The Woman King and The Underground Railroad actor Thuso Mbedu is joining Stranger Comics to pen a new tale in the publisher’s Tales of Asunda afro-fantasy series, and Gizmodo has your first look.
Mbedu will co-write Niobe: She-Tribe with Stranger Comics president Sebastian A. Jones. The new one-shot will follow Tales of Asunda’s lead character, the titular Niobe, as she finds herself thrust into an ethical conflict when she encounters a tribal society that selects its new leader in a fight to the death — finding herself up against generations of traditional customs or facing the idea of keeping herself hidden away from the world of Asunda. Check out the full cover for the issue below, by artist Tehani Farr:
“Upon meeting Thuso I knew I had to work with her. Her honesty and modest genius hold a well spring of magical and relatable stories that need to be told,” Jones said in a statement provided to Gizmodo. “When we started brainstorming for the She-Tribe comic, Thuso breathed new life into Niobe and the vulnerable character relationships with such thought and care. Thuso is a rare spirit who speaks of many lives lived, here and before, and I couldn’t be more excited to share with our fans what we’ve got in store for Niobe and Asunda.”
Niobe: She-Tribe is set to release in Autumn 2023.