Cartoonists make us laugh—and think—by caricaturing daily events and politics. The essays, interviews, and cartoons presented in this innovative book vividly demonstrate the rich diversity of cartooning across Africa and highlight issues facing its cartoonists today, such as sociopolitical trends, censorship, and use of new technologies. Celebrated African cartoonists including Zapiro of South Africa, Gado of Kenya, and Asukwo of Nigeria join top scholars and a new generation of scholar-cartoonists from the fields of literature, comic studies and fine arts, animation studies, social sciences, and history to take the analysis of African cartooning forward. Taking African Cartoons Seriously presents critical thematic studies to chart new approaches to how African cartoonists trade in fun, irony, and satire. The book brings together the traditional press editorial cartoon with rapidly diverging subgenres of the art in the graphic novel and animation, and applications on social media. Interviews with bold and successful cartoonists provide insights into their work, their humor, and the dilemmas they face. This book will delight and inform readers from all backgrounds, providing a highly readable and visual introduction to key cartoonists and styles, as well as critical engagement with current themes to show where African political cartooning is going and why.

"This volume documents from historical and contemporary perspectives, the situations, trends, and issues of cartooning in a number of African countries, and profiles the individuals, forms, and phenomena that stand out. All types of cartooning are covered, including comic books, comic strips, gag and political cartoons, and humor magazines. The contributors are scholars, writers, and practitioners of comic art who are either residents of or research visitors to Africa. Their approaches run the gamut from historical/contemporary overviews, to problem analysis of the profession and cartoonists, to textual analysis."--BOOK JACKET.

"Kwezi is a young city dweller who discovers he has super human abilities. His journey starts off as a self serving narcissist who only uses his abilities to further his social status. This is until he is tracked down by three individuals who exhibit similar evolutionary talents. It's not long until Kwezi is confronted with the truth about his powers and is faced with an important decision; to carry out his life serving no particular purpose, or joining his new companions on a journey to discover who he really is and what he is destined to be"--Back cover, volume [1].

Political cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro s personal tribute to the great man of our time

Two decades after its conception, this humoristic cartoon series is still South Africa’s best reminder to laugh at itself as a society. Hilarious and iconic, the family of Madam, Eve, Thandi, and Mother Anderson are dysfunctional, chaotic, and an unfailingly satirical reflection of everyday life. Highlighting classic cartoons from the past 20 years, this annual collection is the ultimate collector's item.

Penda Diakité joins forces with her award-winning author/artist father to give a charming peek at everyday life in Africa. "This fact-based story of losing a tooth while visiting family in Mali rings with authenticity and good humour...[T]he illustrations exude happiness and togetherness." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books