May is Jewish American Heritage Month! This is a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions of Jewish Americans throughout history. As you already probably know, my Riverpeak Heroes series was heavily inspired by my love of comic books, which started with Spider-Man when I was eight years old.
A Brief History of Jewish Comic Creators
Jewish creators have had a significant impact on the comic book industry since its inception in the 1930s. Many of the most iconic superheroes, such as Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man, were co-created by Jewish artists and writers, and Jewish themes and experiences have been woven into the fabric of many comic book storylines.
How? Well, Jewish writers faced a lot of antisemitism in advertising and newspapers. So, they created the comics industry. My Jewish Learning does a really great deep dive into this, highlighting a larger look at the history from 1933 to the Golden Age with Superman, and how Stan Lee’s The Fantastic Four in the 1960s featured superheroes as metaphors for Jews and other minority groups in the United States. It’s a fascinating read, so I highly recommend you check it out for a deeper appreciation of some of these comic creators.
Jewish Characters in To Be Normal: Riverpeak Heroes 2
The main characters in To Be Normal are both Reform Jews, a branch of Judaism that isn’t as formal on the religious laws and focuses more on the general teachings. While Hannah and Elijah aren’t the most religious people in the world, their faith does guide a lot of their actions and emotions.
Elijah Baron
Hematite’s sidekick from Not My Time, Elijah, takes center stage as the protagonist of To Be Normal! Elijah’s family is the only Jewish family in Riverpeak, CO, and are both ethnically and religiously Jewish.
Elijah’s Family
We also get an inside look at Elijah’s family, which includes his parents Lena and Rueben, and his younger brother Louis.
Hannah Cohen
Like me, Hannah is ethnically and religiously Jewish but is the only one in her immediate family who actively practices. When she moves to Riverpeak, she struggles with feeling like she belongs, and finds solace in the Baron family.
Order To Be Normal
Between Mental Health Awareness Month, AAPI Heritage Month, and Jewish American Heritage Month, May is a great time to diversify your bookshelf. It’s important to uplift marginalized voices in publishing and support their voices year-round, but these months are always great excuses to treat yourself to some extra books and grow your TBR (though, if yours is anything like mine, it doesn’t need any more books on it…).
