Shaloman

{{Short description|Jewish superhero}} {{Infobox comics character  |image= |caption= |character_name=Shaloman |real_name=None (inanimate rock) |publisher=Mark 1 Comics |debut=''Shaloman'' #1 (1988) |creators=Al Wiesner |alliances= |aliases= |powers=invulnerability, super strength, hearing, senses, and "Sensor Vision" }} '''Shaloman''' is a Jewish superhero with powers similar to Superman. Known as "The Man of Stone," "Defender of the Downtrodden," and the "Kosher Crusader,"<ref name="ComicCon">"Comic-Con International Special Guests," Comic-Con Magazine (Winter 2010).</ref> Shaloman was created by Al Wiesner.

==Publication history== Shaloman was created by Wiesner in 1985<ref name="ComicCon" /> because he believed there were few Jewish heroes serving as positive role models. Wiesner drew inspiration from the creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joseph Shuster, both of whom were Jewish. Although Wiesner was an admirer of Siegel and Shuster's work on Superman, he commented that the ethnicity of the character was rarely brought up and that many fans assumed Superman was a WASP. The last ''Shaloman'' comic was printed in 2012.

==Fictional history== Three wise men used magic to give a rock (shaped like a Shin after being struck by lightning) the power to become Shaloman and stop the evils of the world. They named him "Shaloman," because shalom means "peace" in Hebrew.

==Powers== Shaloman is normally an inanimate rock, until someone cries out the words of help "Oy vey!" These words transform the rock into a muscular, curly-haired man.

In human form, Shaloman has superhuman strength, an unspecified degree of invulnerability and does not need to breathe. He can fly and is so fast he can create vortices. He has super hearing (he is able to distinguish different sounds even if he is above the atmosphere of the Earth) and "sensor vision" (a kind of telescopic vision). In one story he has telepathy.<ref>''New Adventures of Shaloman'' #1 (Mark 1 Comics, 1991).</ref> In ''Shaloman'' Vol.1, #3, a substance called "She-nite" can weaken him.<ref>''Shaloman'' #3 (Mark 1 Comics, 1989).</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== *[http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/s/shaloman.htm Shaloman entry, International Catalogue of Super-Heroes] *Stevens, Diana (Fall 2000). "The Legend of Shaloman", ''The United Synagogue Review'', pages 32–33

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080516045924/http://www.jewishstore.com/Books/Shaloman.asp Shaloman at JewishStore.com]

Category:Comics characters introduced in 1988 Category:Jewish superheroes Category:Male characters in comics Category:1988 comics debuts Category:2012 comics endings Category:Comics characters with superhuman strength Category:Comics about anthropomorphic objects Category:Fictional objects Category:Telepath characters in comics