Reviews
"Though the adventure is fast-paced and fun, themes of racism, colonialism, counterculture, and family are all explored. . . . Period pop horror that will lure readers in for important history lessons."--Kirkus Reviews, "A new YA graphic novel [that] takes a moment in real world history and turns it into the basis for a thrilling adventure that is never anything less than stylish."-The Hollywood Reporter, "Lizard in a Zoot Suit is a beautifully rendered, heartbreaking, and insightful graphic adventure."--John Jennings, illustrator of Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, "Latinx teen twin sisters Flaca and Cuata are aching to sneak out for a night on the town with friends in 1943 downtown Los Angeles. When a group of aggressive sailors pick a fight with the twins' friends, an oversize anthropomorphic lizard comes to their rescue. Grateful for his help and curious about his origins, the girls take the lizard, Chulito, home with them to try to learn more. But Flaca and Cuata soon discover that crooked naval scientist Dr. James Rogers has been searching for Chulito for years and will stop at nothing to get the lizard in his custody. The two-toned artwork relies on a soft, buttery yellow, with sturdy yet sinuous black lines, minimalist backgrounds, and clever uses of silhouettes to create a sophisticated retro feel. Chulito never speaks, but his expressive face and gestures clearly convey meaning. Spanish, including slang, is sprinkled throughout but readers are not provided with a glossary or in-text translation; in some cases, meaning can be inferred. Derogatory terms--wetback and spic--are used but not gratuitously so. Finnegan also cleverly draws a parallel between the Latinx community's treatment of Chulito, whose family was displaced by humans, and the treatment of Latinx individuals by white communities. A brief history of the Zoot Suit Riots, a six-day race-based conflict between American servicemen and Mexican Americans in 1943 Southern California, is included in the back matter, alongside sketches and notes on character design and page layouts. VERDICT A unique and effective lens through which fans of historical fiction can view the treatment of the 'other' and race issues of the 1940s."--School Library Journal, "Lizard in a Zoot Suit is a beautifully rendered, heartbreaking, and insightful graphic adventure that uses the metaphor of the 'monster' to unpack one of the most tragic events in US history. Finnegan deftly uses his mastery of the comics medium to engage with the surreal nature of what it means to be seen as 'other' and how that perspective endangers people of color and our civil liberties. Everyone should read this book!"--John Jennings, author of Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, Marco Finnegan talks about setting his new YA graphic novel during the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. A new YA graphic novel takes a moment in real world history and turns it into the basis for a thrilling adventure that is never anything less than stylish -- but what else could be expected from a book titled Lizard in a Zoot Suit? The 144-page graphic novel by Marco Finnegan (Crossroad Blues, Last Fair Deal Gone Down) takes place in 1940s Los Angeles, where two teen girls have to risk everything to keep an alien in need away from a corrupt government scientist -- even though there are literal riots -- the so-called "Zoot Suit Riots" of June 1943 -- happening all around them. "I have been interested in the Zoot Suit Riots ever since watching Luis Valdez's musical of the same name as a kid," Finnegan tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Around the time I started toying with the idea of doing a YA adventure story with Chicano leads, I watched LA Confidential and Black Dahlia and noticed a pattern of how the Riots were treated in pop culture. In the case of these two films, LA Confidential alludes to the riots, but is off by ten years and the Black Dahlia paints the Chicanos as drunk and violent thugs. Both movies use the riots as an excuse to use racial slurs and show white police officers beating up Chicanos. This got me thinking about how pop culture of and about the 1940s really goes out of the way to erase Chicanos as part of the L.A. mythology, which is crazy when you consider that, during the 1940s, Mexican Americans already made up a large percentage of the city." This led to Finnegan's desire to create a story going against the trend -- not only by centering around two Mexicans, but two Mexican women, Cuata and Flaca. "When we think about Zoot Suiters we think of young men full of machismo and cool as can be, but I thought it would be interesting to focus on the girls who were also a part of the scene," Finnegan explains. "While some of the boys were sent to prison, the girls were sent to reformatory school, which in some cases was worse." Of course, as the title suggests, Lizard in a Zoot Suit has a further star beyond Cuata and Flaca. "I set out to do an adventure story with Chicano kids but the sci-fi element was always there, and keeping Chulito, our lizard boy, in the story made even more sense when I discovered the urban legend of 'the mayan lizard people catacombs' that ran under Los Angeles," Finnegan says. "I was so excited that it all fit together. Cuata and Flaca are kids trying to do the right thing helping Chulito amidst the chaos of their reality. I wanted them to be heroes, not victims, and have something to save. That it's a lizard boy also gave me a lot of room creatively to have some fun with it, and add that sense of adventure I craved as a kid." Finnegan said that he'd like the book to educate and inspire its YA audience. "My hope is that this little story about two twin sisters rescuing a monster will show a different side of the Zoot Suit Riots, and bring them into existence for a new generation. If all we see about the Zoot Suiters is that they were punching bags for cops and sailors, thugs, or a cliche of machismo to be appropriated, then that is all they will be. If this book entertains folks and allows them see the Zoot Suiters as kids just trying to figure out who they were, then I think I accomplished my goal.", "A unique and effective lens through which fans of historical fiction can view the treatment of the 'other' and race issues of the 1940s."--School Library Journal, "An entertaining and meaningful story. The bicultural characters and diverse Mexican American setting are a fun entry point into some serious Chicano history, the era of the 1940s Zoot Suit Riots. Put on your tacuche and your tando, and get ready for Lizard in a Zoot Suit!"--Lalo Alcaraz, illustrator of Latino USA: A Cartoon History, "Lizard in a Zoot Suit is a beautifully rendered, heartbreaking, and insightful graphic adventure that uses the metaphor of the 'monster' to unpack one of the most tragic events in US history. Finnegan deftly uses his mastery of the comics medium to engage with the surreal nature of what it means to be seen as 'other' and how that perspective endangers people of color and our civil liberties. Everyone should read this book!"--John Jennings, illustrator of Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, "An entertaining and meaningful story. The bicultural characters and diverse Mexican American setting are a fun entry point into some serious Chicano history, the era of the 1940s Zoot Suit Riots. Put on your tacuche and your tando, and get ready for Lizard in a Zoot Suit!"--Lalo Alcaraz, author of Latino USA: A Cartoon History, "Marco Finnegan provides smart commentary on racism, gender roles and the counterculture of the period. Teens will enjoy this sci-fi take on a moment in U.S. history that isn't discussed enough."-Mom Read It, "This fun, character-driven, all-ages historical sci-fi romp is wacky, out-of-this-world and pure enjoyment. Finnegan pulls out all the stops and crafts a unique adventure that feels fresh and vibrant." --Alex Segura, acclaimed comic book writer of THE BLACK GHOST, THE ARCHIES and more, In this sci-fi alternate history, we visit 1943 Los Angeles, home of the Zoot Suit Riots. Siblings Flaca and Cuata meet a five-foot tall lizard when he saves them from some unsavory sailors one night, when they got out dancing. They hide him in their home and discover he's part of a race of underground lizard people. He wants to get back to his family, but there are soldiers and mysterious government men wandering the sisters' neighborhood, on the lookout. To sneak him back to his home, the Flaca and Cuata dress the lizard up in one of Flaca's zoot suits and head off on an adventure. Yellow, black and white artwork give a stark, noir feel to the story, which is both sensitive and funny. Marco Finnegan provides smart commentary on racism, gender roles and the counterculture of the period. Teens will enjoy this sci-fi take on a moment in U.S. history that isn't discussed enough., "Lizard in a Zoot Suit is a beautifully rendered, heartbreaking, and insightful graphic adventure that uses the metaphor of the 'monster' to unpack one of the most tragic events in US history. Finnegan deftly uses his mastery of the comics medium to engage with the surreal nature of what it means to be seen as 'other' and how that perspective endangers people of color and our civil liberties. Everyone should read this book!"--John Jennings, author Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, "With a dash of mid-20th-century pulp monsters and a backdrop of 1940s Los Angeles, Finnegan mingles humanoid swamp creatures with victory rolls and zoot suits to highlight Mexican American families struggling to hold their own. Cuata is soft, petite, and keen to help others. Her sister, Flaca, on the other hand, is, as her name suggests, tall, lean, and angular with a short temper and a rebellious edge. Though their characters represent, respectively, traditionally feminine norms and those who push against them, all their traits are needed to save a new friend in need. When a night out in downtown LA turns violent amid the clashes of the Zoot Suit Riots, Cuata and Flaca escape with the help of a subterranean creature who is part man and part lizard with echoes of the 'Creature From the Black Lagoon.' The creature follows them home, where Cuata discovers that he has been separated from his family, and the girls must work together to reunite them while evading Navy men and a mysterious man-in-black scientist who want to get to the creature first. Though the adventure is fast-paced and fun, themes of racism, colonialism, counterculture, and family are all explored. Backmatter includes historical context about the zoot suiters and the events that triggered the 1943 riots as well as insight into Finnegan's creative process. Period pop horror that will lure readers in for important history lessons."--Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Los Angeles, 1943. It's the era of the Zoot Suit Riots, and Flaca and Cuata have a problem. It's bigger than being grounded by their strict mother. It's bigger than tensions with the soldiers stationed nearby. And it's shaped like a five-foot-tall lizard. When a lost member of an unknown underground species needs help, the sisters must scramble to keep their new friend away from a corrupt military scientist--but they'll do it in style. Cartoonist Marco Finnegan presents Lizard in a Zoot Suit , an outrageous, historical, sci-fi graphic novel., Los Angeles, 1943. It's the era of the Zoot Suit Riots, and Flaca and Cuata have a problem. It's bigger than being grounded by their strict mother. It's bigger than tensions with the soldiers stationed nearby. And it's shaped like a five-foot-tall lizard. When a lost member of an unknown underground species needs help, the sisters must scramble to keep their new friend away from a corrupt military scientist--but they'll do it in style. Cartoonist Marco Finnegan presents Lizard in a Zoot Suit , an outrageous, historical, sci-fi graphic novel. "[Lizard in a Zoot Suit] is both a politically charged drama and a pulpy sci-fi story all in one, and an ideal graphic novel for Young Adults."--Comicon.com "A new YA graphic novel [that] takes a moment in real world history and turns it into the basis for a thrilling adventure that is never anything less than stylish."-- The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles, 1943. It's the era of the Zoot Suit Riots, and Flaca and Cuata have a problem. It's bigger than being grounded by their strict mother. It's bigger than tensions with the soldiers stationed nearby. And it's shaped like a five-foot-tall lizard. When a lost member of an unknown underground species needs help, the sisters must scramble to keep their new friend away from a corrupt military scientist--but they'll do it in style. Cartoonist Marco Finnegan presents Lizard in a Zoot Suit, an outrageous, historical, sci-fi graphic novel. "[Lizard in a Zoot Suit] is both a politically charged drama and a pulpy sci-fi story all in one, and an ideal graphic novel for Young Adults."--Comicon.com "A new YA graphic novel [that] takes a moment in real world history and turns it into the basis for a thrilling adventure that is never anything less than stylish."--The Hollywood Reporter
