From New Masters creators Shobo and Shof, and artist Alexandre Tefenkgi (The Good Asian) comes Bronze Faces, a gripping descent into Nigerian history and the horrors of colonialism.
Published by Boom! Studios, Bronze Faces is set primarily in Soho, London, where childhood friends Timi, Sango, and Gbonka unite, and learn that the British Museum has acquired the seminal works of Timi’s late father. Rightly, they see this as cultural theft, and, the trio plan to reclaim the artwork — now showcased in the British Museum. But that’s not all: when they learn that the museum houses an incredible number of colonial-era stolen artefacts, their mission of reclamation becomes even greater. It’s a heist story, but it’s so much more than that.
In our review, we praised issue #1’s compelling narrative, covering themes of cultural reclamation and the lasting impacts of colonialism.
In this big interview, we chat with Bronze Faces creators, Shobo and Shof Coker about their inspirations, creative process, and more. Check it out below:
To start, tell our readers a little about Bronze Faces. What’s the comic about, in your own words?
Shobo: We wanted to tell a high-stakes, emotionally charged heist story about three childhood friends who find their way back to each other and unite with a common purpose: stealing back Nigeria’s looted cultural heritage.
It’s a power fantasy rooted in reality. The idea of reclaiming stolen artifacts isn’t just fiction—it’s a conversation happening right now, across Africa and beyond. Museums are under increasing pressure to return stolen works, but when bureaucracy drags its feet, who’s to say someone won’t take matters into their own hands?
Shof: It’s a story about the struggle to reclaim and shape one’s identity under the weight of pressure of our very complicated world. Our characters are making extreme choices because the world keeps posing extreme systemic circumstances on them. If you like globe-trotting, heist stories set in less-seen locations and situations like Senegal, Sao Tome, and Nigeria, you’ll enjoy this!
What inspired you to create Bronze Faces? How did the idea originate?
Shobo: Shortly after the pandemic, I was watching a YouTube interview where a very polite British fellow was explaining, quite patiently, why returning the Benin Bronzes was simply not legally possible. It was frustrating but also fascinating—the way institutions justify theft under the guise of legality.
And I just thought: What if someone stole them back?
Shof: The premise Shobo pitched to me was brilliant, and at the time, I had become very interested in exploring the power dynamics of self and using the prism of myth to understand and explore that. So together, we Frankesteined some concepts that got refined into what you’re reading today.
How does your Nigerian heritage influence the narrative and themes in the comic?
Shobo: It’s woven into every panel and page, from the story of Sango and his Warrior heroes, which reflects the tale of our protagonists, to the use of Nigerian Pidgin English and more. The observations, trials, and tribulations our heroes face are the same Nigerians—and Africans in the diaspora will be intimately familiar with.
Shof: I read a story called Sango and his Two Warrior Heroes when I was a teenager and it’s never left me since. It’s the story that infused ours with a thematic backbone. Also, the music that is infused into the fabric of Bronze Faces is also from Nigeria, and specifically Afro high life from the 70s and 80s. Music that was celebratory but inherently defiant and a mix of the traditional and modern.
Can you discuss your collaborative process with your brother in creating this series?
Shobo: Shof is my sounding board, my co-creator, and my first critic. When I pitched him the core concept, he immediately saw the potential and added the essential mythological layer that elevated the entire narrative.
We have a very fluid collaboration. Sometimes, I’ll come up with a story beat, and Shof will challenge me on it. He’ll sketch a scene, and I’ll find ways to enhance the storytelling through dialogue. It’s a constant back-and-forth where we push each other to make the work better. He brings a strong visual storytelling instinct, and I bring my love of intricate character work.
Shof: Shobo wrote the outline after lengthy story discussions and whiteboarding together. I designed characters and elements, developed lookbooks, and researched musical elements that can support the story.
We initially edited each other’s scripts on this before Elizabeth Brei came on board. The path right now is ensuring all collaborators enjoy the work and that the spirit we began with ends up on the page in the most exciting way possible.
Alexandre Tefenkgi’s artwork is amazing and really brings the story to life. What was the process like working with him?
Shobo: Alex is a dream collaborator. He’s got an intuitive grasp of storytelling—his panel compositions and his ability to capture emotion are all just incredible.
The process is straightforward: we send him the script, he does initial layouts, and then we jump on a call to go over our thoughts. What makes him special is that he’s not just executing the script—he’s actively elevating it. He cares about the story and actively wants to express himself. That comes through on every page.
Shof: Alex is a dream to work with. He brings sensibilities to the work that are rare in a top-level cartoonist. We share a lot influences in Franco-Belgian comics and that helps with our shorthand in storytelling and ambition. Hass and Lee are also doing some incredible work here! As well as Osaze Amadasun who is doing the myth illustrations at the end of each book.
What were some challenges you faced in blending a thrilling heist narrative with profound historical and cultural commentary?
Shobo: A good heist story is all about pacing and tension. But when you’re also tackling something as weighty as colonial theft, you have to be careful not to get bogged down in exposition. The challenge was to make the historical weight of the story felt emotionally rather than just intellectually.
We handled this by making it personal. The heist isn’t just about some abstract idea of justice—it’s about reclaiming Timi’s father’s work. It’s about Sango’s need for recognition. It’s about Gbonka’s fight for dignity. By rooting everything in their personal stakes, we ensure that even when the action slows down, the tension never does.
Shof: The challenge and hope is if the characters are compelling enough, the history and cultural relevance will matter to the audience enough for them to find the important real-life details on their own. We hint at the history and cultural significance in the story, but there’s already a wealth of documentaries and literature on this subject.
What research went into depicting the history of the Benin Bronzes accurately?
Shobo: Barnaby Phillips’ Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes was a crucial resource. It gives a detailed account of the British invasion of Benin in 1897, the looting of the Bronzes, and their scattering across the globe.
Beyond that, I did a lot of independent research into the Bronzes themselves—their craftsmanship and where they’ve ended up.
We also looked into the broader movement for repatriation—who’s fighting for it and what’s at stake for museums and collectors. All of that informed the story.
What are some of your favorite heist stories? Were there any that influenced Bronze Faces?
Shobo: I love heists that are smart, stylish, and character-driven. Mission: Impossible (the ‘60s version), Ocean’s Eleven—all big influences.
But I also pulled from non-heist sources. I can’t tell you how many times I watched Get Out on repeat. There was also a major musical influence. Each issue of Bronze Faces is named after a Nigerian song that captures its themes:
Alex: Oh, definitely Heat and Ocean’s Eleven. Heat is all about tension, but what really stuck with me is how even good thieves can’t control everything. That sense of situations spiraling out of control is clearly something I need to keep in mind with Bronze Faces!
Ocean’s Eleven, is just FUN: slick plans and a crew that somehow makes it work even when things go sideways. In our comic, they’re not there yet. They’re amateurs, making mistakes, improvising when things go wrong. But that’s part of the thrill right? Watching them getting better, learning from their failures, figuring out what it actually takes to pull off a heist… It’s exciting to play with a group of underdogs fumbling their way to become better for something greater.
What message or reflection do you hope readers take away from Bronze Faces?
Shobo: Museums do incredible work preserving history, but history is alive and informs the psyche of its people. If an artifact was stolen, what does it mean for it to be locked behind glass, thousands of miles away from the people it was taken from?
At its core, Bronze Faces asks: What happens when what’s legal and what’s right are two very different things?
Shof: Identity and your place in society is a never-ending journey. Everyone grapples with that, and I hope the readers see themselves in our characters in that regard.
We thank Shobo, Shof, and Alex for their time. Bronze Faces #1 is now available in comic stores. You can also find it at online retailers, such as Kindle.
Comments
Comments are closed.