The Bloom Collective--a lending library and infoshop located at 1134 Wealthy St SE in Grand Rapids--has a title called Jews and American Comics. The book traces the history of comic books and comic strips throughout the 20th century.

Surprisingly, (to this reader, at least) the text and illustrations demonstrate the fact that, just as in the Hollywood film industry, the founders-movers-shakers of the comics industry were Jewish immigrants from Europe.

Parallel to the Cohns, Goldwyns,and Zukers of Hollywood, were the names of Milton Caniff ("Terry & the Pirates"), Al Capp ("Lil Abner"), Rube Goldberg (of the eponymous inventions) and many others both those that came earlier as well as contemporary cartoonists.

Coverage starts early in the 20th century; the book's first chapter includes interesting coverage of early Jewish cartoonists' willingness to criticize Jewish as well as Gentile sweatshop taskmasters. Coverage continues throughout the century, and includes the work of 53 cartoonists in all - famous ones such as Robert Crumb, Jules Feiffer and Art Spiegelman, as well as relative unknowns.

The text offers a great deal of gossipy information about the cartoonists and their work, though it does not present an equal amount of analysis (historical, theoretical, aesthetic).

And, unfortunately, while many illustrations are fine, too many are small, cramped on the page, making it difficult to read the copy.

Paul Buhle, ed., Jews and American Comics, (The New Press, 2008).