SNAPSHOT
“An epic space opera with a purely African aesthetic, Yohance is the story of a master thief who gets caught up in an intergalactic conflict that reveals a centuries-old war and dark secrets of his own past.” (official synopsis courtesy CBR.com)
One of the most exciting things that is taking place in the pop culture firmament at the moment is the increasing diversity of storytelling reaching audiences.
It by no means ends the domination of white-centric stories but it is a step in the right direction and one that should be appreciated by anyone who wants to see the world, and imagined worlds too, reflect the real one around them.
The latest addition to this wave of diverse storytelling is Yohance, “an African space opera graphic novel by Paul Louise-Julie and the Midas Monkee studio” which was inspired by one very specific need:
“The idea came about when I didn’t see any characters like me in space fantasy comics or books. I wanted to change that but not just make a token character. I needed to build an entire universe that made people of color relevant. Naturally, creating a universe that was aesthetically inspired by African culture made sense.” (CBR.com)
The trailer for the graphic novel was released at an online version of Dragon Con, with release scheduled for Christmas next year or the northern summer in 2022.
Progress will be documented via vlogs along the way, and you can sign up to get updates or follow them at their website or on Twitter.