Come check out New Masters #1 by Nigerian brothers Shobo and Shof! This new comic has a unique blend of science fiction, drama, and Afrofuturism that is sure to be a treat!
NEW MASTERS #1 (OF 6)
Writer: Shobo Coker
Artist: Shof Coker
Colorist: Shof Coker
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 2nd, 2022
Previously in New Masters: Welcome to a striking vision of West Africa filled with aliens, scavengers, and an ancient artifact with immense power.
DO WHAT YOU MUST
New Masters #1 starts off with Ola and her robot companion, Ase, searching for obsidium. Fortunately, they find a decent deposit that will make a pretty penny. As our duo grabs begin to extract obsidium, they are attacked by a weird monster. Ola puts her life at risk to ensure they can get their prize before making a hasty getaway. Ola, bruised and battered, traveled to Eko City to try and sell this illegal product. However, the person she was selling the obsidium to broke down her vehicle, forcing her to spend her profit on fixing it.
Meanwhile, Governor Tosin Ojumah realizes that Earth’s obsidium supply has dried up. Everyone is trying to fight for this product. But there is also something called the Eye of Orunmila that everyone mobilizes to get it.
AMAZING WORLD
I had a hunch that New Masters #1 was going to be right up my alley. It creates a world based on a different philosophy and mythos with so many unique elements. I recognized some of these names and words from the Yoruba language. And through insight into the language, you can get a clearer understanding of where these storylines are going. Ase, from my knowledge, is a concept of divine force, energy, or power. So it is funny to me that Ase acts as a combination of a navigation drone, miner, and personal cell phone-like device that Ola has to mute sometimes. When we step away from a lot of Euro-centric based stories, we get a whole new world of possibilities. Something that is desperately needed in media.
My only complaint is that I really connected to Ola and her personality but got most of my worldbuilding from Tosin and a couple of other sources. We don’t get to see Ola’s perspective on the political landscape and therefore minimizes her importance to the story. If she is even essential to the overall plot. I hope to see a more significant focus on her in future issues.
BOTTOM LINE: GREAT BOOK
New Masters #1 is a beautiful book. It is drawn and colored with skill and dexterity and tells an entirely unique story. It is challenging to step outside of the norm because of audience expectations. When we introduce other cultures to our stories, writers must provide context for the culture, which is challenging to accomplish. Shobo and Shof are a fantastic team that gracefully handles this difficult task. 4.5 out of 5 stars for New Masters #1.
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New Masters #1
New Masters #1 provides an excellent foundation for what is sure to be a fantastic story.
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Writing9
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Art10
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Coloring9
Christopher Rondeau is a storyteller based in Tulsa, OK. Finding himself with little work, he ended up creating a job as a Game Master full time on the internet. Chris spends most of his days reading everything he can, writing bad fiction, and watching old Digimon cartoons with his daughter. Sometimes you can find him Dungeon Mastering a podcast or streaming on twitch. Recently, he has completed his Master's degree with a focus on collaborative storytelling. Find out more at https://rondeaucreator.com