A Brief Guide To The African Comic Book Industry
When you think of the comic book industry, it’s pretty likely that your mind will flash with the bright red of Marvel or the grey/black of DC. They’re the popular guys in school, the ones all the nerdy creatives hanging out at the back of the cafeteria want to be, and with the growth of comic book industries in many countries outside America, they can be some day soon.
I would consider myself a comic book fan. I’ve read many (MANY… many) comic books from America and I’m pretty familiar with the strengths and struggles of the European industry, particularly on titles from places like Britain and Ireland (sure we’re great), but I know absolutely nothing about the industry in Africa. Or rather, before today I knew nothing.
Comic Republic
What would Batman do?
In a January interview, Martin said to Quarz: “I thought about when I was young and what I used to make my decisions on: What would Superman do, what would Batman do? I thought, why not African superheroes?” The startup, which is growing in popularity every day, is a sign that the African comic industry is making strides both at home and abroad. The nine person team at Comic Republic has witnessed downloads of all its titles (which are published online) grow from just a couple of hundred when they launched in 2013 to over 25,000 today.
Some sites have said that the startup is part of a “renaissance” of made-in-Africa music, art and literature that is being noticed across the world, with over half of Comic Republic’s downloads from readers in the United States. People want fresh stories, stories with diversity and a different perspective, and they’re getting it.
Eduvie Oyaide, Head of Marketing and Communications at Comic Republic, spoke to Disrupt-Africa.com and said, “Comics are a growing concept in Africa, but growing at a faster rate than some would think.” Oyaide and the team at Comic Republic are determined to be at the forefront of the African comic industry. She knows there is an increasing demand from African readers for locally designed and inspired comic stories and characters.
She said, “Readers in Nigeria appear pleasantly surprised when they see a Nigerian hero on the pages of our comic books and that joy alone is a sense of accomplishment for the team. Most Africans are forced to watch animations with their kids and it brings them joy to see their kids provided with characters that resonate with their culture.” She has said that the comic industry in Africa is “very bright” and that the internet has broken down barriers that no longer exist. “Now, we get requests from all around the world and distance does not stop us from our dream which is to share our stories to the world,” she concluded.
Comic fever
Lagos now hosts an annual Comic Con for the comic and entertainment industry, showcasing the work of creatives from all over the continent, with 2016’s event taking place on September 17. Kenya, too, hosted one for the very first time last year.
It’s not just the industry itself that is gaining international attention, but African creators as well. Roye Okupe, who was born in Nigeria, set up YouNeek Studios after noticing the lack of diversity in the comic book genre. The creator behind E.X.O: The Legend of Wale Williams and Malika: Warrior Queen, he is putting African talent on the map.
Lauren Beukes, too, is a writer to watch. From South Africa, she made her debut writing a fantastic oneshot called All The Pretty Ponies for Vertigo. Illustrator Loyiso Mkize, also from South Africa, grew up with comics but realised there was no representation of heroes who looked like him and shared his environment. The character Kwezi was born; a regular 19 year old living in Gold City (aka Johannesburg). Oh yeah, except he’s a descendant from an ancient race who saved mankind from extinction.
Mkize is hopeful that comic lovers outside the continent will read his stories. He said to Buzzfeed: “Every society has its own motivations and morality that shapes the entire society. [With superheroes] you can do that in a medium that is exciting but not preachy. Kwezi doesn’t preach African identity or African consciousness —it inspires it,” he added.
Another fantastic creation is an upcoming space opera graphic novel called Yohancé – a gripping mythological story based on the cultures of Bambara, Benin, Hausa, Tuareg and Zulu. According to Comics Alliance and its creator, Paul Louise-Julie, it’s “the first of its kind”.
The series will be released in three parts and revolves around Yohance who is “a notorious thief with a shadowy past”. As the story goes on, Yohancé finds himself in a centuries-old intergalactic conflict that will force him headfirst into adventure and adversity. We’re not sure about you, but we’re getting major Star Wars vibes and the fact it’s based on real cultures makes it even cooler.
According to the creator, Louise-Julie, he didn’t want to make “a black version of Star Wars“. He said: “I want something that’s unique. Every inch of it is inspired by African aesthetic and forms.” Louise-Julie spent years studying West African dynasties to prepare for the epic graphic novel, and has said that the stories are “just excuses to showcase these cultures”.
