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Golem Art Exhibition On Display

The Golem art exhibition kicked off Saturday night Oct. 21 at Congregation Kol Israel (603 St. Johns st.) in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
 

The exhibition features paintings etchings and even comic book art about the Golem- the legendary Jewish clay hero. The myth was the basis for Mary Shelly’s Horror novel Frankenstein from 19th century. The Golem has played a prominent part of cinema with the groundbreaking 1921 film, the Golem. The Golem concept has since played out in science fiction as the basis for the concept of robots.

 

 

Over 30 artists were represented in the exhibition including Brooklyn Comic Shop founder, Joshua H. Stulman, whose original cover art to Israeli Defense Comics was featured in the show. Other Golem based comic artwork included a Hulk Homage cover by Fabrice Sapolsky (Interwined, Spider-Man: Noir) and a Marvel’s Thing pin up by Dean Haspiel (American Splendor).

The exhibition was curated by Shoshana Brumbacher in conjunction with the Brooklyn Jewish Art Gallery and Congregation Kol Israel.

 

The opening also hosted a performance by the klezmer rock group named The Golem who played an awesome 2 hour set!

The exhibition runs until December and features numerous events including movie screenings and lectures.

 

To find out more or to see the exhibit CLICK HERE

 Check Out Pics of the Golem Exhibition Opening CLICK HERE

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Happy Simchat Torah 5778!

One of the things I love about Simchat Torah is that it is the perfect ending to the Fall Harvest Season. In the time of the Temple, we would gather together from across the land to Jerusalem starting just before the New Year. Here we would join with family, reunite old relationships and forge new ones with new friends. It was a cultural event that bridged spirituality with family, history and even business. During the festival season, We probe our innermost feelings, affirm our spiritual beliefs and emerge with a desire to be a better person. Simchat Torah is our last horah before we return to our regular lives and put our oaths into practice. It’s fitting that this last festival end on a high note of song and dance as we look to the future.

All of us at Israeli Defense Comics hope you are having a wonderful start to the new year. We want to wish you and your family a happy, healthy and sweet year to come!

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Golem Art Exhibition and Live Concert

Saturday, October 21 @ 7:30pm

Golem Opening/Concert Ticket Price: CKI Members $18, $25 non-members

 

The Golem (1921) Silent Film Screening

Saturday, November 11 @ 8pm

Ticket Price: $10.00

 

Location: Congregation Kol Israel, 603 St Johns Place Brooklyn, NY

 

Sponsors Package: $360 includes four tickets to each Golem event, and a limited edition

signed lithograph print

 

Order Tickets: http://goleminbrooklyncki.brownpapertickets.com/

 

Join Brooklyn Jewish Art Gallery (BJAG) in celebrating all things Golem.

 

For centuries the Golem legend grew, frightening some, protecting some, inspiring writers, filmmakers, and artists. Curator, Shoshanna Brombacher, has assembled over forty original works from twenty artists from around the world. The exhibition will include the Original Comic Art for Israeli Defense Comics # 2 by Joshua H. Stulman.

 

The Klezmer-rock band GOLEM takes the stage at 9:30, the leading re-innovators of Yiddish and Eastern European Music. “Golem is not your grandparents’ Klezmer”(NPR). Accompanying the music will be a live jam with hometown rocker, Yoshie Fruchter.

 

Discussion panel moderated by Shoshanna Brombacher to follow the performance.

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IDC Interviewed on Pint O’ Comics Podcast

John Amenta, co-host of Pint O’ Comics Podcast, interviewed Joshua H. Stulman at this past month’s Terrific Con held at the Moheegan Sun in Connecticut. We talked about Israeli Defense Comics and the direction IDC will be going in for Israeli Defense Comics # 3.

The IDC interview begins around 1:06:00 and runs for about ten minutes. The podcast also includes interviews with Barry Kitson and Source Point Press. John and Sir Jon at Pint O’ Comics have some great entertaining commentary so check them out!

 

CLICK HERE or Follow the Link: http://pintocomics.libsyn.com/theres-no-binary-answer-to-that

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Al Wiesner in Good Spirits and Recovering

Al Wiesner, creator of Shaloman, could not attend this year’s Wizard World Philadelphia due to a stroke he recently suffered. Al is 86 years old and an Air Force Veteran. If you know Al, then you know that he has an iron will and determination to overcome this set back. He is already making steady progress in his recovery.

 

We created a “Get Well” card for Al, which was signed by Shaloman Fans and fellow comic book creators at the Wizard World Convention. After the convention Al Wiesner was presented with the card.

Al is in great spirits and has the card displayed in his room.

 

We thank you all for your well wishes and kind thoughts for Al’s continued recovery and refuah shlema!

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Wizard World Philadelphia 2017 Round Up

Al Wiesner (Shaloman) and Joshua H. Stulman (Israeli Defense Comics) were guests at this year’s Wizard World in Philadelphia June 1-4, 2017.

 

The convention was widely attended and hosted live rock music, celebrity stars like Chuck Norris, Lou Ferrigno, and Gene Simmons, as well as Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld.

 

Unfortunately, Al Wiesner could not attend due to a medical emergency but we made the best we could, and had a “Get Well” card for Al, who is making a steady recovery.

 

We had an array of Shaloman prints, comics, original artwork and even some signed copies of Shaloman # 1 from 1988! Israeli Defense Comics and prints were also available along with original artwork from IDC #2 for sale.

 

Joshua Stulman was on hand all days of the convention sketching and signing for fans and creating original art sketch covers. IDC participated in the Sunday Kid’s programming and offered free head sketched for young comic fans.

 

We thank Wizard World for hosting us and for making this convention such a success! We also want to thank all our fans for coming out and showing your support and look forward to seeing you next year!

 

CHECK OUT PICS FROM THE CON: CLICK HERE

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IDC @ Wizard World Philadelphia 2017

EVENT: Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

DATE: June 1-4, Thursday-Sunday

LOCATION: Philadelphia Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

Jewish Comic Book Creators at Wizard World Philadelphia

Al Wiesner (Shaloman) and Joshua H. Stulman (Israeli Defense Comics)

Al Wiesner (Shaloman) and Joshua Stulman (Israeli Defense Comics) will be appearing at Wizard World Philadelphia, the largest comic book convention in Pennsylvania. They will be signing comic books for fans, and accepting artwork commissions.

If you would like to pre-order an illustration or sketch to be picked up at the convention: CLICK HERE

To Purchase Tickets to Wizard World Philadelphia: CLICK HERE

 

Jewish Comic Creator Bios:

Joshua H. Stulman is the creator and artist for Israeli Defense Comics, a Pro Israel comic book featuring the Jewish Superhero, Magen: The Shield of Israel. Magen, which in Hebrew means “shield”, refers to a long line of patriotic superheroes created by Jewish artists like Jack Kirby/Joe Simon (Captain America). These stories fuse action and adventure with references to news stories straight from the headlines.

 

Al Wiesner, is the creator of Shaloman, the first independently published Jewish Superhero in America since 1983. The 34 year veteran comic book artist’s work fuses action, Yiddish humor, and Jewish education to create a unique hero. Shaloman’s popularity has carried through in nearly 40 issues and five volumes. In 2010, Al Wiesner was honored with the Inkpot Award at the San Diego Comic Con for his achievements in the graphic arts.

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Happy Passover 5777!

Everyone at Israeli Defense Comics wants to wish you and your family a happy Passover holiday!

A Passover Note from Britain’s Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:

“The story of Pesach, of the Exodus from Egypt, is one of the oldest and greatest in the world. It tells of how one people, long ago, experienced oppression and were led to liberty through a long and arduous journey across the desert. It is the most dramatic story of slavery to freedom ever told, one that has become the West’s most influential source-book of liberty. “Since the Exodus,” said Heinrich Heine, the 19th century German poet, “Freedom has always been spoken with a Hebrew accent”.

We read in the maggid section of the Haggadah of Rabbi Gamliel who said that one who did not discuss the Pesach lamb, the maztah and the bitter herbs had not fulfilled their obligation of the Seder. Why these three things are clear: The Pesach lamb, a food of luxury, symbolises freedom. The bitter herbs represent slavery due to their sharp taste. The matzah combines both. It was the bread the Israelites ate in Egypt as slaves. It was also the bread they left when leaving Egypt as free people.

It is not just the symbolism, but also the order these items are spoken about in the Haggadah that is interesting. First we speak of the Pesach lamb, then the matzah and finally the bitter herbs. But this seems strange. Why do the symbols of freedom precede those of slavery? Surely slavery preceded freedom so it would be more logical to talk of the bitter herbs first? The answer, according to the Chassidic teachers, is that only to a free human people does slavery taste bitter. Had the Israelites forgotten freedom they would have grown used to slavery. The worst exile is to forget that you are in exile.

To truly be free, we must understand what it means to not be free. Yet ‘freedom’ itself has different dimensions, a point reflected in the two Hebrew words used to describe it, chofesh and cherut. Chofesh is ‘freedom from’, cherut is ‘freedom to’. Chofesh is what a slave acquires when released from slavery. He or she is free from being subject to someone else’s will. But this kind of liberty is not enough to create a free society. A world in which everyone is free to do what they like begins in anarchy and ends in tyranny. That is why chofesh is only the beginning of freedom, not its ultimate destination.

Cherut is collective freedom, a society in which my freedom respects yours. A free society is always a moral achievement. It rests on self-restraint and regard for others. The ultimate aim of Torah is to fashion a society on the foundations of justice and compassion, both of which depend on recognising the sovereignty of God and the integrity of creation. Thus we say, ‘Next year may we all be b’nei chorin,’ invoking cherut not chofesh. It means, ‘May we be free in a way that honors the freedom of all’.

The Pesach story, more than any other, remains the inexhaustible source of inspiration to all those who long for freedom. It taught that right was sovereign over might; that freedom and justice must belong to all, not some; that, under God, all human beings are equal; and that over all earthly power, the King of Kings, who hears the cry of the oppressed and who intervenes in history to liberate slaves. It took many centuries for this vision to become the shared property of liberal democracies of the West and beyond; and there is no guarantee that it will remain so. Freedom is a moral achievement, and without a constant effort of education it atrophies and must be fought for again. Nowhere more than on Pesach, though, do we see how the story of one people can become the inspiration of many; how, loyal to its faith across the centuries, the Jewish people became the guardians of a vision through which, ultimately, ‘all the peoples of the earth will be blessed’.