Chosen Heroes: The Jewish Comics Experience

COMING SOON!

Jewish creators invented the modern superhero, helping transform comic books into one of America’s most influential art forms. From Superman and Batman to Captain America, the X-Men, and beyond, their work redefined popular culture. Inspired by experiences as immigrants and outsiders, they created heroes who concealed secret identities, defended the vulnerable, and confronted prejudice. In the pages of mass-market entertainment products, the struggles of marginalized dreamers became universal stories of resilience and justice for millions of readers.

Featuring original artwork, rare publications and historical artifacts, Chosen Heroes: The Jewish Comics Experience traces more than a century of innovation, from the birth of caped crusaders to today’s acclaimed graphic novels. Visitors will encounter the people behind the published pages and discover how their ideas forever changed the language of comics.

Recognizing the roots and diversity of this art form, five micro-exhibits capturing historic moments in Jewish comics are explored. They include: The Jewish Origins of the Comic Book Industry; A Brief History of Yiddish Comics; Sephardi Identity and Memory in Comics; Mickey Mouse and Ashmedai: Hebrew Children’s Publications at a Momentous Time, 1945–48; and Jewish Comics that Fought Against Fascism. Together, these narratives reveal how comics became a powerful medium for cultural expression, social commentary, and hope.

From the ancient legend of the Golem to Maus, the exhibition highlights a remarkable creative lineage through the work of Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, and many others. Steeped in Jewish history and perspectives, their contributions have left an enduring mark on literature, film, television, and contemporary storytelling.

Locally sourced artifacts connect the Milwaukee community to exhibit themes and the visionary Jewish creators who challenged injustice with imagination and championed heroism with chutzpah.

The Jewish Multiverse: Identity, Imagination, and American Comics
Chosen Heroes: The Jewish Comics Experience Opening Preview Event
Thursday, October 15, 7 – 9 p.m.
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Miriam Eve Mora, managing curator of Chosen Heroes: The Jewish Comics Experience, about the Jewish history of the comics industry. A historian of American immigration and Jewish identity who specializes in gender, Dr. Mora will show how comics reflect the Jewish American experience and why the genre is increasingly recognized as an important contribution to Jewish literature.

Additional programs, tours, and educational offerings related to the exhibition will be announced soon.

Exhibition Created by the Center for Jewish History with contributions from American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Presented by Jewish Museum Milwaukee and expanded with local content.