YouNeek Studio’s Releases Their First Ever Teen Hero Graphic Novel “Iyanu” Via Kickstarter

April 28, 2020

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A teenage orphan girl with no recollection of her past suddenly discovers that she has abilities that rival the ancient gods! YouNeek Studios, the Maryland based transmedia company, is proud to announce the official launch of Iyanu – Child of Wonder Volume One! The 112-page graphic novel is now available for order via Kickstarter. Check out the cover & synopsis below.

Having released seven graphic novels, three one-shots, one art book and one coloring book over the last four years, all of which are inspired by African history, culture and mythology, YouNeek Studios is poised to continue to deliver authentic, compelling and inspirational
content to an industry that’s in dire need of such. And with Iyanu – Child of Wonder, YouNeek Studios is set to introduce their first ever teenaged hero to the “YouNeek YouNiverse.”

Dubbed “The MCU of graphic novels,” the YouNeek YouNiverse is a combination of individual graphic novel series (E.X.O., Malika, WindMaker, Iyanu etc.) tied together with one continuous, overall plot that weaves through each individual story.

We’re incredibly excited about Iyanu for so many reasons. First, it’s the first time in FOUR YEARS we’ve launched a brand new series, with brand new characters, in a brand new world (still within the YouNiverse).

Second, it features our first-ever teen hero. While all of our books are generally family-friendly, this one has a protagonist that can truly speak to a younger audience while simultaneously keeping older readers engaged and entertained (Think of titles like Avatar: The LastAirbender, The Dragon Prince, Brave, Incredibles and so on).

Third, we’ve been working hard (research, story, art, etc.) on this for almost three years now. As with all of our titles, Iyanu is inspired by African history, culture and mythology. More specifically, this story itself is inspired by Yoruba history and culture, as well as the Great Walls of Benin, which have been said to be ” four times longer than the Great Wall of China” and
“perhaps the largest single archaeological phenomenon on the planet.”

-Roye Okupe, CEO/Co-Founder of YouNeek Studios

Synopsis
It has been over a thousand years since the age of wonders — a time where the Divine Ones blessed humanity with spiritual, structural, and technological marvels. But in the blink of an eye, it all vanished, and all that was left were remnants of an ancient, advanced civilization. As humankind forges ahead, culture becomes knowledge, knowledge becomes history, and
history becomes mythology. Until Iyanu. A teenage orphan girl with no recollection of her past who suddenly discovers that she has hidden powers that rival the Divine Ones themselves. As Iyanu tries to come to terms with her new abilities, the people of Yorubaland become aware of an ancient evil that has reawakened. And all that’s left between them and destruction are the memories locked away in the mind of Iyanu.

About the creator
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Roye Okupe is an award-winning filmmaker, author, speaker and entrepreneur whose passion for comics and animation led him to found YouNeek Studios in 2012, an avenue that would allow him to pursue his dream of creating a diverse library of superheroes. Under that umbrella, Roye wrote, produced and directed several animated productions including, but not limited to, the award-winning and critically acclaim Malika – Warrior Queen Animated Short. These productions have allowed Roye to attain many prestigious recognitions such as being #5 on Ventures Africa’s list of 40 African innovators to watch (2016) as well as being part of NewAfrican Magazines’ 100 most influential Africans two years in a row (2016 & 2017).

You can order Iyanu – Child of Wonder via Kickstarter.