Pushing boundaries of artistic expression across the continent

The Goethe Institute recently launched Africomics, a comic book that brings together 14 comic artists from across Africa. With a focus on Pan-Africanism and the decolonisation of the African mind, the project has created a unique platform for African artists to narrate stories that reflect the reality in Africa.

The selection process for Africomics began with an open call for participation in 2020 after which a group of artists were chosen through a workshop.

The comic has been launched in three languages; English, French, and German. To popularise the book, Goethe plans to showcase it in spaces where comic conversations are brewing in a bid to put Africa on the comic map and to shine a spotlight on the contributing artists.

The book has brought together artists from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Togo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Angola, Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Sudan.

As I read through Africomics what captivated me most was how each artist creatively used cartoon to explore themes deeply rooted in their home countries.

For instance, Muluku Mbatu from the Democratic Republic of Congo crafted a narrative about a foreigner who infiltrates African kingdoms, using trickery to sow division and initiate conflict.

The foreigner’s intention is to use the division to enable him to conquer the kingdoms and have control over their resources.

However, the kingdoms eventually realise that their strength lies in unity, a powerful metaphor for Africa’s journey toward self-determination. The vibrant colour palette, especially the striking splashes of gold, added depth to the storytelling.

During the launch at Goethe Institute on September 18, Melvin Otieno from Kenya, a long-time cartoonist, shared his creative process.

His story is titled USA. Being an African book, I wondered why he would work on a piece on a non-African country. I got myaha moment when I discovered that USA stands for the United States of Africa.

“I love twists in my stories,” he said adding, “The story is meant to show how African leaders should take care of their own by maintaining accountability and not giving out African resources to foreigners,” he told The East African.

Ugandan artist, Brian Humura, offered a thought-provoking twist on decolonisation.

Rather than depicting direct conflict with enslavers, his story featured Africans who feigned submission to learn their oppressors’ secrets.

By absorbing knowledge about governance, trade, and education, they positioned themselves to liberate their people from within.

This sense of empowerment was echoed by many other artists. A recurring theme was the need for Africans to invest in their own resources and talent rather than seeking greener pastures abroad.

This spoke to the increasing desire for Africans to leave for the west with the claim that African countries are corrupt and cannot be saved.

When it comes to creativity, what struck me was the story by Henok Brhanu, a visual artist from Ethiopia. He stood out with Pen City, a visual metaphor using pens as symbols of both historical and modern forms of slavery.

“True decolonisation is not to reject the values of someone else’s civilisation in defense of yours, but to love everyone as they are,” reads an excerpt from Togo’s Ezechiel Tsidkenu.

The story is looking to show an intertwining of the old, the new, and that while opinions around decolonisation may differ, the most important bit is to accept everyone as they are. His was a philosophical take looking to remind readers to embrace diversity.

Another issue that sparked a lot of debate in the room during the launch of the book was the place of women in the comic artiste world.

A large part of the audience felt that women were not well represented in the comic world. Out of the 14 comic artists in the book, only four were women.

James Kamawira, known for the popular cartoon character Bongoman was one of the mentors in the Africomics programme.

He appreciated getting to work with a talented group in a formal setting, recognising the importance of mentoring young talent, including women, in this space.

Retailing at Sh1,000, the book celebrates ubuntu, decolonisation, and the envisioned African spirit of unity and love.

The goal of Africomics is not just to entertain, but to foster a new generation of African storytellers, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression across the continent.

“We are committed to nurturing more female artists in comics, encouraging them to join and thrive in this growing industry.

"This is part of what we are trying to do to get more female comic artists. Even in the book. We hope that more women can gain the courage to show their work.” Msanii Kimani, the founder and editor-in-chief of Kymsnet Media Network, highlighted that the Kenyan Comic industry has been trying to use mentorship to get more women into the comic world and providing platforms for women to display and publish their work.