Michael Netzer's Early Israel Art

I remet Michael Netzer, comic book illustrator and artist, last week while babysitting for my grandchildren at Ofra where he lives. Last time was maybe two months ago at the bus station while waiting for the 148 to take us home. He has such an amazing personal history.  So I thought I'd mention our connection.

I first met him via Rachel Katsman (now Ginsberg) who roped him in to provide illustrations and even a strip for COUNTERPOINT (known for its 1987 interview with Bob Dylan when he visited Israel) which she and I co-edited in the mid-to-laye 1980s. Rachel now is with Mishpacha.

Here is her story/interview with him when back when (he had black hair):-

Here's the full artwork:

Here are two examples of a comic strip he created of political commentary:

and here is one of his covers, from December 1984, following the elections which forced the 'pushmi-pullyu'  national unity coaliton, comment on what eventually turned into the infamous subterfuge moves of Shimon Peres at the London Conference:

That's, from l-r, David Levy, Ariel Sharon, Yitzhak Shamir and Peres with American officials Hosni Mubarak and King Hussein in the doorway.

He is still drawing and we wish him well and continued success.

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