Princesses, Mothers, Heroes, and Superheroes: Images of Jewish Women in Comic Books and Graphic Novels

by Korenman, Alicia

This study examines the representations of Jewish women in comic books and graphic novels, starting with a discussion of common stereotypes about Jewish women in American popular culture. The primary sources under investigation include Gilbert Hernandez’s Love and Rockets X, Aline Kominsky-Crumb’s autobiographical works, the X-Men comic books, Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!, Joann Sfar’s The Rabbi’s Cat, and J.T. Waldman’s Megillat Esther.

The representations of Jewish women in comic books and graphic novels vary widely. And although certain stereotypes about Jewish women—especially the Jewish Mother and the Jewish American Princess—pervade American popular culture, most of the comics featuring Jewish characters do not seem to have been greatly influenced by these images.