« Action, Adventure, Romance | Main | Stanley Kubrick Plans Our Wedding »

November 22, 2005

Brooklyn Was Murder

Seraphic Secret friend, Neil Kleid is coming out with Brownsville, a powerful and original graphic novel. Neil has been working on this book for three years.

Here's some information from the publisher, NBM.

BROWNSVILLE HC
(Mature Themes)
HC,6x9, 200pgs, B&W
SRP: $18.95
Diamond Order Code: DEC053126
by Neil Kleid & Jake Allen

Written by Xeric Award winner Neil Kleid. In the 1930's, life in Brooklyn was murder. "Jewish gangster" isn't a term you hear much in post-Holocaust society ... but back when the Dodgers played in the East, and licorice cost a penny a bag, Brooklyn corners were lousy with semitic young toughs looking for adventure and excitement — none more so than in Brownsville. Follow the intertwined lives of Allie Tanennbaum, Abe Reles, and scores of hoods organized by Louis Lepke Buchalter into the deadliest hit operation in Mafia history, "Murder, Inc.", as they escape the mean streets and lonely tenements of East New York, and make themselves into the most dangerous men in America, only to eventually send their best friends and closest allies up the river.

Here's what people are saying about BROWNSVILLE:

"Jewish gangsters are almost unheard of these days. This taut and suspenseful drama takes people to an era that no longer exists. I'm not saying Jews are untainted by crime these days - but at least they're not out knockin' heads like they used to be!"
Harvey Pekar, writer, AMERICAN SPLENDOR

"Most of the material you'll find about the 'Jewish mafia' is garbage. This book examines a piece of the history of organized crime, and does so with grace, style and power. BROWNSVILLE carries history. Read it."
Carla Speed McNeil, creator, FINDER

Check out more about BROWNSVILLE at: rantcomics.

The full color cover is available for viewing here.

There's a hefty interview about BROWNSVILLE at Newsarama .

Neil sent me a PDF of the first few pages of the book and I was dazzled. I felt as if I was watching the Jewish version of The Godfather. Yes, it is that good.
Neil is writing and illustrating Migdal David for Seraphic Press. It won't be finished for another two years. But it will be worth the wait for Neil is a great talent.

The world of graphic novels is the richest literary vein in our culture. And within that world there is a tiny group of Jewish artists who are, with great courage and determination, creating graphic novels with authentic Jewish content.

I am in awe of their work.

Plunge into JT Waldman's version of Megillat Esther. Order Neil Kleid's compelling and painstainkingly researched Brownsville. For while the chattering classes are in their ivory echo chambers singing the praises of the tedious but oh-so-predictible works of the latest most fashionable but oh-so-forgettable novelist, it is Kleid and Waldman and a few others who are the true geniuses at work today.

Posted by Robert J. Avrech at November 22, 2005 11:43 AM

Comments

Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.

1. No profanity.

2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism.

That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.

Posted by: Randi at November 22, 2005 06:21 PM

Posted by: Robert Avrech at November 22, 2005 09:07 PM

Posted by: Steven M. Bergson at November 22, 2005 09:09 PM

Posted by: Robert Avrech at November 22, 2005 09:15 PM

Posted by: Steven M. Bergson at June 23, 2006 12:17 PM

Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at June 23, 2006 01:40 PM

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

Security Code:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)