The 1930s Golden Age of Comic Books marked the rise of iconic superheroes like Superman and Batman, shaped by the experiences of Jewish creators. Facing discrimination, Jewish writers and artists found opportunity in the comic book industry. Superman, introduced in Action Comics #1 (1938) by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster—children of Jewish immigrants—became a symbol of justice, with strong parallels to the story of Moses. These Jewish comic book creators used their work to combat anti-Semitism and Nazi propaganda, famously depicting Superman defeating Hitler. Other Jewish creators, such as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, created Captain America to stand against fascism. These superhero stories captured the dual-identity struggles of Jewish immigrants in America, emphasizing justice, sacrifice, and the fight against evil—key themes in Jewish American history and comic book culture.

During the 1930’s Jewish illustrators and artists were struggling to find work due to Anti-Semitism, in order to make some income and make ends meet, they created superheroes. Those who could rise above the regular humans and fight against the darkness, and evil. Superman in particular, had an enormous impact in American propaganda during World War II and was frequently shown on the cover of comic books, beating up Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini. Superman forced these villains to face the consequences of their terrible actions. In this episode, I discuss the comic book cultural revolution that was created directly from the rejection and pain that these Jewish artists faced every day during the early parts of the 20th century.