Incognegro SC by Mat Johnson, Warren Pleece (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Writer Mat Johnson (HELLBLAZER: PAPA MIDNITE), winner of the prestigious Hurston-Wright Legacy Award for fiction, constructs a fearless graphic novel that is both a page-turning mystery and a disturbing exploration of race and self-image in America, masterfully illustrated with rich period detail by Wareen Pleece (THE INVISIBLES, HELLBLAZER). In the early 20th Century, when lynchings were commonplace throughout the American South, a few courageous reporters from the North risked their lives to expose these atrocities. They were African-American men who, due to their light skin color, could "pass" among the white folks. They called this dangerous assignment going "incognegro."Zane Pinchback, a reporter for the New York-based New Holland Herald barely escapes with his life after his latest "incognegro" story goes bad. But when he returns to the sanctuary of Harlem, he's sent to investigate the arrest of his own brother, charged with the brutal murder of a white woman in Mississippi. With a lynch mob already swarming, Zane must stay "incognegro" long enough to uncover the truth behind the murder in order to save his brother — and himself. He finds that the answers are buried beneath layers of shifting identities, forbidden passions and secrets that run far deeper than skin color.

The New York Times - George Gene Gustines

Zane Pinchback, a reporter for The New Holland Herald of New York, is a black man who can pass for white. Zane uses this ability to go undercover to investigate lynchings in the 1930s South. "Identity is open-ended," he proclaims. "Why have just one?" That belief is a theme that comes up in unexpected ways in this engrossing graphic novel, with its smart dialogue and sharp images…The ultimate examples of passing are tied to the central mystery and the coup de grace of Incognegro, both of which are best not revealed here. The former is a tragedy while the latter, which punishes the man behind the lynchings, is a case of both poetic justice and deliberate mistaken identity. The powerful coda well befits the story, much as Incognegro proudly exemplifies the graphic novel.

Martha Cornog - Library Journal

This crime noir story was inspired by the real-life Walter White, who passed as white in the Deep South to sleuth out lynchings in the 1930s. Johnson's journalist is Zane Pinchback, writing a Harlem "Incognegro" column that similarly exposes racist atrocities. Zane is about to trade his column for an editor job when he hears that his brother has been set up for murder in Tupelo, so he heads south one last time for an investigative gig too close for comfort. And when jive-ass friend Carl invites himself along, Zane knows the affair could get even more complicated. Then the murdered woman turns up alive, and Zane thinks he can clear his brother's name, but a furious Klan leader and a heartbroken sheriff enter the mix and Carl's posturing as a foreign cognoscente tips Zane's plans into chaos. Heavy-handed at times, the fast-paced plot features multiple twists and a tragic resolution. Pleece's black-and-white art gives a sometimes too static, old-newspaper-photo feel, but his action sequences work well. This would be a fine addition to curricula and African American period studies, conveying the chill of serious racism as no textbook can. Rated mature owing to strong language and violence but still appropriate for older teens.

School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up -This bleak but incredibly compelling and fast-paced historical graphic novel reads like a classic film noir. Beginning with some voice-over narration from our hero, Zane Pinchbeck, the book transports readers to the Deep South of the early 20th century, where they become witness to a lynching. The protagonist is a light-skinned African-American newsman who poses as white to infiltrate pockets of the racist South. Known as Incognegro, he reports for a Harlem newspaper about the events he witnesses. After a close call with the Ku Klux Klan, he decides to retire his alter ego, until he is given an offer he cana't refuse. The ensuing story involves mistaken identity, bizarre love affairs, kidnapping, the frighteningly sad demise of a supporting character, and a thoroughly satisfying end panel. The extreme black-and-white illustrations (there is no gray) add to the noir feel. Both the depictions of violence and the use of racist language can be harsh, but honest, all in keeping with the plot and tone of the story and the time period. However, the book is not without touches of humor, particularly in Zane's tagalong playboy friend. Johnson and Pleece have combined their considerable talents to create this cinematic portrayal of one of America's most shameful time periods.-Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD

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