YouNeek Studios, the Maryland based graphic novel and animation company, has announced their exclusive deal with Turnaround Publisher Services, the UK’s leading independent book distributor – well known for their graphic novels in the UK and other parts of Europe. Turnaround will now exclusively distribute YouNeek’s graphic novel series like: E.X.O., Malika and WindMaker, as well as all their upcoming titles.
Coming off the hit graphic novel: Malika – Warrior Queen Part One which was featured on The Washington Post/The Huffington Post and the Free Comic Book Day special Malika – Warrior Queen Chapter One as well as the Halloween ComicFest special Malika – Dragon Trials, YouNeek Studios has become one of the most well-known indie publishers in the US.
With another successful Kickstarter for Malika – Warrior Queen Part Two, which raised a total of $13,987 and the release of their first colouring/activity book: YouNeek African Heroes just in time for the holidays, it’s safe to say YouNeek Studios is here to stay! Malika Warrior Queen Part Two will be the fifth book in the continuity of a shared universe of graphic novels called the “YouNeek Youniverse.” Dubbed “The MCU of graphic novels,” the YouNeek YouNiverse is a combination of individual graphic novel series (E.X.O., Malika, WindMaker etc.) tied together with one continuous, overall plot that weaves through each individual story.
“Producing this series has definitely been the most painstaking for me as a writer. The last two years have been filled with sleepless nights, months of research, moments of self-doubt and more. But I’ve loved every minute of it. Why? Because as much as this is a fictional story, it is both heavily inspired and framed by African history.
“The deal with Turnaround is a great thing not just for us here at YouNeek Studios, but especially for our fans in the UK and Europe who have had to pay high shipping costs just to get our books. We’ve worked hard over the years to correct this so securing a distribution deal with such a great company like Turnaround is huge for us!” – Roye Okupe, Co-Founder/CEO
If you’re a comic book shop, library or bookstore in the U.K. or Europe and are interested in YouNeek Studios titles, contact Claire Thompson at Turnaround for ordering info: claire.thompson@turnaround-uk.com | T: 020 8829 3009 M:07703 298 564
About the Co-Founder/CEO:
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Roye Okupe is a creative specialist who holds both a Bachelor’s and Masters in computer science from The George Washington University. His passion for animation led him to found YouNeek Studios in 2012, an avenue that would allow him to pursue his dream of creating a diverse library of superheroes. Under that umbrella, Roye wrote, produced and directed several animated productions including, but not limited to, 2D/3D animated short films, TV commercials, show openers, music videos and much more. These productions have allowed Roye to attain many prestigious recognitions such as being #5 on Ventures Africa’s list of 40 African innovators to watch (2016) as well as being part of NewAfrican Magazines’ 100 most influential Africans of 2016.
With the superhero genre currently at the height of popularity, Roye has made it a goal to create a connected universe of heroes, with origins from locations that are currently neglected and/or ignored. In August 2015, Roye released his debut graphic novel titled: E.X.O. The Legend of Wale Williams Part One, a superhero story set in a futuristic Nigeria. E.X.O. was received with critical acclaim and has since been featured on CNN, Forbes, The New York Times, NBC, The Guardian, ABC7, BBC, The Huffington Post, Mashabe and more! Roye’s sophomore graphic novel: Malika – Warrior Queen was also received with critical acclaim, selling more than 40,000 copies of its chapter one special during Diamond Comic’s Free Comic Book Day (2017). Both books have gone on to win several awards including a Glyph Comic Award (2017) and a Heruica Character Creation Award (2017).
About YouNeek Studios
YouNeek Studios is a hub for “YouNeek” and creative character-based storytelling and entertainment. Through the use of animation, digital comics (as well as print), graphic novels, film and other popular media, we aim to build a library of eclectic characters that appeal to a broad audience. Simply put, we focus on telling extraordinary stories about extraordinary characters.
You can read over 100+ pages of YouNeek Studios graphic novels for FREE by following this link!
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram – @YouNeekStudios
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