Funny, They Don't Look Jewish!

Episode 2 - The Thing - Part 2

Episode Summary

In this episode we reach the conclusion of our deep dive into The Thing's Judaism. We look at Fantastic Four #5 featuring The Thing's Jewish wedding! We also look at various Marvel Holiday Specials where The Thing celebrates Hanukkah on several occasions

Episode Notes

• Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #5, (Legacy 650), 2018 Creators: Written by Dan
  Slott Drawn and inked by Aaron Kuder Colored by Marte Gracia & Erick
  Arciniega Lettered by VC's Joe Caramagna 4 out of 9 covers feature
  Ben in Jewish regalia! Esad Ribic cover - Ben in tallis and kippa
  holding Alicia, surrounded by heart and doves Mark Brooks variant -
  Ben in tallis and kippa holding Alicia in wedding dress Elizabeth
  Torque variant - Ben in tallis and kippa kissing Alicia under the
  chuppah Alex Ross variant - Ben in kippa kissing Alicia, surrounded
  on either side by superhero battles
  In an interview with CBR, Dan slott reveals he was building to Ben proposing to Alicia in the Thing #25, but was told the wedding
  would have to be in FF (then written by J Michael Straczynski
  First, a flashback with art by Mike and Laura Allred, very touching story about Sue teaching Ben to dance for the wedding
  while flashing back to playing matchmaker Then bachelor party
  with art by Adam Hughes. Serpent Society burst out of cakes
  Wedding in Benson, AZ??? Rabbi Lowenthal traveled with everyone
  to officiate Meet Aunt Petunia and Uncle Jake, who says kids
  being teenagers is meshugana Benson?? Don’t think there’s many
  Jews in Benson. The nearest synagogue is a 37 minute drive south
  (Temple Kol Hamidbar in Sierra Vista) Finally get to the wedding
  There is a chuppa. Ben wears a tallis “Alicia Reiss Masters and
  Benjamin Jacob Grimm” both sound more Jewish with their middle
  names (Jacob Reiss was her deceased father, Phillip Masters her
  stepfather) Doom interrupts with a worldwide projection announcing
  Galactus has returned and he'll defend earth, but nobody better
  enter Latverian airspace. The FF immediately think they need to
  spring into action “Remember what the rabbi said” Alicia asks Ben
  to have patience. Definitely what happens, people lose their
  identities, become just THE rabbi LITERAL CHUPPAH Reed uses a
  coronal displacement device (a 4-minute time bubble) to give those
  under the chutzpah time to finish the wedding while everybody else
  is frozen Amazing literalization of the chuppah as sacred time.
  Time literally freezes under the canopy They give vows. Not a
  traditionally Jewish thing, but more popular these days Typical I
  do moment No harei at, no ketubah, no sheva brachot Rabbi
  Lowenthal: “It is said that, at our weddings, the crash of a glass
  ends the hush of mythic time under a huppah… allowing the world and a
  new beginning to come rushing in. Never before has that been more
  true.” Seems entirely taken from Anita Diamant's The Jewish Wedding
  Now, which is reprinted on myjewishlearning. Pretty sure Dan just
  googled chuppah She writes “The crash of glass ends the hush of
  mythic time under the huppah, and the world rushes in. Everyone
  exhales, claps and shouts, “Mazel tov!” The celebration begins”
  Bubble snaps as they shout mazel tov, team rushes off in just married
  fantasticar
  Marvel Holiday Special 1994 The Thing in “Losin’ The Blues” Creators: Written by Greg Wright Drawn by Mike Manley Colored by
  Greg Wright Lettered by Brad Joyce Wright- early 90’s work like
  Deathlok and Morbius the Living Vampire Thing saves a group of
  ice skaters from a Christmas tree about to smash them Young girl
  named Amy starts asking lots of questions complaining about Xmas
  and Trees Intersperse their conversation with Ben stopping various
  crimes - a Salvation army robbery, a jewelry store robbery. People
  keep yelling at Ben for causing damage as he saves “I'm Jewish.
  They don't have a million Hanukkah specials on TV, or big sales,
  or tons of decorations. People think Hanukkah’s like eight days of
  Christmas, and it isn't! It wouldn't be so bad if Christmas stuff
  wasn't everywhere for three months, you know. I'm proud if my
  religion, but this stuff makes me feel--like--less or something.”
  Goes on yo explain how she doesn't see peace or goodwill, just
  fighting over presents Punk kids steal Amy's coat. Ben goes to
  offer her his, but a homeless person gives his coat first.
  Supposed to be sweet, but it's super creepy Ben gives his coat to
  the homeless man, who managed to convince Amy the season is about
  goodwill She gives Ben some felt as a Hanukkah present she just
  had lying around Ben offers to get all three hot cocoa Funny, I
  remembered the first time I read this story that it felt like Ben had
  never heard of Hanukkah before. But it comes across as him playing
  cou, leaving Amy room to articulate her own position. It could fit in
  with a narrative of Ben as someone who turned his back on his Judaism
  Marvel Holiday Special 2004 “The True Meaning of...” Creators: Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Drawn by Duncan Rouleau Inked by
  Aaron Sowd Colored by Morry Hollowell Lettered by Clem Robins
  Franklin has to write a report for school on what his family does for
  the holidays, so he dictates it to HERBIE Thing identifies himself
  and Shadowcat as the only two openly Jewish superheroes Bull. Even
  if Moon Knight is still secretive and Magneto is evil at the time,
  there's Sabra Celebrates Hanukah with Mr. Sheckerberg and orphans
  Franklin offers to host the Hanukkah party at the Baxter building,
  Ben reveals Reed and Sue have offered. But he's not interested He
  likes that it's low key
  “This is personal. Between me and God. You understand?” Ben doesn't strike me as religious.
  Franklin finally talks to Reed about whether he believes in God Ends with an equation of all religious holidays as the same
  “Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa...other holidays like Ramadan”
  Frustratingly shallow read of holidays
  Marvel Holiday Comic 2011 “Chinese Food for Christmas” Creators: Written by Jamie S. Rich Drawn by Paco Diaz Colored by
  Jean-Francois Beaulieu Lettered by Jeff Eckleberry Jamie is
  currently group editor for Batman comics FF era Ben
  Ben on the phone with Kitty Pryde, who is teasing him about his pumpkin spice eggnog latte and the fact Sasquatch and Moon
  Knight will eat all the sesame chicken
  Thing also brings up stereotypical Jewish drink, manischewitz Ben is hunting down this monster that keeps stealing Xmas
  decorations “It may be Christmas time for the gentiles, but for
  you...it's clobberin’ time!”
  Turns out the monster is stealing everything for orphan children whose charity Christmas was canceled
  Ben invites them to Jewish Christmas Weird that he asks if they have heard of Hanukkah (they have, and they know it's over)
  instead of whether they know what Jews do on Christmas All the
  Jewish superheroes celebrating together:
  Moon Knight, Songbird, Shadowcat, Thing, Sasquatch, Wiccan Gold, Langkowski, Kaplan Wiccan is lighting a hanukkiyah, which is
  cool except… He's not lit the central shanah candle We established
  Hanukkah is over!
  Marvel Two-in-One #8 (1975) - Thing and Ghost Rider team up Ghost Rider witnesses Three Wise Men recreation Thing insists that
  Mr. Fantastic celebrate Christmas with his family while he goes to
  investigate. Interpretive room for him being Jewish