“Jewish Magic and Superstition” Interview!
Because I’m the author of a nonfiction book called The Encyclopedia of Curious Rituals and Superstitions, sometimes people interview me about that very subject. Case in point: recently, Cantor Jonathan Friedmann of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (www.iishj.org) interviewed me, and we talked about the superstitious origins of Jewish talismans such as the hamsa.
(That’s a small sculpture of a hand with an eye in the center. Hamsas are often made of metal and used as either jewelry or wall art. You’ve seen them before! I know you have! Saks Fifth Avenue sells them!)
During the interview, Jonathan and I also discussed everyday objects like birthday cakes and bridal veils, and how those things were originally created for superstitious reasons. And we talked about why these types of superstitions are so universal, and what the very concept of a superstition tells us about the human race in general. You can check out the entire
interview HERE.
And you can buy a copy of The Encyclopedia of Curious Rituals and Superstitions HERE, HERE, or HERE.
“Mars Attacks Christmas” Is Out Now!
If you thought I only worked on Hanukkah-themed projects during the wintertime, you’re wrong! You want proof? Well, look no further than Mars Attacks Christmas, the new trading card set which is out now from Topps! I wrote the story outline and the “back-of-the-card” text for all of the Mars Attacks Christmas base “storyline set” cards (and a number of the insert cards as well). The base cards were illustrated by Terry Wolfinger, and the insert and sketch cards were illustrated by Jason Crosby, Rob Demers, David Acevedo, Ryan Finley, and a few other folks. I had SO much fun working on this card set, and I’m really proud to say that I contributed to it. A huge thanks to the folks at Topps for hiring me. *
Here’s an official description of the Mars Attacks Christmas set from the folks at Topps:
The Martians have returned to attack Earth, and this time it’s Christmas. 2026 Mars Attacks Christmas features a collection of never-before-seen artwork across the base set and inserts, bringing the iconic Mars Attacks characters into a festive Christmas setting with colorful and dynamic parallels.
Collect the 50-card base set to discover how the battle for Earth unfolds, with the story continuing across a variety of insert sets. Look for Caught in the Crossfire Autographs, featuring celebrities fighting off the Martian invasion, including Mike Tyson, Dennis Rodman, Jeff Goldblum, and more!
Collectors can also find limited relic cards featuring items recovered from the battlefield between Santa Claus and the Martians, as well as ultra-rare sketch cards from top artists showcasing Mars Attacks characters with a Christmas twist.
Here’s a look at some of the cards (both the fronts and backs of ‘em):
For more info, or to buy a full set of Mars Attacks Christmas cards, CLICK HERE and HERE.
To read an interview with Mars Attacks Christmas artist Jason Crosby, CLICK HERE.
* In full disclosure, I should probably point out that Mars Attacks Christmas was far from the first project I’ve worked on for Topps. In fact, I’ve worked as a freelance copywriter/gag writer for Topps since 2008. Keep watching this site, though, because I’ll probably be putting up some more blog posts soon where I’ll be talking about some of the other Topps projects I’ve worked on over the years, and where you can find them! I think it’s also important to mention that Mars Attacks Christmas was the first Topps project I worked on that involved the Mars Attacks IP, which was very important for me personally. The Mars Attacks trading cards were rereleased (or reissued? Not sure what the proper term is) when I was a kid, and they were a big influence on my creative sensibilities. So working on Mars Attacks Christmas was a real “coming full circle” moment for me. **
** And when I said, “A huge thanks to the folks at Topps for hiring me,” I should add, “Especially Shay Atwood, Ryan Carroll, Aaron Abrams, and Nick DeChristopher.”