From Butterworth to ‘Batman’ ... Eastern Cape artist flies high

Eastern Cape-born visual artist Loyiso Mkize has secured a major deal with established US company DC comics to draw a character, Batwing, for a Batman comic series.

His work will showcased in the US in June.

Mkize, who hails from Butterworth but is based in Cape Town, has worked on artworks for a number of well-known productions globally, including the multimillion-dollar blockbuster production Black Panther and the smash-hit Supa Strikas comic book series which aired on TV a few years ago.

He was recently asked by DC — a subsidiary of Warner Brothers — to draw an episode of the character Batwing for the comic book Batman Urban Legends #4, written by Camrus Johnson, which will hit the shelves in the US in June.

Batwing is an inspiring African superhero, who is an Aids orphan and a former child soldier.

Mkize told the Dispatch this was his biggest break since he started working in the industry.

“After working on a lot of productions, the opportunities also grew and I began to get an international audience.

“I’m super excited about this because I’ve worked with one of the oldest and biggest publishers and entertainment figures in the world,” Mkize said.

“This has afforded me a chance to work with lot of big names in the industry, so I’m really honoured to be representing SA on that stage.”

After working at Supa Strikas for a couple of years, Mkize went on to start his own company, Loyiso Mkize Art, in 2014, where he came up with his own comic book Kwezi, a South African Superhero.

Mkize has published 14 episodes of Kwezi and said he would launch three more episodes later in May.

He said there were a lot of opportunities in the visual art industry.

“Parents should support kids who show an interest in art.

“It can be as simple as getting your child books that talk about art, because I was given that chance at home and that helped me to master my craft.

“It’s not that I’m special. “I just got the opportunity to learn my craft and it has landed me on this stage.”

Pictures: SUPPLIED SHARP END OF THE BRUSH: Butterworth-born visual artist Loyiso Mkize has added another milestone to his achievements. Cape Town-based Mkize, whose work has graced the prestigious Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art AFRICA(MOCAA) in Cape Town, has now joined the prestigious DC Comics company (of Batman and Superman fame) in the US where his artwork forms part of a comic book which will go on sale in June.

Picture: INSTAGRAM / LOYISOMKIZE BATMAN SERIES: A stunning frame from Loyiso Mkize’s debut for DC comics.