Zimbabwean writer Yvette Lisa Ndlovu has joined a powerhouse creative team to reintroduce one of the world’s first Black superheroes, Lion Man, in a new graphic novel anthology, The Adventures of Lion Man.

When Lion Man was created in 1947 by Orrin C. Evans, it appeared in the only issue of All Negro Comics, a groundbreaking publication that dared to center Black characters as heroes rather than sidekicks or comic relief. Now, with Ndlovu collaborating alongside Eisner Award winners John Jennings and Damian Duffy, Bill Campbell, Eisner Award–nominated artist David Brame, and Rosarium Publishing, this forgotten pioneer re-enters superhero history.

What makes this anthology stand out is its dual approach and the fresh perspective Yvette Lisa Ndlovu brings to it. The award-winning team of John Jennings and David Brame, known for adapting and illustrating Nnedi Okorafor’s After the Rain, contribute a dazzling Afrofuturist tale, The Lion Outside. Ndlovu, meanwhile, collaborates with Bill Campbell (The Day the Klan Came to Town) on A Plague on the Nation, a sharp Bond-style African spy thriller. Together, these riveting stories showcase Ndlovu’s distinctive voice in speculative fiction.

Ndlovu, author of the acclaimed collection Drinking from Graveyard Wells, brings a specifically African lens to Lion Man that expands the character’s geographical and cultural scope beyond American superhero conventions. Her approach to the spy thriller elements positions Lion Man within international narratives that feel authentically global rather than American-centric. This collaboration represents something significant: a Zimbabwean writer reimagining a 1940s American Black superhero through contemporary African storytelling sensibilities.

The creative team’s credentials speak to the project’s serious intentions, with Ndlovu’s involvement representing a crucial bridge between African and African diaspora storytelling. Jennings and Duffy are Eisner Award winners whose previous collaborations have consistently pushed comics toward more inclusive storytelling. Campbell brings expertise in historical fiction and social commentary. But it’s Ndlovu who represents the global expansion of this narrative, her presence signals that Black superhero stories can authentically span continents and cultures while maintaining their heroic core.

Ndlovu’s previous work in Drinking from Graveyard Wells demonstrated her ability to weave African folklore with contemporary speculative elements. In Lion Man, she brings that same sophisticated approach to superhero storytelling, ensuring that when Lion Man operates in international contexts, those settings feel lived-in rather than exotic backdrops.

Her involvement also represents something larger: the growing recognition that African voices belong in conversations about Black superhero narratives. When Ndlovu writes Lion Man operating across continents, she brings cultural knowledge that enriches the character’s global adventures with genuine depth.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign, Rosarium Publishing has recently brought The Adventures of Lion Man to print and is available to purchase here.