A little over a month ago, we featured the creator/owner of YouNeek Studios, Roye Okupe, on our Facebook page after we met him at BEA (Book Expo America). As we mentioned then we are super excited to have met a comic creator from the Diaspora take a lead in developing superhero universes that not only resemble people of African descent/heritage but also infuses an accurate account of African history into its storylines. As much as I love Marvel’s Black Panther, I am occasionally dismayed with their decision to solely use the fictitious country of Wakanda as their setting when Africa is home to a great number of world-changing empires.
This is what separates Roye and his YouNeek Studios team. They have made it a core focus to integrate authentic language, landmarks, and dress from the great country of Nigeria into their graphic novels. The result is a developing superhero universe that is both genuine and cutting edge.
“The country of Nigeria and the continent as a whole, you always see war, famine, terrorism — we touch on those points,” Okupe said. “But I try to pump up as much positivity as I can, because I feel that’s lacking when it comes to Nigeria and Africa as a whole in the mainstream.” – The Washington Post, He came to D.C. from Nigeria — and created his own African comic-book universe
It’s a refreshing approach for devoted comic readers. And of course, as we always promote here on MahoganyBooks, is an excellent way to help reluctant readers start and complete a book (or series of books).
Read the Washington Post article previously written on Roye Okupe and his YouNeek Studios venture. Then head over to MahoganyBooks to pick up a copy and save 20% in the process.
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