With an Outstretched Arm

"With An Outstretched Arm" is an original papercut I made for Emmett to mark the occasion of him becoming a bar mitzvah January 2021. This papercut is inspired by him, by his Torah portion Va’era, and by the words he shared with his community as he made the transition to Jewish adulthood.

 The central imagery draws on words from Shemot/Exodus 6:6, in which God tells Moses to tell the Israelites, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary marvels.” The arm of a pitcher, right to left from wind-up through delivery, delivers a miraculous pitch with an outstretched arm. Within these arms, which are an allusion to Marcel Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase,”are various comic panels which reference Emmett and the responsibility he is taking on at this special moment.

“Today I am a man,” spoken by teen super hero Robin in a Batman comic, represents the day that this thoughtful, mature boy becomes a man in the eyes of his community.

The rest of the papercut includes cut-up comics which refer to his dreams (such as sports management), his ideals (including the justice and equality embodied by Jackie Robinson), and the moment when a boy becomes a man — noteworthy in the Captain Marvel comic since that hero is actually young Billy Batson, who says the magic word (Shazam) and becomes a grown man and super hero. At right is a pitcher in the moment of wind-up, standing on a pitcher’s mound which includes the EWSK logo commissioned for Emmett for his bar mitzvah — and behind that silhouette (the outline of Sandy Koufax, in one of the many references to the Dodgers in this papercut, sacred to Emmett and his family) we find references to the marvels and miracles of the Torah portion (“I still can’t believe it!”) and to Emmett’s special day (“All stand up to see what he’s done.”). Throughout the work are additional super heroes, embodying the ideals that Emmett chooses to live up to, as well as references to moments public and private.

Comics in the papercut include:

• The All-Star Story of the Dodgers (1979)
• American Flagg #6 (March 1984) — Emmett
• Batman: The Widening Gyre #1 (October 2019) — “Today I am a man.”
• Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier #1 (December 2014)
• Bullseye: Perfect Game #2 (February 2011) —”All stand up to see what he’s done.”
• Decorum #2 (June 2020)
• Justice League Special Featuring Mister Miracle #1 (1989) — #13 and “Miracle”
• Los Angeles Dodgers: The Legend of the Blue Knight (April 1997) —”I still can’t believe it!”
• Power Pack #13 (August 1985)
• Shazam! Power of Hope (November 2000)
• Shazam! #2 (April 1973) —”Shazam” and “Marvel”

Arella Whirls – Commission at Sinai

"Arella Whirls" is a papercut commission made for Stephanie Swedlove to mark her conversion to Judaism, the culmination of a ten-year journey.

Torah and Talmud tell us that all Jews were at Sinai at Revelation, to accept the Torah and the covenant with God. All Jewish souls, into the future, today and tomorrow, by birth and by choice, and so on (Talmud Shevuot 39a and Shemot Rabbah 28:6). This papercut is built around Stephanie’s presence at Sinai, even as she now takes the final steps in the conversion process. Judaism also teaches us that all humanity deserves respect and justice, reinforced for us when we were slaves in Egypt, a story which we retell every year at Passover (and continually throughout our lives). This is connected to Stephanie’s drive for justice, trust, and community. This half of her story is represented with our people’s redemption, shown in the parting of the Sea of Reeds, with a path leading to Sinai.

The foundation is made of the purple costume worn by super hero Stephanie Brown, known as Spoiler – it’s where the journey starts. Up through the parted waters, which feature Arrowverse heroes (such as Felicity from Arrow, representing Stephanie’s analytic mind). “Tomorrow” references the teaching that all Jewish souls, past and present, are “right here.” Beyond/above the waves are verses from Devarim/Deuteronomy 29: 9-14, in which we read about all the people and future generations standing at Sinai in acceptance of the covenant.

In front of Mount Sinai we have the Teen Titans, with the voice of the Divine echoing around them. The lightning of God’s voice (based on a Hebrew pun in Shemot/Exodus 20:15) is made of another hero from the Arrowverse, the Flash, and in the clouds that swirl around the mountain like the smoke from a kiln (Shemot/Exodus 19:18) comic captions read “Arella Whirls” and “Arella Turns,” reflecting the joyous dancing of the Israelites after the crossing of the Sea and in acceptance of the Torah. And of course, Arella is Stephanie’s chosen Hebrew name – reflected as well in the shape of Mt. Sinai, an abstract aleph.

Comics in the papercut include:

• Batgirl Annual #3 (January 2015)
• Batman: Huntress/Spoiler #1 (May 1998)
• Blackest Night: The Flash #1 (February 2010)
• Gotham Underground #2 (January 2008)
• Justice League of America #46 (August 2010)
• Shazam: Power of Hope (November 2000)
• The New Teen Titans #2 (October 1984), #4 (January 1985)
• Teen Titans #6 (May 2017)

You May Kiss the Groom – Both of You!

Mazal tov to Meir Bargeron and Jon Tam! I am so pleased to share with you the Bargeron-Tam ketubah, which I created for them — and they just signed it and got married this past weekend!

According to Kabbalah the four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot are especially holy days, and excellent for a wedding — and Jon and Meir got married during that auspicious time. For that reason, their ketubah is a hupah and a sukkah. The sukkah has many parallels with the hupah, after all: both represent dwellings, and are places of peace and comfort. We invite guests to join us for both, and we celebrate with food and drink. The top of the ketubah is the sukkah’s lattice roof, filled with texts about marriage taken from comic books and the ketubah text.

The lattice incorporates texts from comic books and from traditional texts referenced in the ketubah text – here, from the book of Bereshit (Genesis).

Overflowing with promises!

Here's where the ketubah gets its name from – text from X-Men #51 (August 2012). Also, text from the book of Hosea, referenced in the ketubah text.

Grapes and pomegranates climb alongside the English text: symbols of joy and family, and a reference to the wine Meir and Jon share under the hupah.

The section in between the English and Hebrew texts is made of tea leaves, specifically those used to make dong ding oolong tea, which the couple had in a tea ceremony prior to entering into the hupah. Blazing beside the Hebrew is a havdalah candle with two wicks joining into one flame; this represents the Havdalah service Jon and Meir included as part of their wedding, and the colors are those of the silk hupah under which they make their vows. The candle is also a reference to these words from the Baal Shem Tov:

From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven, and when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, the streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from that united being.

The ketubah is made of cut-up comic books, in particular wedding-themed issues — and many pieces are from mainstream superhero comics’ first same-sex wedding, in Astonishing X-Men #51. Comics in the ketubah include:

• Astonishing X-Men #51 (August 2012) — wedding of Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) and Kyle Jinadu
• The Justice League of America #121 (August 1975) — wedding of Adam and Alanna Strange
• The Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (1983) — wedding of Val Armorr (Karate Kid) and Princess Projectra
• Superman: The Wedding Album #1 (December 1996) — wedding of Clark Kent (Superman) and Lois Lane
• Ultimate Comics X-Men #22 (April 2013)
• The Wedding of Deadpool #1 (March 2016)
• X-Men Legacy #255 (November 2011)

Home is a Road: the Greenwald-Hromadka Ketubah

Mazal tov to Adam and Anne! I was so honored that they asked me to make their ketubah, and my wife and I were so pleased to celebrate with them today as they became husband and wife.

The Greenwald–Hromadka ketubah is a labyrinth: an intertwined collection of paths with infinite choices, and the potential for serendipity and coincidence. A labyrinth is designed for discovery; wandering is the intent, and every path leads to the center. A labyrinth encourages you to walk slowly, to pause here and there, to experience the path instead of just focusing on a destination. In Bereshit we read about Jacob wandering and wrestling with an angel; afterward, he realizes that he has found holy ground. That’s Adam and Anne’s story: walking the multitude of paths until they met, realizing they had found something holy, and then wandering those paths together. For Adam and Anne, home is a road.

The ketubah text is surrounded by this labyrinth, built in a palette of blues, purples, and reds. These are the colors of the mishkan — the desert tabernacle constructed by Bezalel and the Jewish people during their desert wanderings; it was a focus for worship and a work of art in itself. These colors also reference grapes (for wine and joy) and pomegranates (for fertility and the mitzvot). The building of the mishkan is a wonderful metaphor for the couple, combining Adam’s commitment to serving the Jewish community through his rabbinate, and Anne’s drive to bring beauty to the world through creation and curation; accordingly, verses from Shemot/Exodus chapter 26 are incorporated into the labyrinth.

The colorful spaces surrounded by and created by the wandering paths are cut-up comic books representing Adam and Anne — their courtship, their couplehood, and the life they are planning together. Adam’s intelligence and focus are found in the characters of Professor X (leader of the X-Men) and Mr. Terrific (the third smartest man in the world), and his passion is seen in his namesake Adam Strange, who travels between worlds to be with the love of his life. Anne’s creativity and her gypsy and cajun roots are represented in Gypsy (a member of the Justice League of America) and Rogue (a member of the X-Men, whose real name is Anna Marie), and the power of her love is personified by Star Sapphire.

The ketubah is filled with speech bubbles that relate to the couple and their wedding, and glimpses of the superheroes that stand in for them; there are allusions to many of their stories, including references to Los Angeles — which Adam and Anne describe as a key player in their relationship.

The Greenwald–Hromadka ketubah is made of cut-up comic books; this is a partial listing:

• All-Star Superman #2 –Jan 2006
• Archie #1 – May 2016
• ETC #1 – 1989
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #15 – Feb 2003
• Justice League of America #121 – Aug 1975; #234 – Jan 1985; #39 – Jan 2010
• Justice Society of America #14 – May 2008
• Loki #1 – Dec 2010
• ODY-C #1 – Nov 2014
• Promethea #31 – Oct 2004
• Rogue #3 – Mar 1995; #4 – Apr 1995)
• Runaways #15 – Jun 2006; #16 – Jul 2006
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #15 – Apr 2007
• Strange Adventures #1 – May 2009; #2 – Jun 2009
• Superman: The Wedding Album #1 – Dec 1996
• Swamp Thing #63 – Aug 1987
• Tales of the Teen Titans #50 – Feb 1985
• The Wedding of Deadpool #1 – Mar 2016
• Ultimate X-Men #53 – Jan 2005
• Wonder Woman #23.2 – Nov 2013
• X-Factor #14 – Mar 1987
• X-Men ‘92 #1 – Aug 2015

#adamandanne2016

"Tree of Life" at Children's Hospital Los Angeles

I am so excited to finally be sharing this with you – my new "Tree of Life," commissioned by Children's Hospital Los Angeles for their new chapel! It's 24" x 36" and it's chock-full – the most super heroes I've even put into one papercut.

I had the chance to see it in its new home for the first time today as the space was officially opened, and it looks fantastic. The whole space does – it's officially named the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation Interfaith Center, 2,400 square feet of "non-denominational indoor and outdoor space will serve as a place of emotional and spiritual respite for CHLA patients." (You can read more about it here.)

It is such an honor to have been asked to create a new papercut for this wonderful space – to be a part of CHLA's goals of "compassionate patient care, leading-edge education of the caregivers of tomorrow and innovative research efforts that impact children at our hospital and around the world." I hope that my "Tree of Life" inspires all who see it – patients, families, and the CHLA professionals – to be strong and to have hope.

"What do you see?" Kid Flash, Squirrel Girl, Green Lantern, Power Pack...

As regular readers of this blog probably know, we Jews call the Torah (known to others as the Bible or the Old Testament) the "tree of Life," and we say that all those who support it are happy. This tree represents our traditions of knowledge and learning, of hope and healing, of happiness and life.

This large and bountiful tree is filled with many different fruits, and features shapes of leaves from trees found throughout Los Angeles: oak, birch, madrone, and willow. Other references to Los Angeles abound.

It is filled with cut-up comics featuring super heroes — individuals who have devoted themselves to helping those who need it — as well as doctors and nurses tending to the sick. (Look for Doctor Strange, Doctor Fate, the Night Nurse, and many others.) Since it's for a Jewish prayer space, it's filled with Jewish heroes (like Kitty Pryde, Batwoman, and Ragman). The fruits are filled with younger super heroes, still learning to be their best selves. (Look for the young hero teams Power Pack, Teen Titans, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and more.) You'll find Bruce Wayne visiting a sick friend in the hospital, Beast Boy getting a checkup, Wiz Kid in his wheelchair working with the Young Avengers... and so much more.

"Tree of Life" is filled with doctors, nurses, and young heroes who strive to be strong and persevere!

It is my hope that all those who look at the tree will find within it their favorite super hero, and see themselves reflected in it as well.


This "Tree of Life" is also a tree of healing. As it happens, the shortest prayer in the Torah is one of healing — five words, eleven letters — when Moses calls upon God in Numbers/Bamidbar 12:13 to heal his sister, Miriam, with the words, “El Na R’fa Na La” – “God, Please, Heal Her Now.” This prayer is found in the trunk, along with words from the “Mi Shebeirach” healing prayer and multiple references to the Etz Chaim (the Tree of Life).

The trunk includes an LA skyline, texts on the "tree of life," and Moses' plaintive prayer to God for healing.

 So – how many super heroes? You wanna know? Here's the list (those with asterisks are young heroes, found in the fruits of the tree):

Aquaman (Arthur Curry)
Arsenic (Gertrude Yorkes)*
Atom (Ray Palmer)
Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)
Batman (Bruce Wayne)
Batwoman (Katherine Kane)
Beast Boy (Garfield Logan)*
Black Canary (Dinah Lance)
Braniac 2
Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Cyborg (Vic Stone)
Cyclops (Scott Summers)
Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
Dazzler (Alison Blaire)
Dr. Fate
Dr. Lamour*
Dr. Mid-Nite
Dr. Strange (Stephen Strange)
Energizer (Katie Power)*
Franklin Richards*
Gamora
Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
Green Lantern (John Stewart)
Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
Hawkman
The Hulk (Bruce Banner)
The Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
Iceman (Bobby Drake)
The Invisible Woman (Sue Storm)
Iron Man (Tony Stark)
Jubilee*
Kid Flash (Wally West)
Lightning Lass*
Lucy in the Sky (Karolina Dean)*
Magik (Illyana Rasputin)
Marvel Girl/Phoenix (Jean Grey)
Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers)
Nightcrawler
Night Nurse
Power PackRagman (Rory Regan)
Robin (Dick Grayson)*
Robin (Stephanie Brown)*
Rocket Raccoon
Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde)*
She-Hulk (Jen Walters)
Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Squirrel Girl (Doreen Green)*
Starfire*
Sunspot (Roberto da Costa)*
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Superman (Clark Kent)
The Thing (Ben Grimm)
Thor
Valeria Richards
Vickie Grant*
Vision
Wiz Kid (Taki Matsuya)
Wolverine
Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark)*
Wonder Girl (Donna Troy)
Wonder Woman (Diana Prince)
Zero-G (Alex Power)*
The Eleventh Doctor

And you know I always make a list of the comics I use in my pieces – this is a LONG list:

Adventure Comics #507 (Jan 2010)
Adventure Comics Presents Dial H for Hero
#481 (May 1981)
All Star Western #3 (Jan 2012)
Aquaman #35 (Dec 2014)
Avengers #7 (Jan 2011)
Batgirl Special #1 (1988)
Batman #500 (Oct 1993)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight
#4 (Feb 1990)
Batwoman #3 (Jan 2012)
Claws #3 (Dec 2006)
Convergence: Green Lantern Corps #2 (Jul 2015)
Daredevil #29 (Sep 2013), #294 (Jul 1991)
Doctor Fate #31 (Aug 1991)
Doctor Strange #65 (Jun 1984)
Doctor Who FCBD (2015)
Green Lantern #41 (Aug 2015), #108 (Sep 1978)
Green Lantern: Mosaic #1 (Jun 1992)
Green Lantern: New Guardians #35 (Dec 2014)
Elektra #1 (Jun 2014)
Excalibur #1 (Oct 1988)
Fantastic Four #156 (Mar 1974)
FF #23 (Dec 2012)
Incredible Hulk #28 (Jul 2001)
Infinity Inc. #3 (Jan 2008)
Justice #1 (Oct 2005), #12 (Aug 2007)
Justice League of America #75 (Nov 1969)
Legion ’91 #34 (Dec 1991)
Legion of Super-Heroes #16 (Mar 2013)
Magik #1 (Dec 1983), #4 (Mar 1984)
The New Mutants #87 (Mar 1990)
The New Teen Titans #1 (Aug 1984)
Night Nurse #1 (Jul 2015)
Power Pack #1 (Aug 1984), #12 (Jul 1985),
#21 (Apr 1986), #19 (Feb 1986),
#25 (Aug 1986)
Ragman #1 (Aug 1993)
Runaways #16 (Jul 2006), #19 (Oct 2006),
#7 (Oct 2005)
S.H.I.E.L.D. #4 (May 2015)
Showcase ’93 #7 (Jul 1993)
Siege: Loki #1 (Jun 2010)
Starman #23 (Jun 1990)
Superboy #18 (May 2013), #8 (Aug 2011), Annual #1 (Mar 2013), #5 (May 2011)
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27 (Apr 2007)
Superman: Peace on Earth (Jan 1999)
Swamp Thing #22 (Feb 2006)
Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #3 (Jul 1981)
Tales of the Teen Titans #57 (Sep 1985)
Tales of the Thing #1 (May 2005)
Teen Titans #4 (Dec 2003), #23.2 (Nov 2013), #13 (Sep 2004)
The Thing #2 (Feb 2006)
Thor #616 (Dec 2010), #621 (May 2011),
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 (Sep 2015)
Wonder Girl #1 (Nov 2007)
X-Men: First Class #4 (Feb 2007)
X-Static #21 (Jun 2004)
X-Terminators #3 (Dec 1988)

"Women of Valor" Opening Reception

A big THANKS to everyone who came out to the opening of "Women of Valor and Other Super Heroes" this weekend – I had a great time, and I think you did too! Here are some photos from the event, including all of the photo booth shenanigans.

(And if you want to swing by NCJW/LA to see the show – 543 Fairfax in Los Angeles – contact Carrie Jacoves at 323/852 8512 or carrie@ncjwla.org to find out when you can visit.)

My muse/inspiration/bride and I, showing how it's done.

Really pleased with the vinyl wall graphics – they added some extra OOPMH to the exhibition.

Left: Hamsa Thwip. Right: This Is A Job For Us

Getting up close and personal with "Jacob and Esav"

Perhaps a fan of Marie Curie, on whose life "Radiant Energy" is based?

It's me, in action!

My girls manned the photo booth, where guests could step into a simulated papercut.

We premiered some rough footage of a documentary currently in production, titled "You did WHAT to my comics?!?"