Jogunomi is a Yoruba term for ‘warrior’ or in literal sense ‘let the battle cease’. This is a grim prequel to the main book. Warning: graphic content.
Recently, we featured a three-part article on the Ninth Art culminating in a search for Africa’s signature. Well, Erivic has been asked that very question on many occasions. What is Africa’s identity in the genre?While his concept of Afroblot is not a new drawing style, it is a pragmatic response to an African printing problem- just like Manga adopted black and white.
WHAT IS AFROBLOT?
Derived from Afro and Blot (a mark or stain made with inks), Afroblot is a comic book-making pattern that relies heavily on using black, white, grey, and red colours to create aesthetically pleasing comic book panels and pages.
WHY RED?
Different shades of red can portray several elements. Clothing, emotion, blood, fire, buildings, the environment, etc. can be well-portrayed using red. Also, red gives off a brooding effect when used properly with black and white. Red can also illustrate moods and the gritty realities of African life. Sunset, beautiful mud houses, traditional attires and more have good amount of red in them.
WHY AFROBLOT?
Aside from the aesthetics it provides, Afroblot also emerged from the desire to create lasting solutions to the problem of comic book production and distribution. This has been the bane of the growth of African comics for a long time. Many African comic book studios and creators struggle with consistent comic releases because comic book making is time-consuming and expensive. Financial rewards aren’t always very promising.
Quality colour prints are hard to come by and poor prints ruin the stellar work put in by creators. Sadly, many local printers are unfamiliar with the comic book medium and its printing technicalities. Those who do cost an arm and a leg to contract. Then you face the limited distribution channels after production. Unlike the West, the comic-reading culture is still relatively an exotic pastime here. Hence, it could be a total loss for the creator. Most times, many African comic book creators and publishers have to seek foreign audiences and platforms for monetization and distribution at the detriment of the African market.
EASIER AND BUDGET-FRIENDLY PRINTS.
With Afroblot, one can reduce the production budget and delivery time without sacrificing the quality and aesthetics of one’s comic book. As Afroblot doesn’t rely on other colours asides from red, it’s easier to cut down the time and cost of colouring. You also don’t have to worry that much about paper quality ruining your final prints. Many creators opt for gloss papers so their colours can pop better. With Afroblot, you can cut down your printing budget, go for more affordable paper and still have great results since Afroblot doesn’t rely on vibrant colours for aesthetics.
REGULATED PRINT PRICES/ IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION
Due to reduced production costs, you can print and sell more copies for lower prices thereby raising the culture. This is one reason manga outsells many other comics. It adopts the Japanese lean methodology to the genre. Africa should too to thrive. This is not to suggest that we jettison standard coloured comics on quality print either. These can be for premium brands.
Afroblot merely aims to solidify the identity of African comics in its own way and provide a solution to the nagging problem of costly production, release consistency, and limited distribution.
Adedayo Erivic
Adedayo Adeoye Erivic is an award-winning Nigerian comic book artist and creator. As creator and co-founder of MC Multiverse (2018), he was hired by Comix Theory (India) to be a part of the Ghost of India Anthology series. He is also co-founder and MD of Brown Roof Studios.Their debut comic book, Jakuta, had wide readership, getting him on several podcasts and platforms in the US and Africa. Erivic started Comics Archive Africa- a platform for the promotion of independent African and black comics, games and animation. He also worked with Cocoa Girl magazine and Cocoa Boy magazine- UK’s first magazine for black kids. The founder of We Are Erivic productions which handles comic briefs for clients, Erivic also launched the first edition of Comic Con Ibadan. His new project, Jogunomi, explores his newly developed visual storytelling pattern- Afroblot.