Launching today along with the graphic novel ‘Wandering’ via Kickstarter, the artist, director, and animator known for ‘Scavengers Reign’ and the new Gorillaz music video is releasing English language editions of his groundbreaking surrealistic, sci-fi visions of the future.
Artist, director and animator Jonathan Djob Nkondo, known for his work on the hit series Scavengers Reign, the new Gorillaz: The Mountain, the Moon Cave and the Sad God animated music video, League of Legends, and Emmy Award-winning animated anthology Love, Death + Robots, is set to release two new English language editions of his groundbreaking graphic novels, “Peaceful Remission” and “Wandering” via The Worlds Beyond Worlds Kickstarter campaign that launches today, March 3.
From Oni Press and Magnetic Press, “Peaceful Remission” and “Wandering” present two different yet equally compelling, beautifully drawn, eye-opening, surrealist visions of the future. The publishers have shared with AWN an exclusive preview of Pages 5-11 of “Peaceful Remission,” which you can find below, along with Magnetic Press Publisher Mike Kennedy’s interview with the author for AWN.
Set in a sleek satellite home orbiting Earth, “Peaceful Remission” follows elderly couple Marlène and Jerry Nomo, whose quiet life is disrupted by a mysterious nighttime rumble. But the real tension lies not in the noise but in Marlène’s simmering frustration with Jerry’s passivity. The incident becomes a catalyst for emotional confrontation, revealing the cracks in their long-standing relationship. When Jerry’s obsession with a recent discovery leaves Marlene responsible for his health and well-being, their seemingly ordinary tasks — shopping, driving, caregiving — are refracted through a futuristic lens, emphasizing the emotional weight of routine and the quiet heroism of unspoken love. Encapsulating themes of conjugal fatigue, silent devotion, and the illusion of tranquility, this surreal, contemplative work is told through clean, futuristic interiors contrasted with intimate character framing. In this fragmented yet lyrical tale that alternates between dialogue and silent observation, Nkondo uses the sterile calm of space as a metaphor for emotional distance, crafting a story that feels both timeless and eerily current.
Set in a world where the surface has become a vast, arid desert dotted with strange geometric creatures and billabongs, “Wandering” imagines a society that has retreated underground. Beneath the scorched crust, life continues in sprawling subterranean complexes — theaters, malls, food courts, and highway interchanges — forming a claustrophobic echo of the world above. Nkondo weaves a visionary story following the wandering paths of two men, each shaped by their respective environments — one in the arid wastelands above, and one in the urban sprawl below the surface. Though they never meet, their lives mirror and resonate with each other, creating a haunting sense of synchronicity and missed connection. Themes of alienation, routine, freedom, and the trappings of modern life turn this textless, nonlinear, and atmospheric graphic novel into an unsettling contemplation of the trappings we choose to surround ourselves with.
“Wandering” and “Peaceful Remission” are presented as unique, unwrapped hardcovers, with exposed binding and a color cardstock sleeve encasing each book. This somewhat-raw design juxtaposes a “scavenged” artifact feel with the sleek futuristic elements within each story setting. These 6.5x9” greyscale graphic novels are true works of art, which will also be available in a Limited-Edition Box Set featuring a sturdy illustrated slipcase, a signed and numbered bookplate, and a limited edition 48-page softcover art book by Nkondo.
To support The Worlds Beyond Worlds Kickstarter campaign, Kennedy interviewed Nkondo, who shared insights into his creative process.
Mike Kennedy: You seem to move very fluidly between animation and comics, both of which focus on capturing mood, tone, and character visually. How did your work on Scavengers and Scavengers Reign inform or influence your graphic storytelling? Which came first?
Jonathan Djob Nkondo: My graphic storytelling came first. I'd like to think that's why Joe and Charles asked me to help out on Scavengers.
MK: What was your specific role on Scavengers Reign, and how did you collaborate with creators Joe Bennett and Charles Huettner and the creative teams at Titmouse and Green Street Pictures?
JDN: I directed a couple of episodes, I did some storyboards for other episodes as well and I did the main character designs for the pilot. Most of the people involved, the creators of the show, my team of storyboarders, etc., weren't in the same country so a lot of this collaboration was done through internet.
MK: The series is praised for its sense of awe, danger, and strangeness. Were you more inspired by the “alien-ness” or the humanity of the project?
JDN: I was more inspired by the humanity of it. Throughout the series it was interesting to see some sort of attachment growing towards the different characters.
MK: You create a lot of short, personal animation work as well. What is your production process for those animated projects? Do you storyboard each piece and/or draw each frame yourself?
JDN: Yes, I storyboard and draw each frame myself. I usually start by thinking about the idea, then I do thumbnails on pieces of paper, then I jump on my computer for the animation part.
MK: Where did the creation of “In Peace” and “Remission” fall in the timeline of your animation work? Why were comics the right form to tell this story (instead of animation)?
JDN: When I need a break from my animation work. Also, because I'm limited in my animation skills. I don't put that much effort into having backgrounds or multiple characters on screen, and the stories remain fairly simple. It is easier to develop deeper themes in comics for me.
MK: The themes of vulnerability, comfort, and inner conflict are reoccurring themes in all three comic stories. How conscious was this thematic continuity as you developed each project?
JDN: I wasn't conscious about it when I developed those projects, but I realized it was present in a lot of things that I do.
MK: Do you work traditionally on paper or digitally (or both)? What is your creation process?
JDN: Paper first then digitally.
MK: Your work often relies on mood, pacing, and silence. What is your philosophy regarding when an image needs dialogue or onomatopoeia?
JDN: I don't have a real philosophy about it. I would say this is about the feeling of the moment. Some images, some intentions don't necessarily require dialogues to be understood.
MK: How did these stories first find a publishing home? Are you motivated to produce more stories in sequential art versus animation?
JDN: The guys from Les Editions Réalistes (Charles Ameline, Cédric Kpannou and Ugo Bienvenu) contacted me when they created the publishing company, asking me if I would be interested in doing a comic with them. I was interested by their ideas, their point of view towards comics in general, the format they had in mind for those books. I used to self-publish or post my comics online, so it was the first time for me to be published by an official publishing company, therefore I said yes.
I am equally motivated to produce stories for comics and animation although I can feel like it's getting harder physically for me to spend that much time animating.
MK: What surprises or lessons did you discover in the publication process, compared to the process of creating and releasing animated shorts?
JDN: I used to post my animation shorts online straight up after completion, and at the same time, complained about the fact that the work of an animator or animation director is getting devalued while I am part of the problem. Animation is an art form. If I don't treat it like such, why expect people to do it? While publishing a comic is like an event, you do some promo, some signing sessions, you meet people, you talk about the book. It exists for a while.
MK: Your animated shorts and style are unique and open to interpretation by the audience. Were there elements or moments where readers or reviewers interpreted something surprising about your comic stories or animated shorts?
JDN: Not that I remember. I've read some comments of people trying to interpret some stuff or trying to connect some of my work with other artists’ work. This is not surprising but always interesting to read.
MK: After working on a large animated series, directing various popular music videos, and creating several personal graphic novels, how do you see your process and preferences evolving? Are there stories or formats you feel drawn to next?
JDN: I am drawn to do more shows/exhibitions. I like the challenge of bringing animation into galleries. This is what I am thinking about at the moment.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
