The Lost Colony: The Snodgrass Conspiracy

By Grady Klein

Book Overview

Set in nineteenth-century America, "The Lost Colony "takes place on a mysterious island unknown to the rest of the world. No one knows it exists except its citizens, a colorful and outrageous band of capitalists, inventors, hucksters, and freemen. They jealously guard the island's fantastic wealth from the prying fingers of the outside world, even as they attempt to conceal its captivating secrets from one another. "The Lost Colony" is a boiling concoction of slavery, patriotism, religion, and greed--in many ways, the story of America itself. The first in an addictive new series for readers of all ages, "The Lost Colony" is a self-contained world filled with endearing and memorable characters, whose hilarious foibles overlay a plot that resonates with America's own historical struggles with issues such as profiteering, racism and slavery. Thoughtfully written, richly illustrated, and always hilarious, "The Lost Colony" welcomes you into a new world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596430974
• ISBN13: 9781596430976
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: First Second
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.7" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 9 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A Distinctive Debut

As I read this odd first volume in a projected ten-book series, there was a vague sense of familiarity I couldn't quite identify. The title is clearly an allusion to the real-life "lost colony" of Roanoke Island (circa 1650), and the book itself appears to be set in an isolated village about two centuries later -- a quasi-1850ish America. But there was something about the bright colors, setting, and cast of characters that rang some little bell in the back of my head. Finally, after reading an interview with the author, it all made sense -- I had grown up reading the Asterix series, and so had he. The isolated village, strange characters, and vivid coloring all find their influences in the Asterix series. With that out of the way, it has to be said that the storyline is a little disorienting. A stranger arrives in town, having crossed over on the small ferry which links the island village to the mainland. His task is apparently to advertise (via posters) an impending slave auction in the nearby city of Port Succor. The young daughter of the town's banker, Birdy Snodgrass, is keen to buy a slave to take over her household chores. Her father, meanwhile, waxes on about various vague financial "shenanigans" whose relevance to the plot is rather unclear. However, the town's Chinese-Mexican pharmacist/alchemist, Dr. Pepe Wong, is keen to erase the stranger's mind so that the village's existence remains unknown. Unfortunately, he entrusts this task to his huge Frankenstein-like helper, a strongman who has a talent for messing up simple tasks (these two characters are reminiscent of Getafix and Obelix from the Asterix series). Eventually Birdy makes it to Port Succor and has various adventures, culminating in her acquisition of a storytelling slave boy. Meanwhile, Dr. Wong brews up various tinctures and potions in order to try and guide events. Meanwhile, the village's few free black people and Indians band together to chase off the invasion of slave-catchers they believe is impending. And then there's Rex Carter, the local plantation owner, whose invented some kind of clockwork robot so that he "can be free of his slaves." All of this culminates in a kind of zany pitched battle which more or less restores the balance. The artwork is very striking and distinctive. Klein creates his work in Photoshop, which leads to beautifully crisp lines and a highly controlled palate. His style is to build layers of color against which his dense black lines pop. It's very pop-arty and a lot of fun to examine. The paneling is strictly rectangular, but has enough variation in sizing and placement from spread to spread to give it a lively feel. Klein's dialogue freely mixes period with contemporary language, which makes what might have been a stiff semi-historical tale much more accessible. There is a clear running theme concerning slavery and race, as well as less explicit treatments of capitalism, technology, and the development of America. It's not particularly cle

This Series Has Potential

The Lost Colony by Grady Klein is a promising new graphic novel series. Book 1: The Snodgrass Conspiracy introduces us to vibrant and varied characters. When a stranger in green pants arrives in an insulated community and threatens the island's values, the inhabitants leap into action, each with their own plans and motivations. The artist's style -- both his drawings and his storytelling -- is simultaneously bold and innocent. Fans of steampunk, Jeff Smith's graphic novel series Bone, or the animated feature film Princess Mononoke should definitely give The Lost Colony a try.