Readers around the world type “black manga”, “African manga” and “Congolese manga” into Google. They are looking for something that did not exist on their shelves when they were young: the speed, the emotion and the drama of manga, with heroes who look like them. In Kinshasa, that search has an answer.
What is black manga?
“Black manga” is the name many readers use for manga-inspired comics created by Black artists or centered on Black heroes. The style keeps what made Japanese manga famous: expressive faces, explosive action, long story arcs and powerful black and white art. What changes is the world: the cities, the myths, the languages and the faces come from Africa and its diaspora.
Is there a Congolese manga?
Yes. The Congo has one of the oldest comic book traditions in Africa, from the pioneers of Kinshasa such as Mongo Sisé and Barly Baruti to a new generation raised on manga, anime and superhero comics. Today, young Congolese artists draw with all of these influences at once. The result is a Congolese manga that does not copy Japan. It speaks Lingala, French and Swahili, and it grows from the streets of Kinshasa and the hills of the Kivus.
Katiomics: Africa’s answer to manga
ISOLELE calls its genre Katiomics, from Katiopa, an African name for Africa, and comics. Katiomics is to Africa what manga is to Japan: a genre, not a single book. It mixes the energy of manga, the power of superhero comics, the clean line of Franco-Belgian comics and the history and royalty of Central Africa. Read more in our guide to African manga and Katiomics.
The manga spirit in ISOLELE pages
Look at the page above: a hero floats in a storm of energy, hair lifted by power, rocks breaking around him. In black and white, the art shows how close Katiomics can be to manga. Look at the throne scene below: a king in leopard skin, a warrior seen from behind, a forest shouting one name. That is the grammar of manga, used to tell an African story.
Heroes made for manga fans
Manga readers love rivalries, brotherhoods and heroes who start from nothing. They will find all of that in Zaïko, the Leopard Phantom King of the Streets, a kid from the Kivus, and in Zaiire, the Prince of Kongo, an heir who must earn his crown. Every page is drawn by hand, without AI, by ISOLELE’s 49 illustrators in Kinshasa and Bukavu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Congolese manga?
The Katiomics of the ISOLELE Universe, created in Kinshasa, are among the most talked-about Congolese comics with a manga spirit, led by The Legend of Zaïko and Zaiire: The Prince of Kongo.
Is African manga the same as Japanese manga?
No. African manga borrows the energy and storytelling of Japanese manga, but its stories, myths, cities and heroes come from Africa.
What is Katiomics?
Katiomics is the African comic book genre created by the ISOLELE Universe, positioned for Africa the way manga is for Japan.
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