Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!ihuxt!martillo From: martillo@ihuxt.UUCP (Yehoyaqim Shemtob Martillo) Newsgroups: net.comics,net.religion.jewish Subject: Marvel Comics, Jews and Other Ethnic Groups Message-ID: <395@ihuxt.UUCP> Date: Sun, 8-Apr-84 14:49:04 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxt.395 Posted: Sun Apr 8 14:49:04 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 9-Apr-84 05:50:03 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 123 I sometimes work for WOJAC (World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries) in Chicago. Several complaints about Marvel Comics came to me. I investigated and then wrote this letter to Marvel editors, Mark Gruenwald and Chris Claremont. I would like opinions to be sent to me. The Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith is considering following up my investigation. Personally, I do not think comic books are the proper forum for some of the issues with which Marvel Comics deals. Some Marvel comics have verged on propaganda for the author's pet political ideas. * January 22, 1984 * *Letter to the Editor *MARVEL COMICS GROUP *387 Park Avenue South *New York, New York 10016 * * *Dear Mr. Gruenwald: * *Marvel's treatment of Jews distresses me greatly. Marvel writers *show some awareness that there is a Japanese culture which is *different from American culture and which possesses its own beauty. *Marvel has tried to be sympathetic to Russians. Marvel has tried *to project an awareness of the losses American Indians have *suffered. * *Yet, Marvel has never shown an awareness that there is a Jewish *culture which is different from American culture and which *possesses its own beauty. Marvel has never portrayed a Jew who *knew the least little bit about Judaism. * *Marvel has been almost completely unsympathetic to Jewish issues. *Next to the Germans, Hispanics, Persians, and Greeks, Russians *count as perhaps the worst anti-Semites and most severe persecutors *of the Jews. Yet, Kitty Pryde casually develops a crush on Pyotr *Rasputin, and the issue of Russian anti-Semitism never even comes *up. * *After the Holocaust, it is simply disgusting for any Jew and *particularly an Ashkenazi (German or European) Jew to assimilate *into any Western culture. Yet, Bernie Rosenthal casually *contemplates marriage with Captain America. Since Captain America *lived and fought during World War II, the Jews in this magazine *must be absolute ignoramuses not to ask him why the death camps *were not bombed and why the Allies worked so hard to prevent Jews *from fleeing Europe. * *Marvel shows almost no awareness of the losses Jews have suffered. *Before the Holocaust most Jews like American Indians lived in a *self-contained world and were subject to periodic non-Jewish *violence. Although physically they had less than the non-Jews, they *had more spiritually. Then they were subjected to an ideological *assault to make them doubt their culture and finally they were *exterminated. Recent issues of Captain America try to feel the *heartache of the American Indians, but the heartache of the Jews is *missing. Sometimes, I have the impression the writer prefers the *passing away of the Jewish world even as he mourns the passing of *the Indian. * *Marvel is probably not consciously trying to be insensitive. But *Marvel writers are most likely only to have contact with the *ignorant assimilated type of Ashkenazi Jew who are the majority in *the U.S.A. However, if Marvel is going to treat Jewish subjects, *Marvel writers must familiarize themselves with a more genuine *Judaism. * * * Sincerely yours, * One story line I found simply offensive: Captain America persuaded Bernie Rosenthal's parents to sing Silent Night with him last Christmas. The only Jew who ever wore a head-covering in Marvel Comics was Bernie Rosenthal's ex-husband who was involved in a fanatic JDL-like group which was portrayed as being essentially similar to some neo-Nazi group. I dislike the implication that if I wear a head-covering I am a JDL-type fanatic. Also while the JDL is not my favorite group, there is a major ethical distinction between the Nazis who advocate extermination of certain groups of people and the JDL which does not advocate such extermination. Story lines which I find weird: The treatment of Arab-Jewish relations which appeared in the Hulk was totally superficial. The teamup of Sabra (Israel's superheroine) and the Arabian knight (Egypt's superhero) in the contest of superheroes, which resulted in the Collector's restoral to life, was bizarre. There was a character called the Assassin in the Defenders who tried to murder Russian diplomats because of Russian treatment of the Jews. Magneto (real name Magnus) who may be a Hungarian Jew developed his bizarre political philosophy as a child in the death camps. Magneto seems to have made aliyah (emigrated to Israel) at some point in his life. Professor Xavier while in Israel after WWII (of the X-Men) took advantage of the confused mental state of a Jewish woman survivor of the death camps and got her pregnant. I am interested in the opinions of Marvel Comics readers on Marvel's treatment of ethnic groups. I hope some non-Jews will send me some replies. Groups which Marvel seems to have particularly targeted are American Indians, Vietnamese, Blacks, Arabs and Japanese. I received no reply to my letter. But many fewer stories dealing with Jewish issues have been appearing lately. -- Yehoyaqim Shemtob Martillo (At the narrow passage, there is neither brother nor friend)