April's Top 5 recent & upcoming comics with a Jewish twist
By Steven M. Bergson



#1
Edge City: A Comic Strip Collection
By Terry and Patty LaBan

Collects several months' worth of Edge City comic strips by Terry and Pat Laban. The comic strip is about a Jewish American family juggling relationships, careers and traditions at the fast pace of modern life!

 



#2
Gumby
Written by Bob Burden and Rick Geary
Published by Wildcard Ink

A circus hypnotist turns America's lovable green clay boy Gumby into a golem, using him as a sideshow attraction.





#3
Exit Wounds
By Rutu Modan

Graphic novel by Rutu Modan Set in modern-day Tel Aviv, A young man, Koby Franco, receives an urgent phone call from a female soldier. Learning that his estranged father may have been a victim of a suicide bombing in Hadera, Koby reluctantly joins the soldier in searching for clues. His death would certainly explain his empty apartment and disconnected phone line. As Koby tries to unravel the mystery of his father’s death, he finds himself not only piecing together the last few months of his father’s life, but his entire identity. With thin, precise lines and luscious watercolors, Modan creates a portrait of modern Israel, a place where sudden death mingles with the slow dissolution of family ties.


 



#4
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
By Jessica S. Gunderson

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire presents the story of the tragic March 25, 1911 event through the lens of the labor activism that engulfed New York's garment industry at the time. Although this book is not written from a Jewish perspective, it can serve as a dramatic initial introduction to the event, particularly for reluctant readers.

 


#5
Stuck in the Middle: 17 Comics from an Unpleasant Age
Edited by Ariel Schrag

17 Comics from an Unpleasant Age, edited by Ariel Schrag Though not all the stories in this collection are all-ages, the story by Lauren Weinstein is. "Horse Camp" tells the story of a Jewish "tween" girl who attends a Christian summer sports camp, showing both her highs and lows.

 

February Top 5 recent & upcoming comics with a Jewish twist
By Steven M. Bergson



#1
King for a Moment - Meyer's Secret
Mahrwood Press

Max and Meyer journey to a strange land where both become Kings! King For a Moment - by the author of Quest for the Mysterious Cloth.
is the latest book by the award winning "Kvutzat B.D."

 



#2
Shmuel Hanagid - Book 2 - A Tale of the Al-Hambra
Written by Aryeh Mahr
Illustrated by Esteve Polls

The sequal to the best selling classic "Shmuel Hanagid - A Tale of the Golden Age"! Rabbeinu Shmuel faces his greatest challenges! Ben Abbas and Civil War! Can even the Gadol Hador prevail against the forces arrayed against him?





#3
Jorneys
Written by - Aryeh Mahr
Art by: Moshe Chaim Levy Josef Rubinstein Ben Hutman

From the pages of Hamodia! Join the incredible adventures of Uncle Ari, Mordy and Sender. Collecting together for the first time the entire story "The Trouble with Bavel".


 



#4
Rashi - A Light After the Dark Ages
Mahrwood Press, The Destiny Foundation and Rabbi Berel Wein

11th century France. The beginning of the "reign of Terror" - the Crusades. "Rashi" is the story of Rabbeinu Shlomo Yitzchaki - one of the greatest and most beloved Torah sages of all time.

 


#5
Of Heaven and Earth
From Mahrwood Press, The Destiny Foundation and Rabbi Berel Wein

The Baal Shem Tov! The Magid of Mezeritch! Reb Zusha! Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev! The timeless teachings of the early Chassidic masters come alive in this anthology of stories on their lives and teachings. Learning Torah with joy, living as a Torah Jew amid the pressures of the world. "Of Heaven and Earth" paints a picture in broad strokes of these giants of the spirit.

 

January Top 5 recent & upcoming comics with a Jewish twist
By Steven M. Bergson



#1
Jobnik "Modesty"
Real Gone Girl Studio

This issue starts with a flashback showing Miriam living in an Orthodox Jewish community in the US. It features a somewhat shocking cover image.

 


#2
Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy Part 6
Joe Kubert - DC Comics

The six-issue mini-series concludes in dramatic fashion! It's been a long, hard road, but Rock and Easy Co. have finally arrived with their precious cargo intact. Leaving the sprawling countryside behind, they must navigate the narrow, Nazi-occupied streets of Riga to deliver their "package." It's not a question of will they survive...it's a question of what happens next.





#3
Tabula Rasa
Keith Giffen, Shannon Denton and Matt Jacobs

Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Keith Giffen and Cartoon Network writer Shannon Denton join rising star artist Matt Jacobs for Tabula Rasa a supernatural thriller that explores life beyond death and the pursuit of righteous vengeance. Tabula Rasa is the story of an old Rabbi and Simon, a dead cop turned undead golem. They hunt down and exact their vengeance on the antisemetic gangsters and dirty cops that killed Simon.


 



#4
Double Shot Exclusive : Golem
Michael Colbert

Michael "Crazy Mary" Colbert's "Golem" puts the character of legend in a most unexpected setting.

 


#5
DCU Infinite Holiday Special
Greg Rucka - DC Comics

This holiday special features 7 seasonal stories. Greg Rucka pens a Hanukkah story that begins in 1939 Poland . “Lights” quickly moves to modern day Gotham and allows the new Batwoman to shine in her first solo story. This tale is a moving piece which depicts a Holocaust survivor being reunited with someone long thought to be gone.

 

December Top 5 recent & upcoming comics with a Jewish twist
By Steven M. Bergson



#1
Edu Manga : Anne Frank
Etsuo Suzki

Astro Boy narrates the story of Anne Frank. I guess you could probably just read the original story, but that doesn't have a picture of Astro Boy defending the
very concept of Judaism from hopping-mad swastikas.

 


#2
The Thing #5
Brent Anderson and Michael Lark

The return of Karl Kesel's Jewish store owner from Yancy Street from a few years back.





#3
Manga Midrash 1 & 2 Set-one of each pack of 5 booklets
Gila Gevirtz

Manga Midrash helps students explore the meaning of and values conveyed by key biblical texts. Each 16-page, full-color booklet uses manga, a cutting-edge illustrated, storytelling technique from Japan, enormously popular with today's pre-teens and teens, to present a Bible story, a rabbinic midrash, and a Jewish value. Powered by manga's dynamic and motivating format, students actively take part in the tradition of interpreting sacred text while discussing Jewish values.
 



#4
Out of Egypt
Rabbi Moshe Moscowitz and David Sokoloff

It's a classic tale of good versus evil. It has all the elements of a captivating drama. A virtuous heroine. A wicked villain. Suspense, intrigue, and surprise plot twists. Beautiful hardcover book brings the story of Passover to life in full, glossy color illustrations. Includes witty quiz section.

 


#5
Lost My Place
Matthue Roth and Mat Tonti

Jewish graphic novel about running away to a city with no time, and trying to rewrite your own history, and why it’s sometimes helpful to follow
stray cats.