Musician and writer Rapman‘s South London-based superhero mini series, Supacell, has proven a hit on streaming service Netflix, hitting the Number Two spot behind the third season of Bridgerton, over the week 24th – 30th June 2024, then rising to the Number One spot for TV shows on the UK stream this week.

In the series, starring Tosin Cole (who played companion Ryan Sinclair in Doctor Who), Nadine Mills (Sliced) and Eric Kofi-Abrefa (Blue Story), five ordinary South Londoners discover they have extraordinary powers. Cole and Adelayo Adedayo (The Responder) play loved-up couple Michael and Dionne, whose lives are thrown into chaos when the former suddenly gains the ability to travel through time.

However, this surprising gift will seem anything but as he learns that his fiancé is doomed to an untimely demise, unless he can track down four other powered individuals and unite them against an unforeseen threat. It’s down to one man to bring them together to save the woman he loves.

The “bold and daring” sci-fi drama series Supacell debuted on the English TV List in second place with 6.4M views, and fans are already clamouring for a second season, praising the plot, script and performances.

Supacell is Rapman‘s first TV project, and he’s the first black person to create, write and direct his own show on Netflix UK.

Hailing from Deptford, South East London, Rapman, real name Andrew Onwubolu, began his journey in 2013 when he released the first part of his musical trilogy Blue Story and the recent critically acclaimed hit that had the nation at the edge of their seats, Shiro’s Story.

Often referred to as the “storyteller,” Rapman’s uniquely vivid narrative style and distinct sound has lead to collaborations with Comic Relief, Anthony Nolan, and CALM covering issues such as Domestic Abuse, Male Suicide and Stem Cell Donors – and has been awarded an MBE for his work. His aim is to educate the youth of today and deliver a message like no other.

When developing the show, Rapman, Netflix and New Wave Productions founded the Supacell Six Scheme, an initiative which will give six Black creatives the opportunity to grow in their chosen field through shadowing crew, access to experts in their field and additional upskilling courses.

Speaking to Deadline last year, Rapman explained that the characters in Supacell don’t conform to some of the more common superhero tropes.

“If I got powers, my first thing wouldn’t be to go and buy a spandex outfit,” he said. “I was thinking ‘What can I use my powers for to put my family in a better position?’ As much as I love Marvel and DC, you know it’s going to work out in the end but in our story you just don’t know what’s going to happen because it’s a grounded superpowers show. They are hero characters, but they’re all very flawed.”

In a more recent interview for Country & Town House, he was keen to emphasise the importance of the show’s South London location.

“It’s very important to me!” he said. “South London is not only where I grew up, but it has an incredibly vibrant community with its own culture, stories and struggles. The decision to shoot in South London was ultimately about representation and empowerment. I wanted viewers to feel immersed in the sights, sounds and energy of South London, and to connect with the characters and their stories on a deeper level. It’s about showing that stories from marginalised communities are not only valid but also compelling and worthy of being told on a global stage.”

• Check out Supacell here on Netflix (UK link)

• Country & Town House: Rapman On Creating, Writing & Directing Supacell

John Freeman

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 News

Tags: Adelayo Adedayo, downthetubes News, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Nadine Mills, Netflix, Rapman, Supacell, Tosin Cole