Nigeria is currently enjoying a growing comics industry of its own, with numerous publishers creating both print and digital titles, such as Comic Republic, Vortex Comics and YouNeek Studios– and Lagos Comic Con, taking place this weekend, is proving increasingly popular. But in the 1970s, conscious of US and British comic imports into Nigeria at that time, this might be why the owners of Pikin Press chose to work with Bardon Press Features to develop Powerman and other characters and all the strips they published, written and drawn by British and Europeans, rather than African creators.
Many downthetubes comic readers will already be aware of the Nigerian superhero Powerman, an initiative from Pikin Press (also known as Pican Publications), a Nigerian advertising agency with offices in Guildford… but the superhero, drawn by Brian Bolland and Dave Gibbons, wasn’t the only strip created in Britain for an African audience in the 1970s.
downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf is doing a fantastic job documenting the strips produced by Pikin Press on his Boys Adventure Comics blog, as and when rare copies of the original Powerman appear on eBay.
The Powerman strips were re-published in the United Kingdom in 1988 by Acme Press in the four-issue series Power Comics, the character’s name changed to Powerbolt to avoid copyright challenges from “Luke Cage, Power Man” owners Marvel Comics. The series was later collected by US publisher Eclipse Comics.
But Pikin Press also published at least one more title, POP, “Nigeria’s Own Picture Paper for Children”, which included “Sister Mercy“, a beautifully drawn strip drawn by Ron Smith about a nurse at a hospital in Lagos. In 2000AD: The Creator Interviews, Michael Molcher notes the project led Oxford University Press to employ Ron to produce dictionaries and textbooks for the Nigerian market. But beyond that, it appears very little is known about it.
What else did POP include? We do know that all the strips published by Pikin Press were written with an awareness that they needed to be picture led with strong yet visual storytelling, aware that many potential readers might be illiterate – but who ran the company and who came up with the idea?
And – despite the end of the Pikin Press project when, according to artist Ron Tiner, Nigeria sadly suffered a military coup, did any of the comics and their characters inspire the Nigerian comic creators of today?
If anyone has any more information on “Sister Mercy” and Pikin Press, do let us know!
• The annual Lagos Comic Con takes place this coming weekend – more information here on Facebook -or follow the event on Twitter @lagos_comiccon
THE PIKIN PRESS STRIPS
• Powerman was a superhero whose only weakness was snake bites – danger for children in Nigeria, too. Written by Donne Avenell and Norman Worker, the artists on the strip were Brian Bolland and Dave Gibbons. Powerman promoted characteristics such as individualism, devotion to duty and modernisation.
When the strip was bought out by a South African company (to the dismay of Dave Gibbons), a tea company to sponsored it, requiring Ron Smith to insert new panels of Powerman drinking cups of tea after his adventures!
• “The Black Star” starred Jango, the story of a black sheriff, ran as a back up in Powerman. The Jango strip was drawn initially by Eric Bradbury, replaced on some episodes by Ron Tiner
• “War Story” was drawn by Carlos Ezquerra
WEB LINKS
• Pikin Press strips and more on Richard Sheaf’s Boys Adventure Comics blog
• African Words: African superheroes in the 1970s and 1980s: a historical perspective by Tessa Pijnaker
• African Words: African Superheroes in the 1970s and 1980s: A Postscript by Tade Thompson and Tessa Pijnaker
• Power Comics (Acme Press) – GCD Entry
• Tex Comic News; A Powerman/ Powerbolt Feature
SOME NIGERIAN COMIC CREATORS AND PUBLISHERS
• The annual Lagos Comic Con takes place this coming weekend – more information here on Facebook -or follow the event on Twitter @lagos_comiccon
• Vortex Comics is online at www.vortex247.com | Issuu
• YouNeek Studios – run by Roye Okupe
• The Independent: Nigeria’s comic book explosion: Why Lagos is the new Gotham
Move over New York, Gotham and Metropolis… Lagos is the new place to find superheroes. David Barnett finds out about the rise of the Nigerian comic book industry (2017 article)
With many thanks to Richard Sheaf for his continued research into this project
- About the Author
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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