The work Rise of the Mafu, created by Gerald Vreden and Hakim Rafai, has dominated the scene by taking home four awards at our ceremony: Best Cover, Best Writer, Best Artist, and Best Comic Strip or Webcomic. Behind this success is the First Noble Institute for Afro-Caribbean Arts and Culture, founded by brothers Gerald and Steven Vreden along with their late sister Wanda, whose memory spurred a Kickstarter campaign.
The technological engine behind the comic: from ink to pixel 🖥️
The development of Rise of the Mafu combined digital tools with traditional techniques. Hakim Rafai used a workflow that integrated Procreate for initial sketches and Clip Studio Paint for inking and final coloring. The Kickstarter campaign, managed with precision, raised funds for print-on-demand and digital distribution, avoiding the costs of a mass print run. The result is a work that maintains the texture of hand-made art without sacrificing modern efficiency.
Four awards and a sister who sees it all from beyond 👼
With such a track record, one would think the Vredens have a pact with some comic deity. But no, they only had Wanda, who from the other side must have pulled the heavenly strings so that their work not only got funded, but also swept foro3d. Now all that's left is for someone to send a copy to heaven, though with so many awards, she might have already read it.