Kayin and Abeni #1 & 2 Review

Writers: Keenan Kornegay, Juni Ba / Artist: Juni Ba / Independent Do you like space? How about Black Panther? Would you like to see Black Panther in space? No? Wait — you’re supposed to say yes. Don’t be difficult. You know what, whatever. This isn’t about Black Panther anyway. But this is about Africans in space. Like a whole bunch of em. Mars 2020 We need to talk about Kayin & Abeni. Space is black, y’all. And I’m not talkin’ about an empty void. Creators Juni Ba & Keenan Kornegay set up a universe where Africans rule the stars. The story follows two cousins, Kayin Afolayan and Abeni Odulowe, as they seek revenge on the pirates who murdered their clan. In case you were wondering, this comic isn’t about Africans just chillin’ in the cosmos. The first issue of the series hits you hard with the action as it deals with Kayin & Abeni seeking out a bomb that they want to use to take out some of their enemies. But they have to deal with their seller’s rivals before he will give it to them. Initially, the panels are expansive, giving you a full view of what this beautiful universe has to offer. Then the fights ensue, and the panel layout drastically changes from larger, more encompassing panels to small, rapid fire shots of pure heat. You may be reading this thinking “Duh, that’s how panel layouts work”, but it’s harder to do successfully than one would think, and it’s something the casual reader may not notice.

One of the coolest moments of the issue is when Kayin jum…