Batman. Superman. Mendy and the Golem.

If that last name seems out of place, you may want to stop by “Jews and American Comics: An Exhibition of Popular Art,” a new exhibit at Brown University.

Organized by a team of Brown students under the direction of historian Paul Buhle, the show features examples of work by Rube Goldberg, Al Kapp, Art Spiegelman and Robert and Aline Crumb, among others. It also comes in two parts — one (at the John Hay Library, 20 Prospect St.) focuses on the role of Jewish artists and writers in the development of American comics; the other (at the John Nicholas Brown Center Carriage House Gallery, entrance at 47 Power St.), focuses on contemporary comics artists such as Spiegelman, the Crumbs, Miriam Katin and Eric Drooker.

The exhibit, which runs through Dec. 19, opens tonight, with a lecture by James Sturm, director of the Vermont-based Center for Cartoon Studies. Sturm’s talk is at 5 p.m. in the Salomon Center for Teaching at the northeast corner of the Brown Green. A reception will follow at 6:30 p.m. at the John Nicholas Brown Center. For more information, call (401) 863-1177.

Also this weekend: Anthony Amore, director of security at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Garner Museum, will discuss the problem of art theft (including, presumably, the well-known 1990 theft of works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other artists from the Gardner) at the University of Rhode Island. Amore, whose talk is part of a university seminar on forensic science, will speak tomorrow from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Room 124 of Pastore Hall, 51 Lower College Rd., Kingston.