PORTLAND, OR (January 10th, 2024) – Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey award-winning publisher of best-selling comic books and graphic novels, is proud to reveal the first look at the stunning interior art from AKOGUN: BRUTALIZER OF GODS #1 (of 3) – the 40-page, prestige format epic from superstars-in-the-making Murewa Ayodele (I Am Iron Man) and Dotun Akande (Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood) debuting in comic shops everywhere this April!

In an age thought forgotten . . . when man, monster, and the divine all strode the Earth . . . a lone warrior emerges to test the immortality of the cruel gods who would deal destruction with impunity . . . He is a one-man reckoning that stands in defiance of his divine masters with a sword in hand and a thirst for godblood. His name: AKỌGUN THE BRUTALIZER!

Told across three powerfully oversized, bi-monthly chapters, steady your mind and spirit for a glorious new comics milestone revealing the fabled origin and battle-tested fury of the new champion at the heart of a daring new redefinition of swords and sorcery!

“Every generation or so, a new opportunity presents itself to shatter, and then slowly rebuild, the foundations of the mythic genre tropes that we hold dear and, in so doing, make them stronger than ever before. What Murewa and Dotun are creating with AKOGUN is one of those rare, special moments,” said Hunter Gorinson, President & Publisher of Oni Press. “For the first time, two Nigerian creators are recasting the distinctly Westernized mode of no-holds-barred barbarian-driven sword and sorcery storytelling through a distinctly African lens – capturing an entirely new pantheon of gods and monsters in the process.”

“According to Yoruba mythology, we were all made by a drunk god, and during one of his drunken stupor, he made horrific monsters also. The first of the gods to visit this new, twisted world was the erratic god of war,” said writer Murewa Ayodele. “When we discovered this little bit of our culture’s mythology, we knew we wanted to tell a gritty fantastical story set in this primordial African world — a world of barbarous violence, monstrous creatures, and gods who give in to primal, destructive urges.”

“AKOGUN: BRUTALIZER OF GODS is the story of a warrior who happened to have found a little happiness in this dangerous world of ours. But when the gods took that happiness from him, they find out what a man who has nothing else to lose is truly capable of,” continued Ayodele. “Dotun and I are having loads of fun telling this adrenaline-filled tale. And with Dotun’s phenomenal artwork, the emotions from the pages drag you in. We are positive everyone who picks up the book is going to have fun with it too."

“I can’t wait for fans of the medium to have this book in their hands. It’s dark fantasy from dark fantasy lovers. It is African folklore like never seen or heard before. Murewa, a true cartographer, has mapped out an exciting journey full of twists and character. It’s been a joy co-directing and giving life to it. So, grab your pitchforks and torches. You’ll need it for this monster of a tale,” added artist Dotun Akande.

In the tradition of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Thor, and the best-selling God of War franchise, writer Murewa Ayodele and artist Dotun Akande usher in a new epoch of African dark fantasy on the ancient continent of Alkebulan with a mythic cycle of cosmic destiny and unrelenting warfare colliding man against god . . . and blade against blade! Featuring covers by Dotun Akande (I Am Iron Man), Ramon Villalobos (Nighthawk, America), Grey Williamson (X-O Manowar), and Eisner Award winner David Mack (Daredevil), the first double-sized gauntlet of mythic combat will be thrown this April in AKOGUN: BRUTALIZER OF GODS #1!

AKOGUN BRUTALIZER OF GODS #1 (of 3)

Written by MUREWA AYODELE

Art by DOTUN AKANDE

Cover A by DOTUN AKANDE

Cover B by RAMON VILLALOBOS

Cover C by GREY WILLIAMSON

Full Art Variant (1:20) by RAMON VILLALOBOS

Variant Cover (1:30) by DAVID MACK

IOD: 2/29/24

FOC: 3/11/24

ON SALE APRIL 3, 2024 | $5.99 | 40pgs | FC | MATURE READERS

About the Creators

Recipient of the (Lagos Comic Con 2023) FIST AWARD for WRITER OF THE DECADE, Murewa Ayodele is the writer of the Nommo-nominated comic book series, NEW MEN, the critically acclaimed webcomic series, MY GRANDFATHER WAS A GOD, and several Marvel comics like I AM IRON MAN, MOON KNIGHT: BLACK WHITE & BLOOD, and AVENGERS UNLIMITED INFINITY COMIC. He is also the co-founder of Collectible Comics NG, a Nigerian comic book studio founded with artist Dotun Akande that was nominated in the COMIC STUDIO OF THE YEAR category at the 2018 FIST AWARDS. Murewa has worked as a professional comic book writer for almost a decade with over 10 comic book titles under his belt.

Dotun Akande is an award-winning comic book cover artist and graphics designer who has worked with some of the biggest brands in Nigeria. He was the recipient of the (Lagos Comic Con 2018) FIST AWARD for BEST COVER ARTIST and has created comic covers for comic book series like I AM IRON MAN, VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT, BLACK PANTHER, MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR, and an upcoming X-MEN series.

He is also the artist behind the Nommo-nominated comic book series, NEW MEN, the critically acclaimed webcomic series, MY GRANDFATHER WAS A GOD, and several Marvel comics like I AM IRON MAN, MOON KNIGHT: BLACK WHITE & BLOOD, and AVENGERS UNLIMITED INFINITY COMIC. Dotun has worked as a professional comic book storyteller for almost a decade with over 10 comic book titles under his belt.

About Oni Press

Founded in 1997, Oni Press has a 25-year history as one of the industry’s most respected and acclaimed publishers of award-winning comic books and graphic novels with titles including Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim, K. O’Neill’s Tea Dragon Society, Cullen Bunn & Brian Hurtt's The Sixth Gun, Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Ezra Clayton Daniels' Upgrade Soul, Brenna Thummler’s Sheets trilogy, and many hundreds more. In 2019, Oni Press merged with Lion Forge Comics – the Eisner Award-winning independent comic book publisher founded by Academy Award-winning producer and entrepreneur David Steward II – to create one of the largest, independent libraries of comics content anywhere in media. The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group now exists as a publishing subsidiary of Steward’s diversified global media company, Polarity.

The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group publishes more than 60 original and licensed graphic novels annually, in addition to an extensive list of periodical comics.