AND SO, WE BEGIN…
Let me tell you a story.
The desert scorches with the sun, but the Sahara is very cold at night. Sit here, by the camp fire.
WHY IS IT CRITICAL FOR YOU TO BACK THIS PROJECT?
OLD AFRICAN PROVERB: "Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."
MEANING: History is often told by those in power at the time, not by the truth. As long as only the Hunter shares the story, the Lion will always appear weak. When the oppressed speak for themselves, real justice, balance and truth finally emerge. Eventually.
That being said, here is more about the low fantasy, West African historical fiction graphic novel for a Young Adult+ audience…
INTRODUCTION: When a ruthless Sorcerer King attacks his homeland, Prince Djata goes into exile, forced on a journey that unintentionally forges him into the WarLord he must become to re-ignite old alliances against a common enemy, establishing the great Mali Empire.
WHO: I’m Eposi aka Eplleseed. I have spent the last 13 years traveling to different countries around the continent of Africa - to the North, South, East, West and Central, to listen to voices of lived experiences, to stories passed down for hundreds of years, and to find written works across nations.
WHAT: Wielding this knowledge, I have layered legend, history and folk tale alike into this fantasy-fictional graphic novel based on real people and events from 13th Century West Africa into the epic called SONGS OF THE SAHARA - For mood and story reference, think ‘Beowulf’, ‘The Iliad’, ‘The Odyssey’ meeting ‘A Tale of Ice & Fire’/GOT, but in Africa.
WHEN: KICKSTARTER pre-launch coming soon, and Official launch target is SPRING 2026. We will keep you posted.
WHERE: Pull up on (@eplleseed) on TIKTOK, IG, SUBSTACK or all three!!! I share interesting and educational African stories and folk tales directly related or adjacent to our project. YouTube Channel loading.
Come by and say hello! I look forward to enjoying this caravan ride with you.
Oma Nanu,
Eposi.