Nigerian creative director and writer, Roye Okupe has launched his first graphic novel titled EXO: The Legend of Wale Williams, based on a superhero from Nigeria. The film was produced under YouNeek Studios, a Maryland based transmedia.
Synopsis - Tricked into returning home to Nigeria after being absent for five years, Wale (pronounced Wah-leh) Williams embarks on a journey to investigate his father’s mysterious disappearance. Wale’s father, Dr. Williams, was a brilliant engineer and inventor who worked for a dubious organization called PryTeK, a global leader in technology and innovation. When Wale returns, he finds a city and country he barely recognizes; cycles of governments have passed over the years, and while the now affluent city thrives, a whole population of poverty-stricken citizens are being ignored and imperiled Over the years, corruption within the government, corruption that seemed to have been eradicated, has simply, evolved. Read full synopsis HERE.
Part 1 is due for release in 2015.
Okupe who has experience in film and animation says, "From the first day I laid my eyes on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons in the 80’s, I've been hooked on superheroes. Since then I've watched, played and read every single superhero related title I could lay my hands on: movies, superhero comics, manga, anime, graphic novels, superhero animated movies & series, video games etc. Then in 2008, after noticing there wasn't a lot of diversity within the genre, I decided to tell a story about a hero from Nigeria.
He further adds, "There aren't that many known/commercial African superheroes or superhero comics out there, so I decided to create. I believe people connect with the likes of Superman & Spiderman because they can relate to them, not necessarily because of their place of origin. So I created an African superhero story I believe anyone can connect to. The EXO graphic novel based on a superhero from Nigeria."