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.
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Reviews with images
Able to leap into readers’ imaginations in a single bound! Comprehensive, profound fun!
Beautifully written and consummately researched, “Is Superman Circumcised?” extends its analysis well beyond the character’s Golden Age origins and authorship to assess the full 80+ years of the Man of Steel’s pop cultural history.Schwartz marries biblical, literary, and sociocultural scholarship effortlessly. This is a breezy yet substantive and profound read, deftly navigating real world and DC Comics in-universe history as well as religious and mythic iconography. The portrait of Jewish history, culture, and faith as channeled through the Superman mythos is comprehensive and revelatory.As for the titular question, I won’t spoil any surprises. Rather inevitably, logically, and reasonably (for a character so ingrained in the public consciousness), Schwartz leaves his reader with an answer akin to what might only be described as … Schrödinger's foreskin.Highly recommend for both comics fans and casual readers alike.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Schwartz marries biblical, literary, and sociocultural scholarship effortlessly. This is a breezy yet substantive and profound read, deftly navigating real world and DC Comics in-universe history as well as religious and mythic iconography. The portrait of Jewish history, culture, and faith as channeled through the Superman mythos is comprehensive and revelatory.
As for the titular question, I won’t spoil any surprises. Rather inevitably, logically, and reasonably (for a character so ingrained in the public consciousness), Schwartz leaves his reader with an answer akin to what might only be described as … Schrödinger's foreskin.
Highly recommend for both comics fans and casual readers alike.
Able to leap into readers’ imaginations in a single bound! Comprehensive, profound fun!
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Beautifully written and consummately researched, “Is Superman Circumcised?” extends its analysis well beyond the character’s Golden Age origins and authorship to assess the full 80+ years of the Man of Steel’s pop cultural history.Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Schwartz marries biblical, literary, and sociocultural scholarship effortlessly. This is a breezy yet substantive and profound read, deftly navigating real world and DC Comics in-universe history as well as religious and mythic iconography. The portrait of Jewish history, culture, and faith as channeled through the Superman mythos is comprehensive and revelatory.
As for the titular question, I won’t spoil any surprises. Rather inevitably, logically, and reasonably (for a character so ingrained in the public consciousness), Schwartz leaves his reader with an answer akin to what might only be described as … Schrödinger's foreskin.
Highly recommend for both comics fans and casual readers alike.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
A fun scholarly analysis of Superman, comic books and much more.
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
I’m not Jewish but I really loved the book. I liked learning about the history of Superman (and comic books in general)…it is amazing how seriously it influenced our culture. I enjoyed the analysis and discussion about Superman and his Judeo-Christian values. The references to 1990s Superman TV show brought back memories from my childhood. I have to confess…because it’s an academic book, I had to look up some of the words in the dictionary but it was still a very fun read.
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
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Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2023
