Movies, animation, gaming and tech. Want to know what’s happening in Africa and beyond? Here’s the Run Down for this week.
NEWS BEYOND AFRICA – Comic Books/Illustration
What is The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival
The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival is a festival dedicated to celebrating Black comics. The festival showcases the work of creators across the USA and features panel discussion with noteworthy writers, film screenings, cosplay shows and more.
This 2021, the festival returns for its ninth year and its going virtual!
What’s Up for Black Comic Book Festival
This year The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival will take place virtually over four days, starting from Wednesday, January 13, 2021.
The event will feature workshops on topics such as How to Draw Black Characters and Comic Book Writing, with talks and panel discussions on using comics in the classroom, comics as literacy and advocacy tools, upcoming comics and much more.
Find out morehttps://www.nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival
Time to Meet Tim Fielder
Illustrator, cartoonist and animator Tim Fielder is one of the leading figures when it comes to creating Afro futurist work. He has worked with clients such as Ubisoft Entertainment and Marvel and is also the author of successful science fiction graphic novel called Matty’s Rocket.
Matty’s Rocket follows space pilot, Mattie Watty as she navigates a world of evil villains and aliens whilst accomplishing great heroic deeds. The story is set in an alternative past where pulp stylings of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis collide with the real world events of FDR, WW2, Nazis, the Harlem Renaissance and Jim Crow.
Fielding has written a brand new graphic novel that takes readers to Africa and into the future.
INFINITUM: An Afrofuturist Tale Coming Soon
INFINITUM: An Afrofuturist Tale is the name of an upcoming novel written by Tim Fielder. The book follows the story of a revered African king, King Aja Oba who is cursed with immortality after stealing a son born to his concubine. The ageless King is left alone after his son and wife die and left to wander the earth in search of a new kingdom.
During his wanderings King Aja Oba witnesses key historical events like the trans-Atlantic slave and is thrust in the middle of intergalactic conflict.
The book is set to be released on January 19, 2021.
Find out more https://timfielder.com/infinitum/
NEWS OUT OF AFRICA – Gaming/Animation
Meet Wiljahne “Mango” Smith
Wiljahne “Mango” Smith is the name of a young up and coming CS: GO gamer from South Africa. Smith first played the titled when he was just eleven years old then, after being scouted out at a 2019 Comic Con and Rage event, Mango was invited to play for the organisation, Goliath Gaming.
Now, at just sixteen years old, Mango is a counter-strike prodigy and is considered as one of South Africa’s top CS:GO gamers. Looks like Mango is still moving up in the local gaming scene as this 2021 he joins the team of ATK Arena.
Mango Joins ATK Arena
Leading professional esports organisation and chief forces in CS: GO, ATK Arena has recently announced that Mango will be joining their team.
Mango will be replacing former member Johnathan “Doru” Fox. The move will be a great opportunity for the young gamer and may very well see him playing with ATK Arena in the upcoming Predator Summer Slam Tournament.
Check out more https://esportscentral.co.za/csgo/mango-joins-south-african-csgo-powerhouse-atk-arena/
Heard of Creatures Animation?
Creatures Animation is an animation studio based in Kampala, Uganda. Founded by award-winning animator, Raymond Malinga, Creatures Animation is making quite an impact on the animation industry in Africa.
Their animation film, A Kalabanda Ate My Homework was selected in the Festival De Cannes Short Film Corner 2018 and won numerous awards worldwide. But that’s not all that Creatures Animation has up their sleeves.
Look Out For Super Star Suubi
Creatures Animation is dedicated to continuing to influence the animation industry in Africa and Super Star Suubi is one of the ways they plan to do that.
Super Star Suubi is the name of an animated series that is still in the works at Creatures Animation. The series has been described as a continental superhero project that aims to set the bar for future animation projects within Africa.
Check out more https://creatures.africa