Jews object to comic book figure -- Foe of procedure is anti- Semitic, they say

SAN DIEGO - With fists clenched and muscles rippling beneath atight blue suit, the yellow-caped character appears poised to takeon evil-doers.

But as his name suggests, "Foreskin Man" is not a typical comic-book superhero, and neither is his choice of adversaries: doctorswho practice circumcision and Orthodox Jews who support thereligious ritual.

San Diego activist Matthew Hess says he conceived the Internetcomic series last year as a way to boost his budding national effortto outlaw circumcision, an effort that has led to a measure on SanFrancisco's ballot in November that would make it illegal to performa circumcision on a boy under 18.

Recently, though, the series has drawn criticism from those whoderide Hess' imagery as anti-Semitic and liken Foreskin Man'sconfrontation with a sinister-looking Monster Mohel to 1930's Nazipropaganda.

In the comic's second issue, the mohel (a specialist in Jewishcircumcision) barges into a San Diego home, snatches a baby boy fromhis mother, and starts to circumcise the infant before being stoppedby Foreskin Man.

"The (Monster) mohel has a dark complexion, hook nose and ispractically drooling at the thought of apparently doing harm to achild," said Nancy Appel, associate director of the Anti-DefamationLeague. "He even has claws on his fingertips. He is bloodthirstyjust like the grotesque Jewish stereotypes that appeared in Nazipropaganda. It's absolutely a direct parallel."

Hess is the founder of MGMbill, a national organization pushingto outlaw circumcision on boys under the age of 18. MGM stands forMale Genital Mutilation.

Hess said he launched his campaign in 2003 but had been getting a"lot of glazed eyes" until he created Foreskin Man. The first issue,in which Foreskin Man confronts Dr. Mutilator, was viewed as kind of"weird," he said, but the second issue has sent Internet trafficsoaring.

"This is generating a lot of attention that is pushing people tolook into this a little bit more. It is a serious human rightsviolation."

Critics agree it is drawing attention - but, they say, notsupport. In an editorial, the San Francisco Chronicle said thecomic's "classic anti-Semitic imagery is inexcusable" and shows an"ugly undercurrent to the campaign."

Hess said the character's blond, Germanic features reflect hisown heritage and that the comic is not anti-Semitic because thesuperhero saves a Jewish baby from genital mutilation.

"I'm not a Nazi," he said.