Recommended design tech tools for ‪comic book‬ artists… & why you should care

So the guys over at Comexposed, who are working to showcase the brilliant work of African comic and digital artists, just posted a video of the tech tools one can use (or get access to locally) to create comics. They have great videos on comics in general and the industry locally – or at least what they are doing to create a vibrant one – so do check out their other stuff as well.

And if you’re wondering why you should care about comics, you’re not alone! We asked Eugene Ramirez Mapondera, the co-founder of Comexposed, about the size and potential of the comic books industry locally and in Africa. Here’s his response:

The comic book industry in north america alone for 2014 alone based on a 2013 research was valued at $870 million and this was the evaluation of print material only not counting merchandise or movie adaptations or licensing. The manga comics industry in 2009 alone was producing a Billion (YES A BILLION) titles a per year.

The largest comic book industry in Africa is in south Africa which is spearheaded by a company call Stryka Entertainment which hails comic book merchandising (supa strika comics, television show, apparel ) and employs hundreds. Sa is also popular for Zpiro. Lagos Nigeria Holds the largest African Comic Book Convention which boasts of over 10 serialised comic book titles such as Avonome, Guardian Prime Strike Guard and many others November 2014’s Lagos Convention brought together over 3000 people . There are conventions now in Kenya, lusaka Zambia and Egypt . Stryka entertainment , Comic Republic (Nigeria) and other rising comic book companies are employing and publishing comics across Africa.

If Zimbabwe was to achieve revenues amounting 10% of that 1 billion dollars I mentioned from american sales of print alone the industry would be able to employ comic book writers and artists in their hundreds.