Incognegro Cover

When Jon Vankin and Karen Berger at Vertigo were planning the cover for Incognegro, they decided that a photo of an undercover mulatto done in an early 20th century style would go a long way to convey the idea of the book. The thing is, while these mixed race African Americans are ever present in black literature, actual high yellow negroes who can "pass" for white are rather rare. Conveniently, I am one of them. So they asked me to model for the cover. I was a bit apprehensive — I don't like putting my persona in front of my work — but it seemed like the right way for this project should go. So I agreed.

One day last April, I got out of the shower and shaved off the light beard I've worn in one form or another for almost 20 years, reducing my facial hair down to a cheesy, 1930s style mustache. The results were rather dramatic. When I came out of the bathroom, my 18 month old daughter immediately broke into tears, wondering who this drifter was walking through her house.

My little girl wasn't the only one. My own mother's response to the photo was, "That's nice, but why didn't they just use you as the model?"

My thanks to the charming Stephen John Phillips, who created the above picture. I always loved Vertigo's photo-surrealistic covers when I was reading Sandman and Sandman Mystery Theater. To actually have my own image in a Vertigo cover is an honor I never anticipated.