Tag Archives: antisemitism

Immortal Hulk #43 Courts Controversy for Antisemitic Imagery

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Usually, when discussions of Immortal Hulk happen, it’s about the quality storytelling. This week’s latest issue made news for other reasons, antisemitic imagery snuck in by artist Joe Bennett.

The issue features Joe Fixit in control of Bruce Banner’s body. In the comic, Fixit buys some jewelry with a stolen credit card to pawn in later. In the panel featuring the crime, the store window says “Cronemberg (something) Jewer(y)” and underneath is the Star of David, a Jewish symbol. You can see the panel below and the sequence in a released preview.

The use of “Jewery” and the Star of David play into numerous stereotypes of Jewish individuals running the diamond industry. It also ties into antisemitic beliefs that Jewish merchants are shady people to do business with.

The scene has nothing to do with Judaism at all and there’s little reasons for any of it to be included in the background.

Immortal Hulk #43

Artist Joe Bennett released a statement through Marvel:

I’ve been including references to famous horror directors to pay respects to the genre throughout the series, and in Immortal Hulk #43, I included a nod to David Cronenberg. The misspellings on the window were an honest but terrible mistake – since I was writing backwards, I accidentally spelled both of those words wrong.

I have no excuse for how I depicted the Star of David. I failed to understand this troubling and offensive stereotype, and after listening to you all, I now understand my mistake. This was wrong, offensive, and hurtful in many ways. This is a mistake I must own, and I am sorry to everyone who I hurt by this. I am working with Marvel to correct this, and I am using this lesson to reflect on how I approach my stories and my work.

Bennett has found himself in controversy in the past when he responded to a transgender joke about She-Hulk with laughing emojis and stated that journalist Glenn Greenwald should have been punched instead of slapped in 2019.

Marvel also stated that they “fully acknowledged this mistake was missed on our side as well.” They will be “correcting” future printings as well as digital copies.

This isn’t the first time antisemitic imagery has been snuck into a Marvel comic. In 2017 artist Ardiaf Syaf featured numerous references in X-Men Gold #1 to verses in the Quaran that are commonly translated as antisemitic as well as having the word “Jewelry” next to Kitty Pryde, a Jewish character. After that, you’d think Marvel editorial might pay a bit more attention to these sort of things making their excuse a bit more puzzling.

Choice Quotes

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Here’s this week’s quotes showing that comics aren’t just for kids anymore.  Everything from war and abortion to free speech were touched upon.

DMZ #51

Liberty News 24/7 – A special session of Congress has convened to petition the United Nations, a body that the United States was forced to quit at the start of the war, for support in a renewed mission to not merely contain the Free States movement…. but, in the words of an unnamed source on the senior staff, “To defeat them in the fullest military sense of the term.”

Ex Machina #48

January – It skeeves me out whenever a dude tries to parlay any kind of success into a political career.  There’s only one reason guys like that get into Government.  It starts with “p” and ryhmes with “pussy.”

and

January – Then what’s his angle?  I mean, are there any issues he even cares about?  I’ve just seen that one commercial where he spouts a bunch of platitudes about building bridges.  Like, how pro-choice is he?

Journal – I don’t know actually.

January – You don’t know where he stands on abortion?

Journal – I’m not a single-issue voter January.

Green Hornet #2

Metro Staffer – Deanley just passed Scanlon in the latest poll.

Britt Reid – By how much?

Metro Staffer – Twelve points.  You sure you wanna continue to back the lame-duck Mayor in his re-election bid?

and

Britt Reid – That’s not what I’m talking about, Frank.  I’m talking about their sizable donations to your re-election campaign.

Frank Scanlon – They’re entitled to their opinion on who’d they’d like to see running this city just like everyone else, aren’t they?

Prelude to Deadpool Corps. #5

Deadpool – Dude, this is a recipe for a spaceship in the face.  No way.  Don’t you remember Tiananmen Square, that guy standing in front of the tanks?  This is our chance for the Intergalactic History Books.  A lone hero against the might of an imperial–

Unwritten #11

Lizzie – It was a novel written by a Jew from a Jewish perspective.  It became the most successful anti-semitic movie of all time.

Comics bringing Israel and Poland Together

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A couple of weeks ago the Jerusalem Post published an article covering a joint comic produced by Israeli and Polish artists.  2008-2009 is Israel-Poland year, and in commemoration of the event 5 Israeli comic artists joined 5 Polish artists to cover issues often thought taboo between the two cultures.

The comic book, Poliisra, has been used as an opportunity to to explore stereotypes between the two societies as well as addressing historical issues between the two countries.  Topics include the Holocaust, antisemitism, and stereotyped views between the various peoples.

An exhibition of the work can be seen starting August 7 at the Israeli Cartoon Museum in Holon.  You can find out more information at www.cartoonmuseum.org.