Superheroes In The Escapist

Josef Kavalier and Samuel Louis Klayman are, like the real-life creators that inspired them - Stanley Martin Lieber (Stan Lee), Robert Kahn (Bob Kane) or Jacob Kurzberg (Jack Kirby) - of Jewish descent. Like their real-life counterparts they too ‘americanized’ their names (to Joe Kavalier and Sam(my) Clay respectively) in order to blend in and adept to a society ripe with racial prejudice. Their Jewish identity, however, is not as easily concealed. In fact, their Jewish roots not only shape their lives but also give inspiration and life to their biggest creation: The Escapist (see appendix A2, A3, A4). Superheroes in general and The Escapist in particular can be said to be highly influenced by the Jewish faith and culture many of their creators

The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, a 16th century rabbi of Prague, who created a golem to defend the Prague ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks and pogroms. Formed from clay of the River Moldau, the Golem was to protect and serve the Jewish community. However, eventually, the Golem stopped cooperating and went on a murderous rampage through the city. Rabbi Loew had to immobilize him; the Golem's body was from then on stored in the attic genizah of the Old New Synagogue, where it could be restored to life again if

It is an origin story, to use superhero comic terminology, where the foundations of Joe’s character are laid down and everything is prepared for his own heroic deed: the creation of “The Escapist”. Joe’s origin story has three elements to it that I will one by one address throughout this work: his struggle with masculinity concepts, the topic of escaping and Judaism, the latter of which I am addressing in this