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Manga, comics or graphic novels originating from Japan, is a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring millions and spanning multiple cultures. As a fan for most of my life, I've always wondered, why is there a lack of authentic Black representation?

This past year I took a leap of faith and set out on a bold new journey: creating a manga series. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, and trailblazing this venture with Afrofuturism Manga BOLDSAGA has been extraordinary. The series centers on empowering young Black kings and queens to seize greatness via stories about underdogs rising.

It feels surreal to know that I went from watching anime and reading manga frequently to starting BOLDSAGA, which was one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences ever. Why? “Imprimis, Chapter One," required nearly two years of research on African cultures, customs and language, including Xhosa, Zulu, Khoi and more, as well as illustrating, writing and self-publishing the story with assistance from my wife, Tamara.

Add my grandfather passing away, going to his funeral in Antigua and the COVID-19 pandemic to the mix and you have what looks like a recipe for disaster. However, the challenges and setbacks of this past year took the seed of my dream and buried it deep under layers of stress and setbacks. In the darkest moments, I watered it with faith in my purpose and was truly empowered by my dream to flourish, despite the vicissitudes and limits of life.

In addition, as CEO of Great Gale LLC, it has been an honor to creatively endeavor on this new path, using a decade of my experience in graphic design, illustration and more while making BOLDSAGA. This unlocked in me seven major keys that I used to rewrite the narrative in manga that up-and-coming mangakas and entrepreneurs can learn from, too.

manga

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