The Man in the McIntosh Suit

by Rina Ayuyang

A Filipino-American take on Depression-era noir featuring mistaken identities, speakeasies, and lost love.

The year is 1929 and Bobot is just another migrant worker in rural California. Or rather, a migrant worker with a law degree from the Philippines reduced to manual labor in America. Bobot, like so many other young Filipinos, finds himself bunking in the fields, picking fruit by day. When his cousin writes claiming to have spotted his estranged wife in nearby San Francisco, he swipes a co-worker’s favorite nightclub suit and heads to the big city to find her. What follows is classic noir with seedy dives, mouthy pool sharks, and obsession.

Rina Ayuyang indulges her passion for old Hollywood and elaborate movie musicals while exploring her immigrant roots in a playful and mysterious drama, creating something she never saw but always had hoped for―a classic tale about people who looked just like her. The Man in the McIntosh Suit is a gripping, romantic, and psychological exploration of a fledgling community chasing the American dream in an unwelcoming society heightened by racial hostility and the bubbling undercurrent of the coming Great Depression.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Historical, Noir

212 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2023

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 1929, and a Filipino migrant worker in rural California finds a letter that says the wife he left behind in the Philippines has come to San Francisco and is danger, so he rushes to save her wearing a stolen suit. An unnecessarily convoluted and unlikely noirish plot unfolds in a way that left me slightly frustrated but still had its moments and left me happy for some of the characters and curious to see what comes next. Here's hoping the "To be continued" bullet at the end doesn't leave me hanging for too long.


(Best of 2023 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:
• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2023
• Publishers Weekly 2023 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2023: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels

This book made the PW list.)

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher hopes. The lead up and previews to this release lead me to believe id be reading a grander tale with historic insight. Perhaps I was spoiled by Pornsack Pichershote’s incredible “The Good Asian” last year.

The art style is not my vibe. Characters and places are not easily visually discernible. The writing is just okay.

I eagerly WANTED to know more about this time and world and characters, but the story seemed a little rushed and any twists or revelations did not have a meaningful oomph for the reader. I found this book more readable than the author’s “Blame it on the Boogie”, so that’s good. But I’m left with a sense of “this could have been better and more impactful” with another pass at the writing and a different presentation of the artwork.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. The good: I loved the premise and using the noir genre to explore the experience of Filipino Americans in 1929 who have traveled for opportunities and find themselves with limited opportunities due to racist laws and society.
Centering almost 100% on Filipino Americans was great to see too, with not only our main character but all named side characters and everyone making significant actions and decisions being Filipino American.

The problem: However, it was hard to follow at times due to how similar and indistinct many of the characters were. I didn’t know who Bobot was until he’d left his group of coworkers because the styles and personalities weren’t distinct enough, and a missing person’s case with mistaken identities and twists doesn’t work as well when you aren’t sure who is who (especially with a photo where two indistinguishable characters are dressed identically in a generic style of the era).

I’d be interested to see a follow up where the creator and editor fine tuned the character designs a bit, since it seems to leave the story up for a sequel.
Typically the art style not being my favorite doesn’t detract stars for me, but it actively making the story less successful and understandable meant this was only a 3 despite the positives of my first paragraph.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this title on a "must read" list, so I did. It was okay –at times it lacked any forward motion–but it kept me reading.

Most of the artwork is tinged in shades of blue but the special scenes are not and the action is easy to follow. Yet many of the characters are hard to tell apart except through their dialogue which is well written and easy to follow. When they "talk," I know who is who.

Overall the story pulled me along because I was interested in the main character and wanted to see what he would learn and if he would find his wife and I knew there were going to be twists and surprises. The convoluted last half includes mistaken identities and secret relationships. The introduction of subterfuge is a bit heavy-handed and the motivation for it remained unclear to me even at the end.

[suzanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

this reads like a poptropica story (in a good way)

[Rich Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The positives were that it captured the essence of noir in a modern way and there was some interesting dialogue. With the way the characters were styled, I struggled to tell some characters apart, which made things confusing at times. The “reveal” at the end was especially difficult to track because of this. I think there’s potential here because of its faithfulness to the genre, but it just isn’t quite there for me.

[Sai · Rating 4 out of 5]

four stars because the art style was lovely and the dialogue fun to read, the history accessible and easy to follow, but am raising my eyebrow at some of the relationship stuff?? but good for them

thanks to netgalley for the arc!

[Jeremy Hornik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice twisty romance among Filipino immigrants in California. They are all missing something, and all looking for something, and all trying to find what they need to get by. The story is complex and engaging, and the characters are intriguing. The art is good. I like the simple color treatments that every page gets. But I did wish the characters had more recognizable features, or the author was more consistent in rendering them. Still, quite enjoyable.

[Chris Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice story here. A migrant worker from the Philippines heads for San Francisco to find his wife. Goes in a different direction than you'd think. Some neo-noir vibes here, 1920s, speakeasies, pool rooms, whiskey.

[Matthew Noe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Messy and engaging and fun

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hitchcockian immigrant tale/tragedy set in 1920's SF. Heartbreaking and joyful, I really enjoyed reading this book

[Salty Swift · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in San Francisco in 1929, this graphic novel tells a tale of Bobot (Filipino migrant worker), his friends and his estranged wife. Desperate to re-establish a relationship with his disappeared wife, Bobot goes to great lengths, despite many personal dangers. Wildly amusing and packed with edge-of-your-pants action, this is an incredible tale from a graphic novelist I'll be watching closely.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Step one with this one: go to the back of the book where there’s a playlist to load to listen to while you’re reading…that makes it more fun. Big band hits and ballads from the 20s-30s. I didn’t find this list until after I was finished so was madly typing the many lyrics included within the panels to create my jazzcat immersive experience.

So, task at hand: this one had pencil-rough sketchy art combined with a lot of characters and noir intrigue, but despite that, it was still pretty easy to follow the plot. Also hats off to the sad but true depiction of racial hostility faced by these Filipinos trying to chase the American dream.

Also room left for a sequel which I think I’d like to read…

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little guy comes to the big city (SF's Manilatown) searching for his dame. Set in the late 20s with such period touches as guys saying “hey Mack!” and such anachronisms as “I'm still processing”. Features amateur sleuthing and some convoluted schemes. Takes us inside Manilatown and the lives of the Filipino immigrants who made it home. Also follows Filipino farmworkers in the Salinas valley. Now to decide what next to read by Ayuyang.

[Estibaliz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75?

I didn't enjoy much the art or the story, though it included some funny plots and shenanigans. The background was interesting though: Filipino making a living in early 20th century California, with the subsequent discrimination scenes.

Over all, it was ok, but I think I'll forget about this one pretty quick.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a noir style graphic novel. Things got a little muddled for me--I wasn't a huge fan of the scribbly, abstract art style and I sometimes had difficulty following the story. Maybe it's just me?

[Mal · Rating 2 out of 5]

wow this was the shittiest mystery I've ever read.

another little ditty I picked up from the library. being a foreigner, poor pay, being a new country thats all rough and a very cool (& relatable lol) setting. but it takes this vibrant premise at very surface level. the only thing indicating that it's the 1930s is the fashion, cardboard 'attitudes' and surface level racism. there was just nothing here. no one is homophobic, all the characters are Filipino and theres only 1 interaction with anyone of a different race and its played as window dressing for racism. like where is the rest?? shit sucks but mostly people get beat up or in the circumstances because of their own actions (mostly). but the farming thing genuinely made me sad, its a lonely and hard life, I wish it had dug deeper.

I dont think this author or style is cut out for a story like this, which requires so much more depth. the setting just really irked me, thats all.

the art was pleasing but not super legible. a lot of the font is slanted, and some is italic in "handwriting style" so its gibberish like 20% of the time. i am not dyslexic at all luckily but no, this wpuld just just be illegible. it does match the sloppy art style so ill give it that.

a lot of it is giving batman the animated series or maybe get smart, just that 30s-40s vibe, with the monochrome stuff. it looks ok mostly the perspectives are interesting and the panels which were well detailed like the city or his suit were really great.

but the faces?

these humans are so ugly to look at sorry ('w' noses?) like you dont have to show a face just because someone is talking. its not for me.

I HATE the ending. like this was it??? he never finds his wife, he never really accomplishes anything, and the only thing he did wrong was steal some guys suit. im just not impressed. mysteries are hard to write i get it, but just maybe dont?? and the cover was so beautiful I felt tricked, like it was some mafia spy thriller like john wick in 1930s california. im glad the couples were happy by the end even if it made no sense sure.

im so mad theres a sequel. theres no point.

Bobot literally has nothing going for him, hes just the mc who walks into everything. I feel bad. so many writers fall into the trap of their mc just figuring out the story by happenstance or brute force while having no real characteristics or personality.

perhaps I asked too much from this book, perhaps not, either way it way oversold itself. simply a pretty setting with not a breath of life.

[Eli Bishop]

(Disclaimer: the author is a friend; that's why I don't put a star rating.) This is a very "high-concept" thing, in the sense that it's pretty easy to sum up the main things that make the story distinctive, and it makes sense that the media attention it's very deservedly getting would focus a lot on those things, and on the historical background, and also that Ayuyang in particular would do this story given how her own background and interests showed up in her earlier work. That's very cool but also obvious, so I'll talk about other aspects.

First, I love the dialogue in this so much! The family voices in her previous autobio comics were always vivid and funny, but there's never a guarantee that that'll carry over the same way into fiction writing; no worries here, the dialogue is is full of great unexpected little choices and solid comic timing while also efficiently getting across character and plot stuff.

Second, the art: what Ayuyang is going for with the color scheme is pretty clear and not subtle, but that doesn't make it any less impressive when she pulls off the kinds of things it allows for, and even though it's very impressionistic and soft-focus (which wouldn't normally be what I'd think of for a noir story) it always feels to me like there's more detail in there somehow, like a loosely drawn urban background can have a pretty specific feel from the choice of shapes and tones. With the character designs, I'm someone who often has a fair amount of trouble with faces (both in reading comics and in real life) so I tend to rely on things like silhouette and other big caricature cues—which aren't emphasized in this style, so I worried at first that that would be confusing to me, but I ended up only having that issue a little in the early scenes, and that's appropriate since the whole book has an arc of finding out more about who Bobot and the others really are outside of this job. Anyway... it's real real good.

[Tom Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it's hard for me to dislike a book that touches on San Francisco history—I always give bonus points for that. In this case, the history is the 1920s Filipino immigrant experience in San Francisco (and the Central Valley farms), which I have only a very spotty understanding of. Coincidentally I also read The Four Immigrants Manga: A Japanese Experience in San Francisco, 1904-1924 at the same time I read this and there are very close parallels in experiences. I'd be interested in learning more about these similarities, and the nuance and/or dramatic differences (especially as they relate to the respective relationships of the immigrants' governments to the United States government and how that impacted how immigrants were treated). But I digress.

When I bought the book from the author at an event she was quick to point out (when I exclaimed, "I love San Francisco history") that this was really a detective thriller (though to be fair, the immigrant subtext is pretty rich). Ultimately the mystery/detective element was well done, though I was worried for a bit about how it was going to wrap up. As I was nearing the end I was thinking, "Is this going to be one of those mysteries that just fizzle out?" But nope (whew)! She pulls off a satisfying "reveal" that clicked, made sense, and was still intriguing. There was one question unanswered and I'm hoping the "to be continued" note at the end means another volume is in the works.

Really, this is a great graphic novel. Plus I loved the art.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really delightful! A Filipino immigrant perspective on the noir genre. Bobot, a highly educated person in the Philippines, must pick fruit in California to provide for his family. He hears that his estranged wife might be in San Francisco and heads there to investigate. Pool halls! Suits! Speakeasies! What once seemed like a straightforward plot had some very satisfying twists and turns.

The style of the drawing suited the source material very well. It was mostly blueish tones, a bit blurry at times to match the noir content. That occasionally made things a little confusing to follow but it wasn't a huge problem for me. The dialogue felt very naturalistic which I liked a lot.

Overall a well-drawn take on a genre that paints a portrait of an immigrant community earlier in the 20th century. I definitely recommend it and it's a pretty quick read as graphic novels often are.

[Elena L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

1929, rural California - this is a story about a Filipino migrant worker (Bobot) who heads to San Francisco to find his estranged wife. Bobot has law degree however he's overqualified for his job in US. Despite covering immigration, the story is not focused on immigrant experience but also explores finding comfort, identity and love. The 'chaotic' art and dialogues, while might not be for everyone, match the lighthearted tone and the story feels fast-paced. This is a Filipino-American take on Depression era with thriller vibes. Quite a fun read.

[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Drawn and Quarterly . All opinions are my own ]

[South Brunswick High School Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1929, Bobot, who has a law degree from his native Philippines, has come to America in search of prosperity, but instead finds hardship picking vegetables in the fields of California. When Bobot discovers that his estranged wife may be in San Francisco, he steals his bunkmate's prized McIntosh suit and heads for the city to find her. Landing in the city and staying with friends of his cousin, Bobot begins to search nightclubs and pool halls for the woman he remembers, but a case of mistaken identity leads him to danger and intrigue that suggests a classic crime noir novel crossed with a tale of immigration in the racially divided California of the early 20th century.

[Artnoose McMoose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 1920s noir graphic novel about a lawyer who immigrates from the Philippines and finds that the only job he can get is as a fruit picker in the Central Valley. While he and his buddies dream of making it out of the industry, he gets word that his wife has immigrated to San Francisco. As he tries to find her, he gets wrapped up in the mob scene there.

I loved the fact that there are two gay couples, and one of the situations reminds me a lot of the lesbian movie Bound, which also featured a mob family.

[Kevin McCloskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is set in California, 1929. It begins in a migrant labor camp and races to San Francisco's Manilatown. We visit pool rooms, bakeries, dive bars, and dance halls. Though the Manilatown neighborhood is gone, it is clear the artist did a lot of research on this very specific time and place.

The artwork appears to be done in colored pencil. The color palette is muted and suggests film noir. Rina Ayuyang's expressive line work and use of period architecture detail reminds me of one of my favorite artists, Ben Katchor.

Recommended.

[Zareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun Filipino & Bay Area centered noir story! I’d met Rina and heard her read excerpts from this book before, which drew me in to read the rest. I loved the pastel illustrations and the use of color and lighting which effectively created a noir atmosphere. The use of music also gave it a classic feel. The mystery was exciting and kept me interested until the end! My only complaint is that it took me a while to visually distinguish between the different male characters and there could’ve been higher stakes to make the twists land better.

[Henrique Justini]

A experiência do detetive-noir e a experiência da imigração filipina insinuam que em toda esquina está a história de sua terra e que uma vida confabulada na hipótese é sempre uma derivação ilusória e, justamente por isso, fantástica. Quando Bobot está completamente submerso na multidão (nos últimos quadros), percebemos que toda a extravagância de busca é a forma que o passado encontra de justificar nossa existência. A fantasia nos redime.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a noir-ish tale set in later 1920s America with a Philopena man searching for his wife in San Francisco, but finding a deeper mystery instead. While overall the story is good, some of the pacing is off and it can be a chore at time distinguishing one character from another. The color use is inspiring, setting mood and time, and is one of the highlights of the book. I'm not sure if there is meant to be a sequel, but the story is completed enough to stand on its own.

[Sasha Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bobot is working as a farm labourer in California to make money to bring his wife to join him when a mysterious letter tells him she had been spotted in San Francisco. The story recounts his efforts to find her and learn what's going on. It's a touching take on the migrant experience and an easy read. The art is simple, but evocative; sometimes perhaps too simple, as it wasn't always easy for me to tell the male characters apart based on the few lines used.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book! Starting with the life working, then dropping everything to run to San Francisco as our protagonist Bobot chases the rumour of his wife. I can't tell if the twists and turns were convoluted or sufficiently fun misdirects. But you have to love a hopeless 'romantic' like Bobot. I think some of the characters were difficult to tell apart with the art style, but that did aid the plot about mysterious identities.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this graphic noir-vel. This is a suspenseful read that kept me guessing until the end. It also sheds light on the history of Filipino immigrants living in California and the discrimination and other hardships they endured, along with facing the realities of moving here. And it's also a funny book! The color palette is gorgeous.