By JJ Ledewitz, Staff Writer
The Writer is a four-issue fantasy comic book series that follows Jewish comic book writer Stan Siegel whose life is turned upside down, forcing him down a path rooted in Jewish folklore.
It is published by Dark Horse Comics, and written by Ben Berkowitz, Max Berkowitz, and Hollywood actor Josh Gad (Olaf from Frozen, among other roles).
Stan Seigel is a writer. Well, he’s technically a teacher who writes in his spare time, but he’s still a writer. After deciding to take some agency in his life, Stan discovers that his father held secrets from him, including a mysterious notebook, a ring belonging to King Solomon, and the Sword of Moses – which, soon enough, attract unwanted attention. Stan embarks on a journey filled with Nazis, demons, monsters and more.
Although the series consists of only four issues, the story becomes so crazy and off-the-rails that it feels like a long, thrilling fever dream. Ariel Olivetti’s art and colors infuse every page with layers of depth. Gad and the Berkowitz Brothers set the story in Boston, and as a Bostonian myself, I couldn’t help but feel thankful for the attention to detail.
But what stands out most of all are the Jewish elements. As a Jew, reading a comic so deeply rooted in Judaism published in a non-Jewish world was comforting.
The comic shows different aspects of Judaism, as well as relatable situations that most Jews have experienced in one way or another. Of course, the comic is filled with Yiddish words. The language is littered throughout, but thankfully, not overused. Many elements of the comic stem from biblical stories and characters, including King Solomon, but most come from Jewish folklore, like Ashemedai (king of the demons), dybbuks (demons/ghosts) and golems.
Gad and the Berkowitz Brothers used many different characters (and motifs) from Jewish folklore, making it clear how much they cared to get it right. As Jewish Americans, they probably didn’t have to do so much research, since they’ve definitely heard many Jewish tales from their Jewish families. Even though you may think you know what creature or character might appear next in the comic, there’s always a little twist, and it’s not quite who or what you expected.
Throughout the comic, Stan makes many fourth-wall-breaking comments about the story that is unfolding around him – which, as a writer, he has the right to do. He notes that certain elements of these events seem “generic,” as if someone wanted to make a Jewish superhero story, and he is at its center. Towards the end of the comic, Stan confirms his thoughts, complaining that Nazis, demons, golems and everything else in the story are all Jewish story tropes. He realizes that the story he is a part of isn’t as important as what it’s teaching: there will always be those who want to tear down the Jewish people. Jewish stories – ones about Rabbis and demons and heavenly voices and precognitive dreams – the ones you’ve probably heard many times must live on. The Jewish people have stories to tell despite the many people trying to silence us. He, as a writer, understands this.
In the first few pages of the very first issue, Stan learns that someone has graffitied Swastikas on the school building. A few pages later, his daughter ends up in an antisemetic incident. This is how Gad and the Berkowitz Brothers begin their story: by showing why the comic needs to exist in the first place.
As a Jewish person born and raised in Boston, attending Yeshiva University and majoring in English, this series relates to me on a unique level. But this series can speak to many others as well. The Writer is not Stan Seigel. The Writer is us – each one of us, preserving Judaism and its culture despite what others want us to do with it. We must make sure that we pass on not just the stories and folklore that Judaism has produced, but also the uniqueness of the Jewish people.