Lizard in a Zoot Suit
by Marco Finnegan

Lerner Publishing Group
Graphic Universe ™

Pub Date 4 Aug 2020   |   

Description
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.

REVIEW

A ripping adventure comic that has a unique historical setting. Being British, there are periods of American history with which I am not familiar. The novel comes with historical notes explaining the racist beatings dolled out by naval recruits and the societal impacts that they had.

The art here is fluid, and the choice of having a rather simple colour palette is a good one. There is a real sense of place and time. Flaca and Cuata are characters that I as a reader quickly grew fond of and I’d urge the Finnegan to write further stories featuring them.

The spirit of the story reminded of the Back to the Future films. The action is thrilling; the dialogue is tight, and, there is a cast of memorable characters. The good girls are brave, and the villains are nefarious. One of the strongest compliment I can give the book is that made me want to learn more about when it was set and see these characters have further adventures. Great fun.