Incognegro

As a light-skinned African American growing up in a predominantly dark-skinned neighborhood, Johnson was electrified when he learned about the early exploits of Walter White, executive secretary of the NAACP, 1931-55. In 1919, White used his own pale skin to pass for a white and investigate lynchings in the deep South. Inspired by White's experiences, Johnson tells the similar story of Harlem journalist Zane Pinchback, whose own eyewitness reports of lynchings are regularly written up in a New York periodical under the byline Incognegro. Pinchback is on the verge of abandoning his undercover work for an editor's job when he discovers his own brother is in jail and days away from lynching for apparently murdering a white woman. How Pinchback tracks down the real killer, saves his brother's life, and narrowly escapes an angry mob form the plot of a riveting meditation on racism and self-reliance. The beautiful chiaroscuro pen-and-ink illustrations provided by veteran artist Pleece bring to vivid life one of the darkest chapters in America's racial history.--Hays, Carl Copyright 2008 Booklist

The brows are furrowed and teeth mightily clenched in Pleece's noirish artwork for Johnson's pulpy tale of a black journalist who goes undercover in the 1930s South to investigate a possible trumped-up murder charge against his brother-a charge that could lead to a lynching. Zane Pinchback, who is so light-skinned he can pass for white with a little cosmetic help, writes the "Incognegro" column for a Harlem newspaper, and his beat (like that of many a brave black journalist at the time) is the bloody circus of lynchings still claiming lives in horrendous numbers. Johnson's tale is a smart and fast-paced one, particularly when dealing with Pinchback's reluctance to return to Mississippi (wisely preferring his comparatively sheltered Harlem life). Once he's back down South, the twists and turns of the story come fast and thick, goosed by the not particularly trustworthy explanations being given by Zane's moonshine-distilling brother, and the attention-drawing antics of Zane's playboy friend Carl, who invited himself along on a lark. Johnson and Pleece have done a mostly commendable job, though the plot gets too knotted for its own good long before the conclusion, but they give a cracking Chester Himes kick to what could have been a sub-Walter Mosley imitation. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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.--M.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

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 can'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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.