2021 started a month ago and Twitter is already in its third major controversy against comics, even if this time the culprit is western opera. After the Redo of Healer fall and the jujutsu kaisen controversy, it was the turn of the Marvel comic book Immortal Hulk, accused of feeding racist stereotypes against Jews.
In Volume 43 of Immortal Hulk, which was released in the United States on February 3, 2021, there is a cartoon in which Joe Fixit, who is currently in control of Bruce Banner’s body, purchases a diamond necklace with a stolen credit card. The name of the jewelery, written backwards in the window, is “Cronemberg’s Jewelery”. accompanied by a Star of David.
According to readers, the scene in question reinforces an anti-Semitic stereotype that wants all Jews to be greedy, dirty and tied to money, enough to do business with criminals. In addition, Cronenberg seems to be a reference to the director of the same name, who grew up in a Jewish family.
Joe Bennet, comic book artist, took full responsibility and stated the following: “In my work I have always included quotes for those who I consider great directors. In this way I respect their work. The window in question has a wrong sentence, I was writing backwards so I missed a few words (Editor’s note. The correct sentence does not change, but the designer misspelled the director’s name and lost a letter in jewelry.). I have no excuses for the way I used the Star of David, I did not realize the severity of the stereotype, but thanks to your comments I finally understood my mistake. What I did was wrong and I know it offended a lot of you so I apologize. I’ve already spoken to Marvel. From now on, I’ll think more about it before I write“.
Marvel Comics has publicly apologized, admitting that it failed to notice the bug prior to posting, and took responsibility for the gesture. The vignette will be changed from the first reprint.
In Immortal Hulk # 43 today, there was a sequence full of anti-Semitic images and harmful stereotypes that go back centuries.
– ComicsXF (@ComicsXF) February 3, 2021
That is not acceptable.@ Zachrabiroff speaks about the issues here @ RobertSecundus https://t.co/EKocgLeSSv pic.twitter.com/swLCTuX9R0
Joe Bennett should have been fired in 2019. He has since made fun of trans people on his Insta and has now snuck into some blatant anti-Semitic bullshit in Immortal Hulk. It’s EXTREMELY clear the guy is just sucking. Stop making excuses for him. Kick him out pic.twitter.com/3hZAupkQmX
– Dave Shevlin – Comfort Food Comics (@DaveShevlin) February 4, 2021
In addition to today’s crimes, there is a great old piece of anti-Semitic art on the pages of @Wonder‘s Immortal Hulk # 43 today. Look at the window of this “jewelry store” (“Jude” is even missing an L after the W). WTH?!? pic.twitter.com/ewHUWrvWeY
– Jeremy Burton (@BurtonJM) February 4, 2021
Yes … that immortal Hulk side.
– Daniel Kalban (@DanielKalban) February 4, 2021
Speak as a Jew? Not being happy is an understatement.
The fact that Marvel has seen this happen twice in the past few years …
Remember, without us Jews, you wouldn’t have a comic industry!
Immortal Hulk has been my favorite book all year round and I’m very upset about it
– Ben Berman Ghan (@InkStainedWreck) February 4, 2021
