With the global impact of MCU’s Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever films, as well as The Woman King film, the public appetite for African-based and Afro-futurism stories has never been higher. But what is still missing is African and African-diaspora creators, especially comic book and graphic novel creators having their stories authentically told by the major studios and networks.
In this exclusive CBM series, we showcase top African and diaspora creators who are making characters and stories ripe for movies and shows.
This week, we interviewed Ayodeji Makinde, Creator and Founder of ComicsDI. Ayo Makinde started his journey into comics some over two decades ago in the ancient city of Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa at a time when there was scarcity of indigenous comic content. He was one of the few indie comic creators and writers that emerged from the ancient city at the time but has gone on from there to evolve a Pan-African Comic Brand with international flavor.
His unique style of African story telling which always revolve around Afro-fantasy, afro-futurism, African mythology, sci-fi leaves people thrilled and mesmerized. His African mythological short work “Duro” became the first African comic work to receive a Royal Endorsement from one of the highest custodians of Culture in Yoruba land: His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, West Africa.
He is gradually becoming a leading voice in the genre of Afro-futurism for his Afro-futuristic Comic Web Series “Lagelu; the Kingdom on Four Hills” and his works have gone on to be featured on notable platforms like Forbes (in its Hollywood section), on BBC, on FutureFest-Alu organized by African Leadership University, Mauritius.
He has also appeared on other international platforms on comics and was featured by DW Documentary where his afro-futuristic comic work was featured alongside the works of other giants in the international entertainment industry.
James: Tell us about you, what led you to create comic books and launch ComicsDI?
Ayodeji: “Today, a lot of my friends wonder how a person with a law background ever got involved with comics. What most did not realize was that comics were a first love for me and a passion I had pursued for twenty something years. I started drawing, creating and writing right from childhood. This was one passion a lot of my childhood friends could identify me with. I would create my comics, they would read, get thrilled and fascinated by my artistic prowess. My major inspiration growing up were the western influences - the Marvel, DC, Asterix and Obelix, Archie, Jughead and the legendary Tintin comics, sadly there was scarcity of indigenous content but as time went on indigenous content started to bud mostly within the superhero genre. There was an experience that looking back, still remains fresh in my mind; way back in 2010 when I was trying to get one of my comic stories published, the publisher looked at my comic story, appraised the depth of the work then dropped the bomb, ‘’Why comic? You are using a wrong channel to tell a good story.’’ I can never forget that statement till date. It’s been well over a decade, I have continued to push the frontiers in comics, then in 2016 I decided to rebrand to “ComicsDI” the “DI” in the name being an acronym for “Defining and redefining Inspiration through comics.
The letters “ D” AND “ I” picked from the statement to mean “ DI.”
I believe a picture tells a thousand words. Words are powerful tools of change, inspiration and motivation. Hence, comics, which are pictures and words merged together, are a potent tool to inspire.
When I rebranded to ComicsDI in 2016 I was already seeing the brand within the global sphere even though we were not there yet, we were a local brand but what I was seeing was beyond where we were. I needed to rebrand to capture the big picture. Beyond what I was told several years ago by the publisher, I wanted to take African stories and culture to the global spotlight, give expression to home grown stories and tell our own stories our own way. When a creative mind handles the rich culture of Africa and transforms it into comic content, what you have is compelling, thrilling and exceptionally beautiful! “
James: Can you tell us more about your main writers and artists?
Ayodeji: “I am the major creator/writer within the brand; at a point in my life when I was experiencing a conflict between myself as an artist, a lawyer, a writer and a creator, I realized I would need to take up a key role to develop expertise and focus, that was when I settled for a creator/writer and comicsDI became the medium through which I pass across my creation to the world. Beyond this, we handpick different artists to suit the different texture of our stories. We however have someone who is the illustration head who vets our works and make sure it fits into the global standard so that our work does not fall short of the standard out there.”
James: What comic books, writers, and artists were your favorites growing up and also your inspirations?
Ayodeji: ”My favorite comic book growing and till date remains your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! I loved the way his character was weaved, the complicated life he was created to live and the fact that he was not made to look flawless or like an omega being with superpowers; he was someone anyone could connect with, and then his mantra “with great power comes great responsibility” carries so much weight any day! I will ever keep rooting for spidy. For creators, two men inspire and continue to inspire me- the legendary Walt Disney and Stan Lee, these guys were a force! They expended all the creative energy they had without leaving any behind, this tells me every time that I still have so much more to give to the world in terms of my creation than I have given, so I never stop creating, because there is yet much more to give to the world. For writing inspiration, I am more of an African storyteller who just happens to have an undying passion for comics, so my writing inspiration come more from the fathers of African literature, the iconic Ngugi Wa Thiong’o of Kenya, the Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka and the enigmatic Chinua Achebe. They inspire me every time, every day and when I create comics their inspiration also helps to keep that balance in crafting an African comic. My overall inspiration is God, I call him the Alpha Creator, and from him I learnt to also be a creator.”
James: What’s your vision for the studio?
Ayodeji: “The vision of the studio is clearly spelt out in the name of the brand ComicsDI to define and redefine inspiration using the medium of comics while changing the negative stereotypes and narratives about Africa within the global spotlight. The brand also believes pure art entertains even while communicating the right values, so the brand also aims to entertain through its style of African storytelling and art. We are big on the right values, entertainment, and creativity."
James: Tell us more about your universe you are building and your titles.
Ayodeji: “After the interconnectivity I see the Marvel and DC Universe exhibit, which is beautiful in a way, I see a couple of indigenous brands follow suit. While it’s good to have a connected comic universe it is not necessary if you don’t have to, it is all about creativity and conceptualization. For comicsDI, some of the creations of our universe are connected while others are not, what is paramount for us is creatively telling authentic African stories to a global audience, once that works, I believe we are good.
Njeri, the Telesaic Code is an Afro-fantasy story like none other, it is the story of a Kenyan R & B Singer who holds the key to two alternating worlds and finds herself being pursued in both realms for mysteries that unfolds in the story.
Duro, our short scholastic mythological story explores a forgotten myth in Yoruba land, Nigeria, West Africa, called ‘Abiku’ (meaning: predestined to die) interestingly while this was a very short piece it became the first comic in Africa to get a Royal Endorsement from one of the highest Custodians of culture in Yoruba land, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife.
Our latest work, an Afro-futuristic Comic Web Series - Lagelu: the Kingdom on Four Hills - was the work that shot us to global spotlight. The best way to describe this exceptional story is the Game of Thrones meets Wakanda! The story revolves around four brothers’ struggle for the throne of the only surviving traditional African Kingdom in the future of time-2050 AD. Lagelu actually has a spin off, The Locusts, which we have kept inside the bag but which we will definitely unveil at the appropriate time. The Locusts is the story of the world’s most dangerous mercenaries.”
James: How do we find your comic books and graphic novels?
Ayodeji:“You can get our works at our website at www.comicsdi.com. We are also on Instagram at @comicsdi and Facebook at @comicsdi ."
James: Thank you Ayodeji! Next week we hope to share thoughts from your head illustrator, Briggs, who is well-known in the African comics industry and find out more about your thoughts about the industry and what you hope to bring to TV or film. CLICK HERE for part 2 of our interview!