Charlize Theron, a Hollywood icon, collaborated with local award-winning actor, director, and producer Thabo Rametsi for the “Imbokodo” comic series.
Rametsi and his Nguniverse Studios colleague Thabiso Mabanna, a corporate financial analyst, collaborated on the first installment of the four-part comic book series, which was released earlier this month.
Rametsi is known for his commercially successful flicks “Kalushi,” “Amandla,” and “Silverton Siege.”
He has now teamed up with the Oscar-winning South African-born actress, Secret Menu, Dawn Olmstead, Beth Kono, and AJ Dix, for the upcoming season of the show.
The “Monster” star was quoted by “Actors Space” as saying: “When Thabo and Thabiso from Nguniverse Studios first brought us this idea, we were so impressed with the epic scope and emotional depth of this world they created with such incredibly powerful female African warriors at the centre.”
“As our company’s first foray into the publishing space, we couldn’t have asked for better creative partners than Thabo and Thabiso and we can’t wait for the world to meet the indomitable warrior women of the ‘Imbokodo’.”
Rametsi added: “When we first started building the world of ‘Imbokodo’, we aimed to create something that would resonate deeply with audiences everywhere.
“Bringing African warrior women to the forefront of this narrative is an ode to the strength and resilience of African heritage. Partnering with a global star who champions diverse storytelling has brought our vision to new heights.”
Rametsi and Mabanna co-wrote the comic series, which features images and artwork by Katlego Motaung and logo art by Gil Lazcano.
“Imbokodo” aims to honour Africa’s renowned warrior ladies with the help of Theron.
They include iconic individuals such as Nandi, Nzinga, Modjadji, Llinga, Amina, Nehanda, and a number of other queens who changed history.
Meanwhile, Dark Horse Comics, “Imbokodo”‘s publishing partner, was created in 1986 by Mike Richardson with the goal of supporting creative diversity in the comics business.
The organization is known for its inventiveness, having published works by prominent artists and authors such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, and Brian Michael Bendis.
It also sets the standard for quality licensed comics and collectables as it features properties like “Star Wars”, “Stranger Things”, “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, “Minecraft”, “The Legend of Zelda”, “Game of Thrones” and “The Witcher” among others.
According to a previous statement: “‘Imbokodo’ is set in the land of the pyramid sun, Ndawo, where a single step for the Badimu (Gods) is a thousand Muntu (human) lifetimes.”
It narrates the story of a conflict breaking out among the Badimu, casting a pall over Ndawo. This darkness leads to genocide and battle among the Muntu. Even now, a thousand years later, Ndawo is divided into multiple empires.
As the war rages on, countless young girls mysteriously disappear from their villages in the Monomotapa kingdom, leaving a path of carnage in their wake.
It is up to Queen Nyameka of Monomotapa to send the Imbokodo, Ndawo’s strongest warriors, to investigate the disappearances, while a nameless woman joins them in pursuit of her lost sister.
The first installment of the “Imbokodo” series, a fan favorite at Comic Con Africa in September, is now available in local comic shops.
The second chapter, which will include Theron’s input, is set to be issued in February, with volume three following in April and the final edition arriving in June.
