Overview

The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories tells the story of how cartoonist Asaf Hanuka illustrates both universal and particular narratives. Through close readings of Hanuka's entire catalogue of comics and graphic narratives, Hanuka's work is situated within the broader story of his own experiences of being an insider (as a Jew and Israeli) and an outsider (as a Mizrahi, or Judeo-Arab) in Israeli society. By moving chronologically through Hanuka's works, the book traces how Hanuka navigates these disparate particular identities alongside more universal concerns about how to be a present partner to his spouse and to his children.

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Reviews

“In his study of the comics written and illustrated by Asaf Hanuka, Reingold makes the case that Hanuka infuses many different aspects of his identity into his comics, with important and meaningful questions being asked of Israel as well as the wider world. Reingold traces Hanuka’s personal life and career trajectory through personal interviews with Hanuka as well as very close readings and interpretations of his oeuvre…This book is recommended for academic libraries that collect other similar materials about artists in Israel or the Jewish world more generally.” — Eli Lieberman, AJL News & Reviews “Amer­i­can Jew­ish per­cep­tions of Israel are often con­flat­ed with polit­i­cal and reli­gious affil­i­a­tion. The comics of Asaf Hanu­ka offer a rad­i­cal­ly dif­fer­ent and more nuanced approach to the coun­try and its peo­ple. Through his work, as Matt Rein­gold explains in this detailed study, Hanu­ka explores what it means to be Israeli, Jew­ish, and Mizrahi. At the same time, Hanu­ka speaks to uni­ver­sal themes, includ­ing the dif­fi­cul­ties of par­ent­ing and the chal­lenges of per­son­al lim­i­ta­tions. … Reingold’s study engages crit­i­cal­ly with the incon­sis­ten­cies — includ­ing inten­tion­al ones — in Hanuka’s analy­ses of his country. … Asaf Hanuka’s work is an open book, not a closed one. Read­ers unfa­mil­iar with this unique writer and artist will be drawn to his vision of the world.” — Emi­ly Schnei­der, Jewish Book Council “[Asaf] Hanuka is, as Reingold notes in his engaging biography, a niche artist whose background becomes the basis for his themes in art. … The book that Reingold has written is engaging and thought-provoking. As noted at the start, Hanuka has been able to challenge generalities through his work. His perspectives have allowed different groups to be heard, or at least be recognized. In the political climate of 2024 where voices are often lost because of perceptions, this book helped to widen the view.”  — Cord A. Scott, International Journal of Comic Art “Asaf Hanuka has long been one of Israel’s most provocative cartoonists and voices of dissent, and in these pages Matt Reingold’s terrifically incisive criticism illuminates compelling dimensions of Hanuka’s eclectic artistry, whether commemorating the Shoah, the insider-outsider identity of Mizrahi Israelis, anxieties about Israel’s faltering democracy, militarism, and human rights record, or the perils of fatherhood and masculinity. Hanuka’s vibrant graphic storytelling ranges from the fantastical and  grotesque to the mundane, and Reingold captures all of it splendidly, demonstrating why Hanuka’s edgy work resonates both in Israel and internationally. An indispensable, captivating guide for both scholars and the classroom to a brilliant artist at the forefront of contemporary visual culture.” — Ranen Omer-Sherman, Editor of Amos Oz: The Legacy of a Writer in Israel and Beyond “The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories significantly contributes to contemporary scholarship on the diversity of Israeli identities in visual media by providing the first thorough examination of the cartoons, comics, and graphic narratives of the award-winning Israeli artist Asaf Hanuka. Reingold’s compelling book captures how Hanuka’s oeuvre spanning over two decades has offered an increasingly nuanced and sharp critique of contemporary Israeli society, especially the erosion of democracy and the unfair treatment of its minorities, one which mirrors the evolution of the artist’s understanding of his own intersectional Israeli, Mizrachi, Jewish, and gendered identities. This is an indispensable book for everyone interested in the evolution of Israeli comics and identity issues.” — Dana Mihăilescu, University of Bucharest “This fascinating in-depth study of the work of Asaf Hanuka fluidly demonstrates the political, social, cultural, and artistic range of the cartoonist’s vision. Drawing upon Hanuka's hybrid background, Reingold shows the ways in which constructs of identity shape his richly figured comics. This is an important book that situates Hanuka’s comics in a narrative of social and political critique and speaks to the significant and enduring influence of this groundbreaking cartoonist.” — Victoria Aarons, O.R. & Eva Mitchell Distinguished Professor of Literature, Trinity University “This is a robust, layered reading that helps the reader understand Hanuka’s work in its Israeli context and helps to reveal what is truly groundbreaking about it. I enjoyed it immensely.” — Kevin Haworth, author of The Comics of Rutu Modan: War, Love, and Secrets “Matt Reingold’s close examination of Eisner Award winning cartoonist Asaf Hanuka's entire body of work adeptly analyzes the artist-writer’s diverse subjects and styles. Expanding our understanding of the comics’ landscape, this penetrating study fleshes out the many dimensions of Israeli society, Jewish identity, and Mizrahi heritage through Hanuka’s artistic navigation of that complex universe.” — Samantha Baskind, Distinguished Professor of Art History, Cleveland State University

“Asaf Hanuka has long been one of Israel’s most provocative cartoonists and voices of dissent, and in these pages Matt Reingold’s terrifically incisive criticism illuminates compelling dimensions of Hanuka’s eclectic artistry, whether commemorating the Shoah, the insider-outsider identity of Mizrahi Israelis, anxieties about Israel’s faltering democracy, militarism, and human rights record, or the perils of fatherhood and masculinity. Hanuka’s vibrant graphic storytelling ranges from the fantastical and  grotesque to the mundane, and Reingold captures all of it splendidly, demonstrating why Hanuka’s edgy work resonates both in Israel and internationally. An indispensable, captivating guide for both scholars and the classroom to a brilliant artist at the forefront of contemporary visual culture.” — Ranen Omer-Sherman, Editor of Amos Oz: The Legacy of a Writer in Israel and Beyond “The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories significantly contributes to contemporary scholarship on the diversity of Israeli identities in visual media by providing the first thorough examination of the cartoons, comics, and graphic narratives of the award-winning Israeli artist Asaf Hanuka. Reingold’s compelling book captures how Hanuka’s oeuvre spanning over two decades has offered an increasingly nuanced and sharp critique of contemporary Israeli society, especially the erosion of democracy and the unfair treatment of its minorities, one which mirrors the evolution of the artist’s understanding of his own intersectional Israeli, Mizrachi, Jewish, and gendered identities. This is an indispensable book for everyone interested in the evolution of Israeli comics and identity issues.” — Dana Mihăilescu, University of Bucharest “This fascinating in-depth study of the work of Asaf Hanuka fluidly demonstrates the political, social, cultural, and artistic range of the cartoonist’s vision. Drawing upon Hanuka's hybrid background, Reingold shows the ways in which constructs of identity shape his richly figured comics. This is an important book that situates Hanuka’s comics in a narrative of social and political critique and speaks to the significant and enduring influence of this groundbreaking cartoonist.” — Victoria Aarons, O.R. & Eva Mitchell Distinguished Professor of Literature, Trinity University “This is a robust, layered reading that helps the reader understand Hanuka’s work in its Israeli context and helps to reveal what is truly groundbreaking about it. I enjoyed it immensely.” — Kevin Haworth, author of The Comics of Rutu Modan: War, Love, and Secrets “Matt Reingold’s close examination of Eisner Award winning cartoonist Asaf Hanuka's entire body of work adeptly analyzes the artist-writer’s diverse subjects and styles. Expanding our understanding of the comics’ landscape, this penetrating study fleshes out the many dimensions of Israeli society, Jewish identity, and Mizrahi heritage through Hanuka’s artistic navigation of that complex universe.” — Samantha Baskind, Distinguished Professor of Art History, Cleveland State University

"""Asaf Hanuka has long been one of Israel's most provocative cartoonists and voices of dissent, and in these pages Matt Reingold's terrifically incisive criticism illuminates compelling dimensions of Hanuka's eclectic artistry, whether commemorating the Shoah, the insider-outsider identity of Mizrahi Israelis, anxieties about Israel's faltering democracy, militarism, and human rights record, or the perils of fatherhood and masculinity. Hanuka's vibrant graphic storytelling ranges from the fantastical and grotesque to the mundane, and Reingold captures all of it splendidly, demonstrating why Hanuka's edgy work resonates both in Israel and internationally. An indispensable, captivating guide for both scholars and the classroom to a brilliant artist at the forefront of contemporary visual culture."" -- Ranen Omer-Sherman, Editor of Amos Oz: The Legacy of a Writer in Israel and Beyond ""The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories significantly contributes to contemporary scholarship on the diversity of Israeli identities in visual media by providing the first thorough examination of the cartoons, comics, and graphic narratives of the award-winning Israeli artist Asaf Hanuka. Reingold's compelling book captures how Hanuka's oeuvre spanning over two decades has offered an increasingly nuanced and sharp critique of contemporary Israeli society, especially the erosion of democracy and the unfair treatment of its minorities, one which mirrors the evolution of the artist's understanding of his own intersectional Israeli, Mizrachi, Jewish, and gendered identities. This is an indispensable book for everyone interested in the evolution of Israeli comics and identity issues."" -- Dana Mihăilescu, University of Bucharest ""This fascinating in-depth study of the work of Asaf Hanuka fluidly demonstrates the political, social, cultural, and artistic range of the cartoonist's vision. Drawing upon Hanuka's hybrid background, Reingold shows the ways in which constructs of identity shape his richly figured comics. This is an important book that situates Hanuka's comics in a narrative of social and political critique and speaks to the significant and enduring influence of this groundbreaking cartoonist."" -- Victoria Aarons, O.R. & Eva Mitchell Distinguished Professor of Literature, Trinity University ""This is a robust, layered reading that helps the reader understand Hanuka's work in its Israeli context and helps to reveal what is truly groundbreaking about it. I enjoyed it immensely."" -- Kevin Haworth, author of The Comics of Rutu Modan: War, Love, and Secrets ""Matt Reingold's close examination of Eisner Award winning cartoonist Asaf Hanuka's entire body of work adeptly analyzes the artist-writer's diverse subjects and styles. Expanding our understanding of the comics' landscape, this penetrating study fleshes out the many dimensions of Israeli society, Jewish identity, and Mizrahi heritage through Hanuka's artistic navigation of that complex universe."" -- Samantha Baskind, Distinguished Professor of Art History, Cleveland State University"

Author Information

Matt Reingold is the author of Gender and Sexuality in Israeli Graphic Novels: Contested Masculinity and Independent Femininity (Routledge), Reenvisioning Israel Through Political Cartoons: Visual Discourses During the 2018-2021 Electoral Crisis (Lexington), and Jewish Comics and Graphic Narratives (Bloomsbury). He teaches at TanenbaumCHAT in Toronto.

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