- Nice Jewish Boys #1
- ComiXology Originals
- Written by Neil Kleid
- Illustrated by John Broglia
- Colors by Ellie Wright
- Edited by Sarah Litt
- Co-Created by Neil Kleid & John Broglia
Behind a backdrop of synagogues and Sabbath meals, three childhood best friends are embroiled in a delicate triangle of crime, cops, guilt, and gefilte fish, when this Jewish suburban crime story comes to an explosive head at a bar mitzvah packed with blintzes and betrayal.
“Nice Jewish Boy” Jake Levin had no clue what he was getting into when he took a marketing job, working for his lifelong friend Chaim. But with bills piling up and his own work as a writer in a bit of a standstill, he reaches for the offered hand. It starts out, as these things often do, with slogans & social media campaigns. It ends in…
No, I think that’d be telling, although the first page you’ll see previewed below might be a little leading.
I’ve been a fan of Neil Kleid since his fantasy series, Kings and Canvas, back in 2016 (have I seriously been writing for ThePullbox that long?). It was one of my early introductions to indie comics, & paved the way for a single, life-altering conviction: independent comics are where creativity is born. Neil has continued his career, through thick and thin, and working with co-creator John Broglia on this one it’s all coming home to roost.
Kleid & Broglia bring their personal experience, as Nice Jewish Boys, spotlighting the pitfalls of working to become good Jewish men. Far from showing an idealized version of the experience, they’re bringing the whole picture to the page, with the intent of humanizing a group that are very often regarded as “other”. Lead character Jake has all the problems we can have thrown at us, Jew or Gentile, not the least of all being the dual edge of meeting societal expectations. Neil Kleid’s script takes its time as Jake navigates what turns out to be a minefield of happenstance, where he realizes that the lifejacket his good friend Chaim thew him has settled snugly around his neck.
John Broglia & Ellie Wright are crafting the visual tone for this book, and it’s something that may not work for all comic book readers. There aren’t going to be any larger-than-life people, no caped crusaders striking dynamic poses in the moonlight. If you’re looking for flashy action sequences, the good news is that there are plenty of those books out there. If you can appreciate the care that goes into presenting everyday folk doing everyday things, here’s your jam. With that in mind, Broglia seems to take a slightly stylized approach, paying less attention to a realistic ideal and more on what could be defining characteristics. Ellie Wright’s contributions as colorist gives weight and substance to the linework, filling in the world and characters in it. There aren’t many intermediate shadows, leaning into harsh contrasts that give a bit of a noir atmosphere to an Everyman story.
Nice Jewish Boys is going to be a harder sell for people who come to comics for escapism and action-packed spectacle. Anyone looking for something more gradual, more detailed in the handling of its characters, and presenting everyday pitfalls in their extreme, you can do a lot worse. Fire up the Kindle, or whatever digital reader is your go-to, & dig in.
Final Score: 11/13
