Ejob Nathan is the founder/CEO of Zebra Comics
Tell us about your journey into the comics business and how it all began for you.
I’ve been immersed in the world of comics for as long a s I c a n remember, starting as an avid consumer. As a teenager, my passion for characters like Batman and his battles with iconic villains like the Joker sparked my desire to be part of this universe. Initially, I loved comics purely for their own sake, without envisioning a career in the i n dustry. However, storytelling has always been in my blood, inspired by the vast array of books, comics, novels, cartoons, games, and movies I consumed. From selling books and magazines on the streets to becoming an insurer, I always felt something was m issing. During my university years, I realized what it was—I needed to create something uniquely African within the comic medium. This led to the birth of EN Comics, which later evolved into Zebra Comics in 2016, a collective I started with a group of friends and enthusiasts. As a young artist, my goal was to establish an environment where artists could create and earn comfortably from their craft. To fund our first comic book magazine, Zebra Comics Special: 3 in 1, which featured stories like Aliya, Totem, and Tumbu, I took on various creative endeavors, from drawing portraits to selling custom T-shirts. However, I quickly realized this wasn’t sustainable. I needed an economic model that would allow me to pay o t h e r a r t i s t s . Unfortunately, at the time, such a model was elusive, and efforts to bring in talented artists as shareholders were unsuccessful—they all wanted immediate compensation. Despite these challenges, we persevered. We managed to h i r e a artists for f e w a limited period but bootstrapping could only take us so far. By 2021, we finally discovered a system that worked, and today, Zebra Comics gainfully employs over 30 artists. This journey, while challenging, has b e e n incredibly rewarding, and it’s only the beginning.
What are the biggest challenges you have encountered in this business, and how have you adapted to overcome them?
The most significant challenge has been human resources. While there is no shortage of talented artists, ensuring they deliver work on time is another story. To address this, I brought some artists in house, offering them monthly salaries to ensure continuity and c o n s i s t e n c y in p r o d u c t i o n . Unfortunately, in this industry, freelancing is not yet taken as seriously as it should be, and supervision has proven essential. Funding has also been a major hurdle. Securing investment for a project like Zebra Comics is no easy task. Traditional financial institutions often overlook the potential of the comic industry, especially in our context. To overcome this, my team and I have relied heavily on bootstrapping, crowd-funding, and angel Investments to keep Zebra Comics afloat and growing.
What are the critical lessons you have learned along the way?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that talent alone isn’t enough. It’s essential to find individuals who possess not only skill but also strong moral values and professionalism. I’ve had to part ways with many talented individuals due to a lack of honesty and professionalism. Integrity is non-negotiable in our business, and it’s crucial for long-term success. Finding the right people was challenging, but it’s been worth the effort. Building a team with the right blend of talent and character has been key to our progress.
In what ways is the comics business in Africa different from America and Europe?
The comic industry in the West is far more developed than in Africa, where our industry is still in its infancy. One of the challenges we face is that even our own creators don’t fully believe in the industry’s potential. Talented creators often migrate to more developed markets, leaving gaps in our industry, and those who stay behind often demand compensation in foreign currency, even though we’re operating within the same economy. Another challenge is content quality. While digital distribution has made it easier to get content to readers, the quality of what we produce in Africa often fall short. I’ve been guilty of this as well, but my team and I are making a concerted effort to improve. Creators must be humble enough to grow and refine their craft to produce impeccable content. Distribution remains a significant challenge, especially for traditional publishing. However, digital solutions are emerging. Zebra Comics, now the leading African webcomics platform, is one of such solutions. We’ve adapted to the realities of the African market, including its purchasing power, by converting most of our content into webtoon format for easy consumption on mobile devices. We’ve also developed several revenue generation methods to accompany this technology.
Do you target African readers or a global audience?
Zebra Comics’ data points to Africa as our primary audience, with Nigeria as our top market, followed by the USA and Cameroon. While we are available globally, these three markets bring us millions of views every month and over 100,000 users on our apps. Our content resonates strongly with African readers, and we’re committed to serving them while expanding our reach.
What are your most engaging comic titles on Zebra Comics?
Why do you think they are that popular among your readers? Our top stories include “Sugar Daddy Desires,” “Kawana,” and “Beasts of Tazeti.” While rankings fluctuate weekly, these titles consistently remain in the top three. The first is a Romance, the second is Drama, and the third is Fantasy. These genres clearly resonate with our audience, and we’ve dedicated teams to producing similar content. Additionally, we’ve identified a growing interest in mecha and action stories, and we are actively producing content in these genres as well. With over 119 genres and sub-genres identified, we’re working on over 100 Zebra Originals to fill these gaps.
What common mistakes do you think comic creators in Africa are making that impede the progress of the industry?
One of the biggest mistakes is working solo. Our industry is still too small for creators to work independently. Collaboration is essential. At Zebra, no one works on a project alone; everything is done in teams. Teamwork makes the workload lighter and accelerates progress. Another issue is resistance to change. Some creators are reluctant to embrace webcomics (webtoons) because they are accustomed to traditional comics. However, in Africa, we lack the infrastructure to sell traditional comics effectively. Our webcomics at Zebra are reaching millions of readers every month. It’s crucial to adapt to what works in our context.
What aspect of the African comic industry value chain is most missing or needs the most improvement?
The most significant gap in the African comic industry is the lack of a robust infrastructure for both production and distribution. While there’s a growing pool of talent, the industry lacks the systems and platforms necessary to nurture, distribute, and monetize this talent effectively. There’s a need for more investment in training, distribution networks, and marketing to build a sustainable ecosystem. Additionally, fostering a culture of professionalism and reliability among creators is essential to ensure the industry’s long-term viability.
Which partners, clients, collaborators, or platforms have been the most influential to your growth as a comics business?
Zebra Comics has been fortunate to partner with various influential entities over the years, including Institut Français du Cameroun, the University of Douala, and Change Engine. Personally, I am an Obama Foundation, Mandela Washington, and Robert Bosch Changemaker Alumni. We’ve also received grants from p articipating in government entrepreneurial programs. Currently, we are closely working with ONO of Media Participations and maintain good relations with some management at Vivendi, from whom we’ve learned a great deal about running our operations. Our latest partner, DC Comics, has been instrumental in propelling us forward. Working with DC has been a delight, and we have exciting projects in the pipeline that will be revealed in due time. If you had to start Zebra Comics today with the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently? I would approach hiring differently, focusing not just on talent but also on professionalism and character. I would also place a stronger emphasis on digital content from the outset and quickly adapt to creating a system that works within our specific context, rather than trying to replicate models from more established markets like the US. Additionally, I would stay more attuned to industry trends to ensure that Zebra remains at the forefront of innovation. How would you paint a picture of the next five years both for Zebra and the African comics industry? In the next five years, Zebra Comics is poised for significant growth. We’re currently in the process of recruiting 500 creators, with plans to double that number by mid-2025. We’re also working with partners who will not only increase the value of our company but also steer Zebra toward greater diversification of content. This includes ventures into animation, video games, and merchandise. Zebra Comics is committed to providing more job opportunities for African creators as we continue to redefine the comics industry in Africa, one step at a time.
If you had to start Zebra Comics today with the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently?
I would approach hiring differently, focusing not just on talent but also on professionalism and character. I would also place a stronger emphasis on digital content from the outset and quickly adapt to creating a system that works within our specific context, rather than trying to replicate models from more established markets like the US. Additionally, I would stay more attuned to industry trends to ensure that Zebra remains at the forefront of innovation.
How would you paint a picture of the next five years both for Zebra and the African comics industry?
In the next five years, Zebra Comics is poised for significant growth. We’re currently in the process of recruiting 500 creators, with plans to double that number by mid-2025. We’re also working with partners who will not only increase the value of our company but also steer Zebra toward greater diversification of content. This includes ventures into animation, video games, and merchandise. Zebra Comics is committed to providing more job opportunities for African creators as we continue to redefine the comics industry in Africa, one step at a time.
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