Runeless (Paperback)

In a world in which magical runes determine a person’s fate, runeless best friends find themselves on opposite sides of an epic fight for justice.

This exciting fantasy graphic novel about friendship and power is perfect for 8-12-year-old fans of Amulet and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

In the wealthy city of Dura, a person’s fate is determined by which of seven magical runes they’re born with. And Fungai and Ngoni, both born without runes, have nothing—except each other.

But when a mysterious, hooded figure known as the Vagabond offers to magically grant them runes, the boys see their chance for a normal life . . . though it comes at a terrible cost. For the first time ever, Fungai and Ngoni disagree—and their choices change everything, pitting them against each other in a bitter fight for justice. 

Full of action and emotion, Runeless is the epic story of friends torn apart—and, against all odds, reunited—in an adventure that transforms their world.

Bill Masuku is an Award-winning Zimbabwean comic book artist and writer currently self-publishing Captain South Africa and Tokoloshe Hunters. Masuku has worked as a storyboard artist for Triggerfish on a Netflix project and Disney x Kugali's animated series Iwájú. In 2022, Masuku was featured in Forbes Africa Under 30. He has been a guest speaker at events such as MCM London Comic Con, FanCon Cape Town, Comic Con Africa, Afro Comic Con, and Harare Literature Festival. He was selected as the British Council’s Design Futures Africa Storyteller for Zimbabwe, a project centered around sustainable development, the green future, and the informal economy. Masuku was spotlighted as an up-and-coming artist during DC Comics’s global event DC Fandome. His comic book artwork has been exhibited in Mozambique for Maputo Fast Forward Banda Desinhada Exhibition and in the University of Johannesburg's Art Gallery for their African Hero exhibition in 2024.

Daniel Quartey (penciller) is a comic book artist and 2D animator from Ghana, whose work is primarily inspired by Japanese manga. He has been active in both fields since 2020, freelancing for companies such as AnimaxFYB, Leti Arts, VX Animation, Kugali Limited, and more.