A New Edition For Classic Jewish Baseball Story The Golem’s Mighty Swing By James Sturm
by Staff
Drawn & Quarterly have published a new edition of a classic graphic novel by James Sturm about a “barnstorming jewish baseball team” set during the Great Depression. The Golem’s Mighty Swing arrived back in shops on May 17th.
The Golem’s Mighty Swing was a foundational graphic novel for James Sturm, originally published before his well-known book Market Day and before he founded the Center for Cartoon Studies. It shows Sturm’s early and ongoing fascination with “the invisible America” focusing on “rarely-told or oft-forgotten bits of history” that he feels define the country in his works.
The graphic novel tells the story of the Stars of David, a barnstorming Jewish baseball team of the depression era. Led by its manager and third baseman, the nomadic team travels from small town to small town “providing the thrill of the sport” while emphasizing their “religious exoticism” for something to catch the attention of the local population, sometimes with negative results. When things don’t go so well, the team is faced with a need to get more people into the stands. A promoter they hire further “fans the flames of ethnic tensions”.
The graphic novel tells the story of the Stars of David, a barnstorming Jewish baseball team of the depression era. Led by its manager and third baseman, the nomadic team travels from small town to small town “providing the thrill of the sport” while emphasizing their “religious exoticism” for something to catch the attention of the local population, sometimes with negative results. When things don’t go so well, the team is faced with a need to get more people into the stands. A promoter they hire further “fans the flames of ethnic tensions”.
Here’s a look inside the new edition of this classic graphic novel:
You can find out more about The Golem’s Might Swing, and order the book from Drawn & Quarterly right here.