is the first time I've signed up to post a message. I found a link to an article called "Super Jew" about Superman's ties to Judaism. Kind of an interesting article. Personally, I liked the part about Kryptonite:

http://www.newportmercury.com/articles/2006/07/05/pov/pov.txt

 

[dpm07]

Hey guys,

I've been reading the boards for a while, but this is the first time I've signed up to post a message. I found a link to an article called "Super Jew" about Superman's ties to Judaism. Kind of an interesting article. Personally, I liked the part about Kryptonite:

http://www.newportmercury.com/articles/2006/07/05/pov/pov.txt

The creators of Superman were actually Jewish. Superman himself as Clark Kent has actually been referred to as Methodist in the past, and definitely Protestant. Of course, there is also the Kryptonian religion as well. In comic he was raised generally Protestant, and specifically Methodist, but he does also have an affinity toward the Kryptonian beliefs as well, and has even talked to a Catholic priest in the past. I've given seminars on this before regarding the symbolism and metaphors of the character and other characters for that matter and their impact on art and allegories as iconic representations in myth and popular culture.

The character himself was created by two Jewish men originally however.

If you have any questions, PM me and I can help you on this stuff.

 

[Up Up & Oy Vey!]

My friend, Simcha Weinstein, just had a book published about Heroes and Jews.
http://www.rabbisimcha.com/pages/book.html
Kryptonians, like the people of Noah's time, ridiculed Jor-El because of his fantastic apocalyptical ideas. He then placed his son, Kal-El (in hebrew, litteraly either Vessel of God, Voice of God or All of God) is sent in a "basket" to escape destruction just like Moses.
Clark Kent is a fairly Jewish name.
Many Jewish last names end with "Man".
Seigal and Shuster were Jewish.

Buy the book. I got two copies, hence my forum name.

 

[dpm07]

My friend, Simcha Weinstein, just had a book published about Heroes and Jews.
http://www.rabbisimcha.com/pages/book.html
Kryptonians, like the people of Noah's time, ridiculed Jor-El because of his fantastic apocalyptical ideas. He then placed his son, Kal-El (in hebrew, litteraly either Vessel of God, Voice of God or All of God) is sent in a "basket" to escape destruction just like Moses.
Clark Kent is a fairly Jewish name.
Many Jewish last names end with "Man".
Seigal and Shuster were Jewish.

Buy the book. I got two copies, hence my forum name.

That looks like a really good book. I am always looking for more reference points. Thanks.

 

[Fantasyartist]

Nah, i don't think the man of steel either is or intended to be jewish per se(full dicsclosure: I'm a Catholic-practising), even if there are jewish themes and allusions to his birth and early life(just as there are arguably Catholic themes to Batman- namely guilt and atonement) and neither are the Kents. besides there aren't that many Jewish superheroes running around( The Thing, Shadowcat, Moon Knight and Doc Samson all spring to mind ), far fewer than say,African-American, Hispanic or Oriental!

Terry

 

[elvislennon2005]

Superman was no Jew. Although his early life are compare to things happen in the Bible that doesn't mean he is jewish. He is dpm07 said "Clark Kent has actually been referred to as Methodist in the past, and definitely Protestant".

Yes, his early life are similar to things that happen to Moses, Jesus, Noah but that doesn't mean he is jewish himself. Clark Kent is not a Jewish name. I can show you many people last name Kent and they are Protestants. Yes, that name was originally a jewish name but you need to think that there is many families with the name of Kent. Most of the ones I know are Protestants. That website about Super Jew. First, off as for Superman coming from a powerful family. All of Kryptonians are powerful. They were an ahead of our times. The only way he is denied of his powers is with Kryptonite. He still has powers when he is Clark Kent. This line is so stupid "Kryptonite serves as a different kind of reminder. It's not a reminder of embarrassment or of a heritage he wishes to deny, but it's a reminder of a world he has lost." First off yes it is a reminder of his world lost but he has to stay away from this because of the radioactive properties that comes from it that takes aways his power and makes him weak and then it will kill him.


Now with these comments you might think I hate jews. Well, I don't hate jews. I love all people equal and it just stuff like this they are trying to figure out about Superman that makes me sick.

 

[boywonder13]

Clark Kent has never been Jewish....

ive never heard of a jewish guy living in Kansas....

 

[giggs11uk]

Clark Kent has never been Jewish....

ive never heard of a jewish guy living in Kansas....

lol racist, Clark is an alien. I thought jews and chistians don't believe in life out side of earth

 

[boywonder13]

lol racist, Clark is an alien. I thought jews and chistians don't believe in life out side of earth

Im not a racist.....

 

[giggs11uk]

Im not a racist.....

Riiiiiiight, like I am going to believe that. You Nazi-loving Jew-hating Racist












JK

 

[Superwoman Prime]

the Kents are country folk in Kansas... no Orthodox Jew owns a farm in the heart of Kansas. (I live in kansas, and for the record, there are very few jews here to start with.)

Obviously, Judaism doesn't exist on krypton. Therefore, we have to see how he was raised. And he was raised Protestant Christian. perhaps leaning to the right-wing of politics?

 

[wootbaby]

I grew up in Kansas, in overland park. there are jews in kansas.

there's jews everywhere even china.

superman isn't jewish, because his mother was a kryptonian alien not a descendant of abraham's son jacob. thus not jewish by definition.

was superman inspired by jews? very much so. I think there are a lot of cool subversive things that the creators put in there based on jewish mythology. if for nothing else than to put some of themselves in the character. kind of like easter eggs that programmers put in their games for fun and to mark their territory

the Kents themselves according to the comics are not jews. so neither superman is jewish nor was he raised a jew.

i think shazam might be a jew. he refers to soloman etc... (jk... shazam is egyptian)

 

[Up Up & Oy Vey!]

Wait... we DONT believe in outside life now?

 

[Binker]

Maybe Superman is jewish. We never see him eat bacon.

 

[Symbiote Hulk]

lol racist, Clark is an alien. I thought jews and chistians don't believe in life out side of earth

I'm christian and yet I still believe that there are aliens

 

[Leto Atrides]

While I know from the comics he's Protestant, a Methodist, I think all the ties he has with Judaism are pretty interesting. There's a comprehensive website that has information about different heroes' religions and religious undertones to story arcs and that sort of thing. I can't remember what it is though. Anyone else?

 

[Leto Atrides]

Found the website:

http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_religion.html

The article there on Superman has a section on his Jewish roots:
http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Superman.html#Jewish

 

[Comic Book Boy]

Clark Kent has never been Jewish....

ive never heard of a jewish guy living in Kansas....

I don't think he had a choice considering how he got there.

 

[Hypestyle]

in some recent issue, superman visited with a jewish family-- it was the conclusion of some storyline-- i forget what..