Matt Reingold Livres

The book examines how Israeli graphic novelists challenge traditional gender norms, offering fresh perspectives on masculinity and femininity. By rejecting the prevalent notions of hypermasculinity and submissive femininity, the authors provide nuanced portrayals that reflect a more complex understanding of gender in Israeli society. Through their work, these graphic novelists contribute to a redefined narrative that invites readers to reconsider societal expectations surrounding gender roles.

Focusing on Israeli political cartoons from December 2018 to June 2021, the book analyzes how these artworks serve as a visual critique of the nation's political landscape. The author highlights the role of cartoonists in challenging the status quo and imagining alternative futures for Israel, reflecting the cultural divisions and tensions of the time. Through their unique perspectives, these artists contribute to a deeper understanding of the country's socio-political dynamics.

Exploring the duality of identity, Asaf Hanuka's comics and graphic novels delve into his experiences as both an insider and outsider in Israeli society, shaped by his Jewish and Mizrahi heritage. The work also addresses themes of parenthood and marriage within the context of contemporary Western life, offering a nuanced perspective on personal and universal narratives. Through his art, Hanuka captures the complexities of cultural identity and familial relationships.

"The most-up-date critical guide mapping the history, impact, key critical issues and seminal texts of the genre, Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels interrogates what makes a work a 'Jewish graphic novel', and explores the form's diverse facets to orient readers to the richness and complexity of Jewish graphic narratives. Accessible but comprehensive and in an easy-to-navigate format, the book covers such topics as: - The history of the genre, Jewish graphic novels in relations to superheroes, Underground Comix and Jewish narratives in the mainstream in the US and Israel - Social and cultural discussions surrounding the legitimization of graphic representation as sites of trauma, understandings of gender, mixed-media in Jewish graphic novels and the study of these works in the classroom - Critical explorations of the Holocaust, Israel, the diasporic experience, religion and autobiography and memoir - The works of Will Eisner, Ilana Zeffren, James Sturm, Joann Sfar, JT Waldman, Barry Deutsch, Miriam Katin, Charlotte Salomon and Sarah Lightman and such narratives as X-men, Anne Frank's Diary and Maus Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels includes an appendix of relevant works sorted by genre, a glossary of crucial critical terms and close readings of key texts to help students and readers develop their understanding of the genre and pursue independent study"--