Editorial
It is April 2022, and we are a bit late to run this issue. Other than this, the world is pretty much the same, except maybe for the war that has been unfolding since Russia unleashed an onslaught on her neighbour, Ukraine. If you are saddened by the hunger, displacement and refugee crisis that can result from such political tensions then you are not so different from me.
In this issue, we encounter some tension, anger and revenge, but we also find love and compassion in the speculative, science fiction, fantasy and horror stories from across Africa – Lesotho, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria.
Read how a man’s lust and greed hook up with a deity’s cunning and lead to cataclysmic events. The gods have made a request is a story that will make your heart race in rapid beats.
You will also encounter Aisirhiowen, a semi-bionic genius whose invention has to eventually be put on hold to enable her fulfil a calling that is greater than a fight for power, and greater than what’s left of humanity of that time.
Parasites are not friendly, and often they can be deadly, but have you ever thought that a parasite could have benefits? Beyond causing pain, loss of some vital senses, and even loss of speech, this particular parasite can give pleasure in equal measure. We’ve got just the story to acquaint you with the wonder of the tongue-eating louse.
Notes on The Shadow World tries to paint for us the gore experienced by the inhabitants of the shadow world, which is accessible via a portal that has interesting coordinates, with attendant grave consequences.
Ghost stories are fun, and if you believe revenge is best served cold, then, The Activist and Riding Hood are just the tales for you. Our Riding Hood is no innocent girl who is at risk of being eaten by wolves; she could be worse than flesh-eating wolves.
We also spin you a mermaid tale this time around. Sweet love is an unending whirlwind which comes full cycle in the story For You Only.
In addition to the fiction stories on offer in issue 21, we also present you an essay on THE BATMAN movie written by writer and notable comic head, Seun Odukoya.
We bring you these pieces after a thorough selection and editing process, so let me not keep you from them any longer. Go ahead and read to your fill. Don’t forget to share and comment!
Cheers!
Iquo DianaAbasi
In this edition:
English Stories:
THE BATMAN REVIEW – Seun Odukoya
Riding Hood – Tariro Ndoro
Madam Aisirhiowen’s Greatest Invention – Amadin Ogbewe
How to Acquire a Tongue-eating Louse – Stacy Hardy
For Her Only – Matthew K Chikono
The Activist – Christopher Mlalazi
Notes on The Shadow World – Mandisi Nkomo
The Gods Have Made a Request – Ephraim Orji
French Story:
Balla, tu es mon Épine: I – L’éveil d’une Lionne – Mariam Camara
Where can I find an issue of your magazine? I live in Belgium. Is it possible to order it? Thank you.
We don’t produce print copies yet. Hopefully, we will start doing that in the future. At the moment the magazine is free to read on our website.