https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/newsNews from the ISOLELE Universe: Congolese and African comics, graphic novels and Black African superheroes.en Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:33:16 +0000 https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-comics-kinshasa-lubumbashi-bukavuhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-comics-kinshasa-lubumbashi-bukavuSun, 11 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000A journey through Congolese comics: Kinshasa, capital of the Congolese comic book, Lubumbashi and its art scene, and Bukavu, where ISOLELE artists draw by hand. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/top-african-comic-books-to-read-2027https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/top-african-comic-books-to-read-2027Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000The best African comic books to read in 2027: Zaiire, Shango and Zaiire, Aya de Yopougon, Iyanu, E.X.O., Malika, Mandrill and the Guardians of Kongo, from the Congo to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/black-women-superheroes-african-queens-warriorshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/black-women-superheroes-african-queens-warriorsSun, 11 Oct 2026 20:00:00 +0000The best Black female comic book characters beyond Marvel and DC: 16 African women superheroes of the ISOLELE Universe, from Kimoya Kandake and the Red Panther to Kimpa Vita and Kabibi Mami Wata. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/best-black-superheroes-list-african-superheroeshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/best-black-superheroes-list-african-superheroesSun, 11 Oct 2026 19:00:00 +0000A list of the best Black superheroes beyond Marvel and DC: 30 African superheroes from the ISOLELE Universe, from Zaiire and Mwindo Lumumba to Kimoya Kandake, the Red Panther and Ganga Zumba. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-childrens-books-comics-for-kidshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-childrens-books-comics-for-kidsSun, 11 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000African children’s books and comics with heroes who look like them: the Guardians of Kongo, Okapi and Opa, Ota Benga, Coco Rico and Queen Beeza, and the Bana ya ISOLELE reading program. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/leopard-symbol-african-kings-culture-comic-bookshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/leopard-symbol-african-kings-culture-comic-booksSun, 11 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000Why the leopard is a symbol of kings in Africa: Kongo chiefs and leopard skin, the leopards of the Benin kings, the leopard societies of the Congo, and the leopard heroes of ISOLELE. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-queens-in-history-kandake-nzinga-comic-bookshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-queens-in-history-kandake-nzinga-comic-booksSun, 11 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000The great African queens of history: the Kandake of Kush who faced Rome, Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba, Kimpa Vita, Makeda of Sheba and Nandi, reborn in Congolese comic books. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/mwindo-epic-congolese-hero-comic-bookhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/mwindo-epic-congolese-hero-comic-bookSun, 11 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Who is Mwindo? The hero of the Nyanga epic of eastern Congo, born speaking with his magic scepter, and how his name lives on in Mwindo Lumumba, the African Panther. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/afrofuturism-vs-african-futurism-comic-bookshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/afrofuturism-vs-african-futurism-comic-booksSun, 11 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000What is Afrofuturism, and how is African futurism different? From Mark Dery and Sun Ra to Nnedi Okorafor, and how Congolese comic books imagine an African future. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-mythology-gods-spirits-comic-bookshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-mythology-gods-spirits-comic-booksSun, 11 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000African mythology in comic books: Shango the orisha of thunder, Mami Wata, the Aziza forest spirits and the legends of the Congo, reborn as heroes in the ISOLELE Universe. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-cultural-center-kinshasa-comic-books-art-culturehttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-cultural-center-kinshasa-comic-books-art-cultureThu, 08 Oct 2026 15:30:00 +0000The ISOLELE cultural center at l’Échangeur de Limete in Kinshasa: Congolese comic books, art, games, children’s reading activities and the ISOLELE UMOJA festival. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-manga-katiomics-african-comic-book-genrehttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-manga-katiomics-african-comic-book-genreThu, 08 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000What is African manga? From Hokusai and Tezuka to Kugali, Comic Republic and the Congo: how Katiomics became Africa’s own comic book genre, and where to read African comics online. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/makanda-city-hidden-kingdom-zaiire-comic-bookhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/makanda-city-hidden-kingdom-zaiire-comic-bookThu, 08 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000Inside Makanda City, the hidden capital of the Zaiire comic book saga: the monument at its gate, the Sacred Flame, Ethercobalt, the ten Makanda inventions and the real Kongo history behind the legend. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/story-behind-zaiire-comic-book-prince-of-kongo-facehttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/story-behind-zaiire-comic-book-prince-of-kongo-faceThu, 08 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000HRM King Kufulula tells the story behind the Zaiire comic book: the face that was not African, the night he gave Zaiire his own face, the cover everyone called impossible, and the first of his Nine Principles. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-prince-of-kongo-comic-book-makandahttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-prince-of-kongo-comic-book-makandaThu, 08 Oct 2026 00:30:00 +0000Zaiire: The Prince of Kongo and The Necklace of Destiny, the Congolese comic book by HRM King Kufulula: the story, the heroes, the hidden Makanda dynasty, where to buy it and Book II. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/shango-and-zaiire-a-letter-from-a-father-to-his-son-bookhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/shango-and-zaiire-a-letter-from-a-father-to-his-son-bookWed, 07 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000The new ISOLELE book by HRM King Kufulula: Shango and Zaiire, a full-color Congolese graphic novel about a father, his son and the words that finally arrive. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-books-to-readhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-books-to-readTue, 06 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000The best Congolese books to read: novels from Kinshasa and Brazzaville, Congolese comic books and children’s books, from Mabanckou and Mujila to Barly Baruti and Zaiire. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/mwindo-lumumba-patrice-lumumba-comic-book-superherohttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/mwindo-lumumba-patrice-lumumba-comic-book-superheroMon, 05 Oct 2026 08:30:00 +0000Why ISOLELE joined Patrice Lumumba with the Mwindo epic to create Mwindo Lumumba, the African Panther: the history, the idea, the costume and the books. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-comics-historyhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/african-comics-historyMon, 05 Oct 2026 07:05:00 +0000From the first comic magazines in Egypt to Gbich! in Abidjan, Nigeria’s superheroes and the new Congolese wave: the history of African comics and graphic novels, region by region. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/ota-benga-comic-book-guardians-of-kongo-opi-opahttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/ota-benga-comic-book-guardians-of-kongo-opi-opaMon, 05 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000ISOLELE’s next comic book honors the memory of Ota Benga. The Guardians of Kongo: Opi & Opa, The Sacred Bottle of Time of Ota Benga is coming soon. Meet Opa for the first time. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-comicshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/congolese-comicsThu, 01 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000From the colonial press of 1921 to Papa Mfumu’Eto, Barly Baruti and the new superheroes of Kinshasa: the history of Congolese comics and the artists who made it. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/top-african-comic-books-2026https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/top-african-comic-books-2026Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:00:00 +0000The best African comic books and graphic novels to read in 2026, from Aya of Yop City and Iyanu to Zaiire: The Prince of Kongo. Ten picks from Kinshasa, Lagos, Abidjan and Johannesburg. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-movie-african-animationhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-movie-african-animationWed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000An African hero, an African story, told the African way. The Zaiire animated film arrives December 2028, and it could open the door for a new era of African animation. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-taking-over-africa-african-comicshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-taking-over-africa-african-comicsTue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000Bookstores in Nairobi. A distribution partner in Brazzaville. Readers in Zambia and South Africa. Artists in Kinshasa and Bukavu. The African superhero movement is spreading. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-umoja-african-superheroes-festival-kinshasahttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/isolele-umoja-african-superheroes-festival-kinshasaMon, 28 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000Two days. One universe. Every continent invited. Kinshasa becomes the home of African superheroes. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-chapter-2-prince-of-kongohttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-chapter-2-prince-of-kongoSun, 27 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000The storm-born prince is back. Chapter II sends Zaiire through time to the day Congo became free, and his enemies are watching. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/black-african-superheroes-comicshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/black-african-superheroes-comicsSat, 26 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000From Kinshasa to Nairobi, a new generation of heroes is rising. Inside the universe putting Congolese superheroes on the global map. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-kimoya-mwindo-lumumba-black-african-superheroeshttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/zaiire-kimoya-mwindo-lumumba-black-african-superheroesTue, 15 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000Meet Zaiire, Kimoya Kandake and Mwindo Lumumba: Black African superheroes of the ISOLELE Universe, born from Congo's royalty, myth and real history. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/the-isolele-universe-between-myth-and-modernityhttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/the-isolele-universe-between-myth-and-modernityFri, 15 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000A world where African legends meet contemporary graphic storytelling. https://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/kufulula-anatomy-of-an-extraordinary-kinghttps://www.isoleleuniverse.com/en/articles/kufulula-anatomy-of-an-extraordinary-kingMon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000Who is HRM King Kufulula really? A portrait of a complex figure: warrior, diplomat and guardian of the ancestors, all at once.