Publisher: Strika Entertainment / Premium Times (Africa) Genre: Sports / Action / Comedy Format: Full-color comic book Target Audience: Young readers (ages 7–14) & football fans of all ages
Before the Netflix reboot, before the video games, and before Shakes became a global icon for a generation of soccer fans, there was a single, glossy magazine that changed the game. November 2001 (depending on your region) wasn’t just the release of another comic; it was the birth of a mythology.
Let’s blow the dust off the collection and look back at Supa Strikas Issue #1—the origin story of the world’s most unbelievable (and beloved) football team.
The team bus is silent. Coach Klaus paces.
Coach Klaus: “That was no ordinary player. His boots… they neutralized Shakes’ focus. We’ve seen tech like this before.”
Northshaw (the tactician): “There’s a rumor. The Shadow League. They’re corrupting players with energy-draining tech. If they take down Shakes, they break Supa Strikas.”
Blok (the quiet giant): “Then we stop them before the final match of the season.”
Let’s be honest: most licensed comics fade into obscurity. Why hasn't Supa Strikas? supa strikas comic issue 1
1. It Understood the Global Game While U.S. comics focused on New York and Tokyo, Supa Strikas was pan-African and global. Shakes is South African. El Matador is Spanish/Argentinian. The villains come from Russia and Brazil. In 2001, seeing a black African protagonist as the undisputed hero of a high-tech action comic was quietly revolutionary.
2. The Gear Porn Issue #1 spends almost an entire page explaining Shakes’ prototype boots. In an era before the "Predator" or "Mercurial" boot hype was fully mainstream, Supa Strikas invented super-gear. Kids didn't just want to play soccer; they wanted the gravity-defying boots.
3. The "Big Play" Cliffhanger Most first issues end with a villain monologue. Supa Strikas #1 ends with a training drill that goes horribly wrong. The final page is a double splash of a fireball explosion on the training pitch. You had no choice but to buy Issue #2.
The rest of Supa Strikas burst in: Northshaw throws a magnetic jammer at the Curator’s device. Blok body-blocks a collapsing light tower. Spida (goal machine) volleys a ball at the Curator’s head, forcing him to dodge.
Curator: “Impressive. But you can’t stop progress.”
Twisting (the ninja-like defender) appears from the shadows, cuts the power cables to the Curator’s boots. Because these magazines were read to destruction by
Shakes gasps—his legs are his own again.
What set Supa Strikas Comic Issue 1 apart from European or American comics was its distinct artistic voice. Drawing inspiration from manga (dynamic speed lines), Franco-Belgian comics (clear character models), and African textiles (vibrant, saturated colors), the art was electric.
The artists utilized "action ruptures"—a technique where the background explodes into geometric shards every time a player shoots. In Issue 1, this technique is used for the first time when El Matador strikes a volley. The panel literally looks like shattered glass, emphasizing the power of the shot.
Collectors often ask: Is Issue 1 rare? The answer is yes.
Unlike US comics sold in plastic wrap, Supa Strikas Comic Issue 1 was released as a glossy magazine (A4 size) in South Africa and Nigeria. It included:
Because these magazines were read to destruction by millions of children on dusty fields and school buses, mint-condition copies of the original print run are now considered collector's items, sometimes fetching high prices on auction sites. walks around Shakes
Panel 1: A packed stadium. Supa Strikas vs. Invincible United. Scoreboard: 2–2. 89th minute.
Panel 2: Shakes dribbles past two defenders. His eyes are locked on goal.
Panel 3: A new player for Invincible United steps forward—Kael, a lanky, silent midfielder with a scar over his eye. His boots glow faintly green.
Panel 4: Kael doesn’t tackle—he whispers. The ball stops rolling. Shakes freezes mid-step. The crowd gasps.
Panel 5: Kael takes the ball, walks around Shakes, and scores from 40 yards.
SFX: THWUMP.
Final whistle. 3–2 United.