If you are a fan of African fantasy and sci-fi stories, you might have heard of Mutupo, a comic book series that explores a futuristic take on the tradition of totems by the Shona people of Zimbabwe. The creator of Mutupo is Kudakwashe Rwizi, a talented digital storyteller who uses comic books and animation to bring his visions to life.
Just over 12 months ago, Kuda Rwizi was only just a freelance illustrator and animator with dreams of publishing his own stories, but he lacked the resources and support to do so, until he joined the Scripts and Bars creative incubator programme.
Kuda Rwizi was one of the 100 participants selected from Zimbabwe and UK to join the programme in January 2022. He says that the programme was a game-changer for him.
“The programme gave me everything I needed to take my storytelling to the next level. I learned how to create higher quality content, how to market my work online, how to manage my finances and how to pitch to investors. I also received a grant of $3,300 to finish my first comic book and produce an animated trailer. And most importantly, I met other amazing storytellers who inspired me and helped me along the way.”
With the support of the programme, Kuda Rwizi was able to finish and publish his first comic book, Mutupo, on the webtoons platform in July 2022. The comic book was an instant hit, attracting over 10,000 readers within three months. The readers praised the comic book for its originality, creativity and quality.
“I was blown away by the response from the readers. I never expected that so many people would love my story and connect with it. It gave me so much confidence and motivation to keep going.”
Kuda Rwizi also created an animated trailer for his comic book, which he posted on YouTube and other social media platforms. The trailer went viral and achieved over 20,000 views organically. The trailer caught the attention of Noir Cesar, a publishing company that specializes in African manga and anime.
“They contacted me and offered me a publishing deal for Mutupo. I couldn’t believe it. They are one of the rising indie publishers in the industry and they have distribution deals with Tokyo Pop, which covers North America and Europe. This means that my comic book will reach a wider audience around the world.”
Kuda Rwizi signed the deal with Noir Cesar in late 2022 and is now working on the second volume of Mutupo. He is grateful for the opportunity that Scripts and Bars gave him and he hopes that his story will inspire other aspiring digital storytellers in Africa.
“Scripts and Bars changed my life. It showed me that anything is possible if you have passion, determination and support. I want to thank Kay Media Africa, the British Council and all the partners for creating this programme and for believing in me.
If you want to learn more about Scripts and Bars and how it supports young Zimbabwean creatives, you can visit their website www.scriptsandbars.com or follow them on Facebook @scriptsandbars or Twitter (X) @scriptsandbars.