Created by YouNeek Studios and Roye Okupe, Iyanu: Child of Wonder is making waves in comic books and animation. Originally published by YouNeek Studios and then distributed/ published by Dark Horse Comics in 2021, Iyanu: Child of Wonder began as an ongoing comic book series, currently consisting of four volumes. It tells the story of a young orphan girl named Iyanu, who discovers that she has magical abilities harkening back to the Age of Wonders, a time of deities in the world of Yorubaland. Now, with the help of the gregarious warrior Biyi and the bookworm Toye, Iyanu must fulfill her destiny and journey to a mystical place known as The Source to free Yorubaland from an ancient evil.
In 2022, it was revealed that Iyanu: Child of Wonder would be adapted into an animated series, created in collaboration with Max, Cartoon Network, and Lion Forge Studios. Season 1 premiered on April 5, 2025, on Cartoon Network and on April 6, 2025, on Max. The following month, it was announced that Iyanu: Child of Wonder had been renewed for a second season and two spin-off movies. Season 2 will premiere in 2026, while the first of the two spin-off films, titled “The Age of Wonders,” will premiere later this year. “The Age of Wonders” is a prequel that is set 500 years before Iyanu: Child of Wonder.
Initially, I had read the first three volumes of Iyanu digitally by borrowing them via the Hoopla library app in 2022. However, I wouldn’t fully appreciate this work until I recently read the complete first story arc of volumes 1-4. After visiting a local Black-owned bookstore in GA called Nubian Bookstore, I saw paperback copies of Iyanu: Child of Wonder there. Since I didn’t have access to the animated series, I decided that reading the comics was the next best thing.
One of the best aspects of Iyanu volumes 1-4 is its intricate cast of characters. First, there are the three kids that make up Team Chosen: Iyanu, Biyi, and Toye. Then, you have the secondary characters who fall somewhere on the good and evil spectrum: Olori, a priestess who serves as Iyanu’s first mentor and mother figure; Nuro, a chancellor who advises the king of the city of Elu; and Uwa, the king’s younger brother and a foreign minister. These are just some of the characters who are reflective of the world of Yorubaland in all its glory and flaws.
Speaking of the world of Yorubaland, the worldbuilding and lore are other aspects of Iyanu that immersed me in the story. Within Yorubaland, there are different areas such as the city of Elu and The Riverland Settlements that each have their own way of life. For instance, Elu operates through various districts for different social classes, such as the Workers’ District and The Palace. On the other hand, The Riverland Settlements are very rural but have fierce and loyal people. I especially liked the mystical lore regarding The Divine Ones and the animals that became known as The Corrupt.
Although the characters and worldbuilding charmed me, I had mixed feelings about the artwork. Creator and writer Roye Okupe and letterer Spoof Animation are the only two on the series who have worked on all four books. There are multiple artists who drew and colored the art on Iyanu: Goodwin Akpan for volumes 1 and 2, Chima Kalu and Goodwin Akpan on volume 3, and Sunkanmi Akinboye, Toyin Ajetunmobi, and Goodwin Akpan on book 4. Due to the multiple artists working on the series rather than just one, the artwork is somewhat inconsistent. This is especially noticeable in book 4, which had my least favorite artwork due to how the style change jarred me. The artwork in books 1-3 looks almost like a painting, with lovely use of color to convey light and shadow to favor characters with a range of different skin tones. However, book 4’s artwork does away with the painting-like artwork and replaces it with an art style that I didn’t like at all.
Despite the erratic quality of the artwork, I enjoyed Iyanu’s first four books. Not only does Iyanu: Child of Wonder display the talent of Nigerian comic book creators, but it also showcases Yoruba mythology and culture in a creative way that is rarely seen in Western media. Given that Iyanu is a part of a larger universe of characters that span across different time periods, maybe her story can open the door to it. Iyanu Child of Wonder is an epic adventure made for fantasy fans, young and ol,d and I look forward to seeing more of it.
Latonya “Penn” Pennington is a Black-Asian genderqueer freelance contributor and poet. They’ve written a plethora of pop culture criticism at sites such as Popverse, Into More, Comics XF, and many more. As a poet, they’ve been published in places such as Black Sci-fi’s Scribes of Nyota, Fiyah Lit magazine, and The Daily Drunk. Check out more of their work on their website Words From A Penn.
