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Absolutely Free African Comics to Binge in 2023

January 1, 201631 min read

Looking for African comics or comic books, African comic PDFs, African graphic novels or African comic anthologies? Welcome home.


Jump directly to free African comics.


Brief Overview of African Comics

Since about 2016, the popularity of African comics has risen. Many attribute this to the rise of superhero comic book movies particularly the ones produced by Marvel Studios.

With this increased interest, many people began to wonder about the existence of comic books from Africa. Not stories like Black Panther which were created by foreigners depicting the continent, but comics that were made by Africans on the continent.

While many are oblivious, there’s a rapidly growing comic scene on the continent which isn’t only consuming what is produced by the big 3 (Marvel, DC and Image) but creating all-inclusive narratives from every corner of the continent.

A testament to this narrative is the different comic conventions and gatherings across the continent, with a new one seemingly springing up every year such as Lagos Comic-Con, NerdCon, Nairobi Comic-Con, Fancon, Comic-Con Africa, Mboa BD, Lusaka Con, Comic Connect, UNICON, Abuja Comic-Con, ICON Comics and Games Convention, Comexposed, Ibadan Comic Con, Comic Connect Africa and so on.

African comics are dominated by the fantasy genre, with many creators playing with the continent’s rich supernatural legacy. Comics such as Eru, and Aje by Comic Republic are typical examples of this. Science-fiction and superhero comics are another popular genre, with the bulk of superhero comics incorporating a lot of fantasy as well.

The superhero genre in African comics is heavily male-dominated, although there are a number of female African superheroes such as Umzingeli, Shore Wanda, Hawi and Captain South Africa.

There are several publishers of African comics on the continent. Many of them are small, independent studios or individuals, such as Luke Molver, while a few, such as Kugali, Comic Republic, Avandu Vosi, Zebra Comics, YouNeek Studios and TAG Comics are relatively more established.

One of the best ways to discover African comics is through regular anthologies such as the Kugali Anthology, Sam Graphico Anthology, ComicUp and our upcoming By The Fireside Anthology of Ghanaian Comics among others.

Curious about the African comics being discussed at such gatherings, this page of free African comics should give you some insight. While not nearly comprehensive enough because of the focus on freely available comics, this is a good starting point. For a database of African comics, kindly visit our ongoing project, nicknamed Bahari Blue, a database of Comics, Games and Animation or AfricaComics.net.

We’re constantly updating this page with free African comic books for your reading pleasure. Visit squidmag.ink/african-comics for articles ranging from news to reviews on African comic books and graphic novels.

Free African Comics

Amazing Tek Kids

Amazing Tek Kids free African comic

3 heroic kids get sent back into time to stop the evil mad genius from reversing the future to his will.

In a far future, an evil Nigerian scientist who is bent on world domination cracked the quantum space-time continuum theory and created the time machine. his intent is to reverse reality in the past so he could reign supreme in the future…But a group of young special elite tact division of the Nigerian police force cadet team jump time with him to put an end to his ungodly campaign, equipped with futuristic gadgets and abilities they are put in an unwinding pursuit against the mad doctor.

Ananse Comic Tales by Kiaski Donkor

Cover of Ananse Comic Tales 1 by Kiaski Donkor

The trickster Ananse stumbles on a frightening conspiracy that threatens his very reality. Trying to profit off this secret sets off a wild and unexpected adventure which reimagines the age-old folktale character of West Africa, Ananse, in a magical world full of gods, fantastical creatures and monsters. Here, his cunning, wits and unlikely partnership with Kotoko are the only things that can keep him alive.

Will they prevail or will Ananse’s greed and deviousness and Kotoko’s overconfidence and eagerness for adventure doom them all?


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Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan

Cover of Aurion Legend of the Kori-Odan the crowning of a new king in this African comic book from Zimbabwe

Enzo Kori-Odan, prince of Zama city suffers a coup d’état conspired by his brother-in-law Ngarba Evou on his coronation and wedding day with Erine Evou. Exiled in shame, the royal couple travels the world, gain strength, and assemble their Aurionic Legacy, in hopes to return to Zama and claim what was taken from them. Beyond retrieving their position, the fallen royal couple will particularly discover the geopolitical and existential dilemmas attached to their roles of King and Queen. Aurion is an action-packed journey that will bring our two heroes across the entirety of a beautiful, uniquely rendered African fantasy world.

Avonome: The Realm Within

Avonome April 7 2017 Release comic book cover

Avonome is a fantastical story about Hilda Avonomemi Moses, born in 1937 in Edo State Nigeria but disappeared without a trace. She is a reincarnated woman with no memory of her past save for her name blessed with the incredible ability to see spirits and interact with their world.

Aided by a purple shapeshifting babysitter and an angel, she embarks on a mission to discover who she was and to understand her gifts, all while kicking evil spirit ass. The African comic draws references from Yoruba myths like the Abiku as well as Nigerian history and features some exciting character designs.

Bang Bang

Comic book cover pf Bang Bang Ugandan comic

Bang Bang is an Afro-punk Western. The story is about Nambi’s quest for vengeance after the infamous criminal known as Walumbe murders her husband, Kintu and their children. Sworn never to use a gun again Nambi has developed a method of fighting her armed enemies using brass/iron knuckles.

This comic from Uganda was published by KOK (Klan of the Kings), the studio behind Sunjata, the beautiful epic adventure video game. It was created by Ronald Kayima and Atim Lakony and written by James Kasavubu with art by Ronald.

BlackMoon

Blackmoon comic book by Tobe Ezeogu Comic Republic

In a world far away, the masquerade society is the law. They are undying, un-questioned and un-judged, protecting the world of Ala from threats, home and beyond. Maduka, a boy born without the magic (Ora) that courses through the very nature of all things in Ala, attempts the impossible, a path that will change the world and those around him forever. 

Black Sage: The Rising

Black Sage - The Rising by Sola Adebayo

In an ideal society, justice is fair and reasonable! Since no society is ideal, and fairness & reason must prevail, lace up your minds for a reign of justice akin to the rules and brute of the jungle. See justice whipped into reality with Black Sage’s lasso & the scribbles, scratches and sketches of Sola Adebayo (creator) and Bill Bidiaque (writer).

Black Sage is “an 8-page miniseries that focuses on the innate desire of the common man to deliver justice to corrupt individuals” by the comic’s creators.

This vivid graphic novel tells the story of a heavily bandaged, Weston hat donning, lasso wielding vigilante, who, guided by his own moral compass and a supernatural entity called The One (enabling him to walk through walls among other things), hunts down corrupt individuals and exacts immediate judgement if they refuse to redress their actions. The synopsis goes:

Black Sage hunts down corrupt citizens of Nigeria and offers them the opportunity to make things right. When they don’t, he delivers judgement-day to them on earth. The world of Black Sage is one of justice and immediate judgement. There are no second chances with him. Tonye Hart (an NSS agent) died fifty-three years ago in a fire accident orchestrated by a corrupt Nigerian Government or so the world thought. He was transported to a facility in Midrasha by unknown forces and sustained by machines for fifty years. At the fulfilment of time, he was transported back to Nigeria as Black Sage and he is here to fix the ills of Africa with his lasso.

Chayoma

Chayoma Curse of the Jangura comic book cover

Born to a clan of witchcraft, her noble nature calls for redemption. The priestess is now aware of her destiny, foretold by the Mlezi and it calls for her greatest task. She hails from the Great Lakes kingdom of Kitara, East Africa, bearing with her the curse of the Jangura.

Comic-Up Zimbabwean Comic Anthology

ComicUp vol 3 Zimbabawe - African comic anthology

Explore the diverse world of Zimbabwean comics in this anthology featuring established and upcoming talent from the country.

The anthology features talents like Bill Masuku (Razor-Man), Uzimengeli the African Bountess and Tinodiwa Zambe Makoni (Mhare). The anthology is published by Comexposed. Four volumes have been published so far, with the latest in 2019.

Di Iche

Di Iche Naija Anomaly Comic Cover by Peda Comics

Pete, a young man who is caught between living in Nigeria and his destiny to become the people’s champion of justice. He is also known as Power Pete. his foes know him as Di Iche, The Anomaly but the writer of this story has other plans in this epic start to greatness.

El3osba

El3osba The League Egyptian superhero comic

Who are these new superheroes running around the streets of Cairo? And how will Egypt perceive them?

El3osba (Arabic for The League) is an Egyptian comic book about an Egyptian superhero team with 6 main superheroes: Alpha – Horus – Microbusgy – Walhan – Mariam – Kaf.

According to Book Riot, The Egyptian god Horus has been reincarnated and is ready to fight crime in this comic. He isn’t alone as he is helped by Mariam (a microbiologist with healing powers), Kaf (a spell-casting Egyptian secret intelligence officer), Microbusgy (a shapeshifting bus driver), and Al Walhan (a reformed terrorist).

They were brought together by Alpha, an extra-dimensional being and together they use their powers and wit to fight crime and corruption in modern-day Egypt.

Note: the free versions of all 4 issues of El3osba are in Arabic, with an English translation available for $1.99 on Kindle.

Eru by Tobe and Oz Ezeogu

Eru Comic Cover by Oz Ezeogu

Eric Kukoyi is not a normal man. He doesn’t age or sleep. He lectures at the University of Lagos, also doubling as a part-time psychiatrist and parapsychologist. When night dawns, where creatures haunt corners and crime rears its head, he becomes the one thing any of them will ever fear, he becomes fear itself.

Bound by oath to haunt the night as a force of retribution. The people of this city have called him many names, but one echoes the loudest: Eru fear itself, walks among us.

Ganda by Elupe House of Comics

Ganda Elupe Comics Uganda

The Ganda is a story about the first man(Kintu) on earth. According to the Buganda culture, it is a folk story that the baganda have been telling generation to generation. Some believe Kintu is a mythological figure while others believe that he actually existed. Well, we leave that to you.

In this issue, Elupe Comics attempts to make a version of its own to this story while maintaining the key elements of the original story.

Hero Kekere

Hero Kekere Issue 1 Comic Book Cover Comic Republic

What could the heroes of the Comic Republic universe be up to if they were little, superpowered children?

Welcome to the wayward world that is Hero Kekere. In this universe, many of Comic Republic’s most popular characters are transformed into a group of mischevious infants that embark on all sorts of wacky adventures.

It Hurts Here by Allan Osayi

It Hurts Here webcomic by Allan Osayi available on Tapas

It hurts here is a slice of life comic by Nigerian creator, Allan Osayi which details his daily life.

Kami

Kami Issue 1 Rwandan Comic Book by Mike Hirwa

Kami is a 13-year-old orphan living in Anatwe Village with his only two friends. He has toiled so hard to earn gold and can’t wait to start his quest to find his true parents. The ancestral spirits, however, interrupts his plans and chooses him to be the keeper of their power. As with all great power, there’s a greedy psychopath who’ll stop at nothing to take it forcibly in order to be immortal. Kami is now faced with a choice, run away and cower or continue his quest to find his true parents and risk falling into the hands of the fearsome Msomajis. 

Kami is a Rwandan comic by Mika Hirwa.

Kwezi

Kwezi South African comic by Loyiso Mkize

KWEZI is a story the follows a young city kid who discovers he has superhuman abilities. set on a South African backdrop witness this epic, action-packed journey of discovery as our young hero, through his newly found power, finds his purpose!

Read the first issue of Kwezi below for free.

Lake of Tears

Cover of Lake of Tears by Setor Fiadzigbey and Kobe Ofei

Lake of Tears is an award-winning graphic novel written by Kobe Ofei and illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey. This beautifully illustrated, imaginatively written story tells a heart-wrenching tale of captivity and redemption.

Set against the backdrop of Ghana’s hazardous inland fishing industry, where an estimated 21,000 children currently live and work on Lake Volta, the story features three fiercely determined teen protagonists who come together through unlikely circumstances to put at least one wicked slave master out of business for good.

Learn more about Lake of Tears by Kwabena Offei and Setor Fiadzigbey with additional art by Alfred Achiampong and Kofi Ofosu.

Mbuze

Mbuze comic cover by Peda Comics

Torn from his family by ravaging marauders, death could not hold his unbreakable thirst for vengeance and without a glimmer of his uncanny destiny as a newborn. The Unbreakable, as he has come to be known hails from the ancient Kingdom of Kongo which was founded by Lukeni Kua Nim.

The Kingdom of Kongo is located at northern Angola, Cabinda, the Republic of Congo and the Western portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Moongirls

Moongirls Age of Cancer Initiation Comic Cover

The Moongirls are an ancient Guardianship of the Oracle of Ma’at. It is said that the Moongirl energies were birthed when the Oracle of Ma’at came into existence, at a time before the beginning of time. The First Guardianship was not in homo sapien form because there were Forces and Forms that roamed this universe long before we came to know it as it is.

In the year 2019 of the New World Order of the Council of the Seti, the current Moongirls are four African Supersheroes who fight a physical and philosophical war.

Their mission: to restore Truth, Propriety, Order, Balance, Justice, and Harmony. Ma’at.

Nero Genesis

Nero Genesis by Luke Molver

South Africa, several years from now.

A techno-industrial dystopia, the sprawling megalopolis of Durban stretches across the country’s east coast, a breeding ground for a cosmopolitan cross-section of high-tech and low-life.

Lazarus Nero is a keyboard cowboy, one of millions of hackers earning their crust in the dark alleyways of cyberspace.

Learn more about Luke Molver and Nero Genesis here.

Newborn: Rise of the Mlezi by Peter Chizoba Daniel

Chronicles of the Newborn Saga of the Mlezi

The Newborn saga is an epic fantasy series set in ancient Africa. Long ago a great ancient EVIL sought to engulf Creation. The celestial council came together and created a solution to this uprising. They created NEWBORN spirits. Pure in heart and noble in the cause of regaining balance in the realms of existence. They vanquished the evil threat and banished it to eternal darkness. Millenniums have passed, and a curse eons old is set in motion to unleash terror once more.

Nkarim Chronicles: The Showdown

Nkarim Chronicles - Canary 7even

“The story revolves around a young boy’s quest to become an Arch-7evener, the highest honor bestowed on a 7evener in the Nkarim country.” – Kugali.com

Olwatuuka by Louis Lubega

Desolation of Tesular — OLWATUUKA 13 cover art by Master Rui (Louis Lubega)

Based off an African Folk Tale, Olwatuuka tells the story of a young boy (Kakama) who sets out to destroy a vicious demon that has terrorized the world and get revenge for his family. He journeys into the land of the dead where he makes new friends and enemies and uncovers more about himself and the demon he seeks.

Support the creator by buying the digital comic on Kugali.

Paper Angels by Tawanda Rodney Ngundu

Paper Angels by Kudzai Gumbo

3 Junior Paratroop cadets, a Coward, a lunatic, and an Arcanist inherit the power of The Oversoul——God help us all!

Created by Zimbabwean artist Kudzai Gumbo and set in Brazil, it tells of a young man, Pooya’s initiation into the Oversoul Corp, a super-enhanced military in a slum where you have two choices, the military or the grave. 

Paper Angels was created by Tawanda Rodney Ngundu, one-third of TaNyaKu and AfroTokyo.

Listen to our thoughts on Paper Angels on the Space Squid Podcast.

Rovik by Avandu Vosi

Rovik Comic Cover by Salim Busuru

Rovik is a Kenyan comic set in the Star Wars universe. The comic follows Rovik and his companion lemari called ‘Pazuzu’ as they make their way to the last mining city of Brazzaville, hoping to find work as a guard again at the last functioning mine on the Planet that the Empire, thanks to its Deathstar has stipped dry. Rovik was written by Yvone Wanyoike with the pan-African art of Salim Busuru.

Sam Graphico Anthology of Zambian Comics

Sam Graphico anthology of African comics

This anthology is a collection of comic books primarily from Zambia.

The 32-page anthology is in response to a question about whether there were any locally produced comics in Zambia.

The first issue features comics from different creators including Mabvuto Comics, Black Hut Comics and Bill Masuku (with Welcome to Dead World) from Zimbabwe. It also features digital art from other Zambian creators like Grace Singogo who designed the cover. The first issue launched at Lusaka Comic-Convention and sold out during the course of the con in August. 

Showdown: Chaos Rising

Showdown Chaos Rising Issue 1 Comic Cover by Peda Comics

Within the hustling and bustling of Paradyse city, a shadowy organisation is close to revolutionising a new type of bio-weapon in the arms black market.

Under the cover of an entertainment media outfit, they have created the perfect testing ground in the form of a live combat tournament show.

In the midst of all this, a young man from out of town who arrives the big city in search of his brother crosses paths with a laid-off police detective who is secretly on a case involving the disappearance of an old colleague of hers.

The two become an unlikely pair as their paths lead them to the live combat tournament…..Showdown.

Tatashe by Cassandra Mark

Tatashe Cover

Tatashe follows an eponymous, female protagonist as she encounters friendship and adventure on the mysterious food planet Almonia. Watch as she faces mythological creatures and trials, each more obscure than the last.

Whether alone, with her pet baby dragon or with new friends, she explores this fantastical planet in the hopes of finding the magic of food, the mysterious kingdom of Eden and her long lost master.

Tatashe was created and written by Squid Mag contributor Cassandra Mark.

Read our thoughts on Tatashe here.

The Fifth Element

The Fifth Element Zambian comic

Saving the planet earth proves to be much harder than Quin expected especially since the people she is saving the planet for are the very cause of its steady demise. Can she live up to being the superheroine she has been called to be? Can she live up to being The Fifth Element!

The Fifth Element is a series of climate change awareness comics created by Mwelwa Musonko.

Under the Sun by Austine Osas

Under the Sun comic cover

In Zamia, a fictional country in Central Africa, persons with albinism have been forced to migrate to the island of Kurume in the middle of Lake Tanganyika due to persistent attacks by people and with-doctors who use their body parts for rituals.

They live peacefully on Kurume with government approval and protection until all hell breaks loose. Civil war ravages the land after the president is assassinated. Now, survival is paramount.

Learn more about Under the Sun, a comic created by Austine Osas and published by Peda Comics.

United Stars

United Stars South Africa Soccer Comic Book

United Stars is a comic book series of the world’s greatest 6 Aside soccer team and the players’ adventures both on and off the pitch.

Welcome to Dead World by Bill Masuku

Welcome to Dead World Zimbabwe comic by Bill Masuku

A love letter to Afrofuturism. The experimental story by Bill Masuku is set in a composite post-apocalyptic world, rich with tribal tattoo tactile technology, spirit radiation, spell drives, soulware, and more. So much more. It serves as a small window into a grand sci-fi fantasy adventure.

Welcome to Dead World appeared as part of the Sam Graphico Anthology (Zambia) and the ComicUp Anthology (Zimbabwe) and was longlisted in the 2020 Nommo Awards for Speculative Fiction by Africans.

Young Hustla Comics

Young Hustla Entrepreneurship 101 Lessons from a Beggar comic

Young Hustla is an initiative that is centred on an entrepreneurship comic book called Young Hustla.

Young Hustla tells the story of several aspiring young entrepreneurs from different social and economic backgrounds. All these individuals come from different province within South Africa and different parts of Africa.

The main theme of this South African comic is entrepreneurship and the sub-themes are issues/challenges affecting young people within Africa.


Formerly Free Comics You Should Check Out

Many of the comics listed here have since found homes elsewhere or have been upgraded and are now paid for. That’s progress and we celebrate that. Below are a few of them.

Monkey Meat by Juni Ba

Juni Ba's Monkey Meat Island illustration showing a glass of what looks like beer with monkeys in it

The Monkey Meat company is the most powerful corporation in the world, thanks to its delicious processed meat in cans. And the Monkey Meat island is where the sausage is made!

The Monkey Meat company invites you to read a comic following Thaddeus Lug, the buff, beer-drinking badass who smashes monsters to keep the island clean. He’s a little upset about his contract though. He’s fed-up with his work conditions, and it’s time to ask for improvements. But when your employer has supernatural ways to keep you in check, things may not turn out as planned…

This was formerly a one-shot comic by Juni Ba, the creator of Kayin and Abeni. It is now a 5 issue comic published by Image Comics and sold for about $4 an issue.


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