By Firmain Eric Mbadinga
Lamine Dieme and Tyty Louis Essongue don't know each other. They live thousands of kilometres apart in different countries, each in the comfort of a creative cocoon reflecting their distinctive backgrounds.
What unites this African duo — one a native of Senegal and the other from Gabon — is a shared passion for a crossover style of comic book storytelling that has created a niche with its portrayal of the continent for a global audience.
Lamine, based in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, is already an accomplished name with an artistic repertoire that extends to caricature, graphic design and animation.
Like him, Libreville resident Tyty is known for breathing life into black characters, using vibrant colours, lines and shapes to transport the audience to their world.
In the tradition of many African cartoonists, both strive to ensure that their artistic expressions bear the continent's stamp and yet resonate with global audiences.
Distinctive styles
Lamine's animated drawings often centre on social issues like politics and the state of the economy. One of his more notable works is the comic strip "Patrie", which weaves together stories and interpretations of the concept of motherland.
The storytelling begins with the history of Africa — marked by slavery, violence and mass migrations — before transitioning to the recent history of Senegal, interspersed with the artist's personal experiences.
"My art is a legacy of my father, a draftsman and a designer of wax fabric. I have always been drawn to comics," Lamine tells TRT Afrika.
While Lamine's work mirrors current events, Tyty leans more towards fiction. The 29-year-old Gabonese has collaborated on seven projects and produced two comic strips under his name, "Dans l’ombre du soleil" and "Rendjegho".
Like his celebrated Senegalese counterpart, Tyty's love for drawing and comics was nurtured by his immediate environment, particularly by a close family member. His mother, a fashion industry professional, also played a pivotal role in his growth as an artist.
"I have always been fascinated by drawing, mostly after seeing my mother sketch. But it was my aunt who introduced me to comics. She gifted me ‘The Adventures of Tintin’, the first comic book I ever held," Tyty reminisces.
Inspired by what he saw and read, Tyty began sketching, away from his father's sceptical gaze, who initially saw no future in drawing.
Unlike Tyty, the 40-something Lamine found more understanding from his father than his mother when he decided to leave school to pursue drawing.
Undeterred, Lamine enrolled in a cartoon studio in Dakar.
"Even in primary school, I used to assist my teachers in drawing pictures for events. I would also help my classmates with their drawings," he recalls.
Lamine's journey began with simple sketches in a notebook, a humble diary. Over time, he transitioned from drawing to creating comics, learning from the art form's pioneers.
His portfolio includes comic strips like “Nenne Bébé Amine”, published in 2009 in both Wolof and French, "Caquette", released in 2016, and "Lendemain Noir", published in 2020. The latter, a blend of mysticism, politics, and futuristic adventure, won a prize at a European festival.
Lamine is currently working on a project about Senegalese heroes.
All about the idea
Tyty believes that quality creative work requires inspiration, a compelling theme, and a hook that engages readers.
His inspiration springs from society at large. Family matters, education, national issues, and the dichotomy of good and evil are fodder for his creativity. As he puts it, his goal is to "create an electroshock, depending on the situation" to raise awareness about societal issues.
This aim is also evident in a drawing Lamine posted on April 22, 2022, highlighting the plight of pregnant women suffering alleged medical negligence in hospitals.
Comics, long considered financially unprofitable, especially for African artists, now provide a viable livelihood.
Tyty, who has become a father, is able to support his family through his work. "Initially, it was quite difficult because you have to prove yourself, and the contracts don’t come all at once. But with good management, it’s possible," he tells TRT Afrika.
Lamine, too, has diversified his work, producing children's books, music videos for artists, and institutional films. He also occasionally conducts comic workshops with certain institutions.
A growing tribe
Both Tyty and Lamine represent hundreds of individuals passionate about drawing and comics. They believe that better organisation and more recognition from public authorities would enable artists to earn a sustainable living from their art.
Lamine suggests more publishing houses dedicated to African comics and increased interaction between authors from the continent and their audiences.
Eric Nziengui, a Gabonese civil servant and an avid comic fan, echoes this sentiment. He believes that comics offer a unique blend of art and communication.
"I am a collector. Under my bed, I have at least 500 comics that I often reread. What's more, at the moment, everything has been digitised, so we can read the comics for free on various Facebook platforms without paying a fortune," he tells TRT Afrika.
Eric sees a bright future for African comics, which he believes should reflect the continent's historical reality.
"This is our opportunity to showcase our heroes, the resistance to colonial penetration, and before that, our great empires of the past and our various kingdoms. African bédéistes (cartoonists or graphic artists) must create African heroes so that young people can recognise themselves in these characters."
It's for die-hard comic-book enthusiasts like Eric that artists like Lamine, Tyty and hundreds of others across the continent strive to bring characters to life on paper and convey values rooted in Africa while being entertaining and educational.
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