⚡From Barnato Park to Webtoon: How Salem Valuala Created Shock-Wing with The Academy
- The Academy2198
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Keywords: South African comics, youth creativity, University of the Streets, The Academy, Johannesburg art, Webtoon South Africa, teen success stories
Salem Valuala (18), The Creator of Shock-Wing
In 2023, The Academy: University of the Streets hosted open auditions at Barnato Park High School to discover new actors for a school-based drama project. Among the many faces who showed up that day was Salem Valuala — a quiet, curious student with undeniable presence.
Salem was selected by Brandon McDonald and Jackson Mogotlane, who were leading the auditions for Happy Hour, The Academy’s theatre division. None of us knew then how far that moment would go.
A Stage Debut at Joburg Theatre
Shortly after the auditions, The Academy’s Happy Hour team moved rehearsals to Windybrow Arts Centre, where they began developing a new play titled The Museum. Salem earned the lead role, performing alongside other young actors in a show that would later premiere at the Joburg Theatre's FEDA Festival in May.
When The Museum finally hit the stage, it received a standing ovation and an award for Best Musical Theatre Production — a defining moment for everyone involved.
But while rehearsals continued, Brandon and the team noticed something unique about Salem: he always carried a thick file with him.
Discovering the Artist Within
Inside that file was a world of imagination — sketches of heroes, villains, and cosmic battles. It turned out Salem had been working on a hand-drawn comic book of his own called Galactic Seven.
The cast read it together one day, and it was an instant hit. Salem wasn’t just an actor; he was a storyteller and visual artist waiting for the right platform.
Recognizing his potential, Gerard Bester (Manager at Windybrow) arranged for him to spend time at The Market Theatre, shadowing one of their in-house designers.
There, Salem learned the basics of digital art, poster design, and coloring techniques.
He only spent a few hours a day at The Market Theatre.
His progress was so remarkable that he ended up designing the official poster for The Museum on his own.
Salem's poster for THE MUSEUM by The Happy Hour Musical
From Paper to Digital — and a Dream Unfolds
After the Windybrow run ended, Brandon McDonald encouraged Salem to take his artistry further, supporting him with a Pen Tablet to explore digital illustration.
Salem putting up his drawings at The Academy Safehouse.
Every afternoon after school, Salem would stop by Brandon’s home to draw on The Academy’s laptop — quietly building what would later become Shock-Wing.
For nearly ten months, he refined his characters, experimented with color, and created a full digital comic book from scratch.
The Birth of Shock-Wing
In 2024, Salem released Shock-Wing independently on Patreon, and by 2025, The Academy officially produced and distributed the series on both Webtoon and The Academy UTS.
The story features music and creative input from The Academy’s network of artists, and showcases real South African locations and personalities:
Shock-Wing, the hero — played by Salem himself
Red Ant, the main villain — portrayed by Jackson Mogotlane
Nelly, Shock-Wing’s best friend — inspired by Salem’s real-life bestie
Mr. Tronk, based on a real Barnato Park teacher
Rhoda, Shock-Wing’s girlfriend and classmate
Leo Toriso, Shock-Wing’s brother — played by Salem’s actual brother
The world of Shock-Wing blends Joburg’s city energy with the spirit of South African youth — featuring Quantum taxis, the iconic Hillbrow Telkom Tower, and even a Tyla billboard cameo.
It’s a homegrown superhero story that feels proudly Mzansi.
THE SOUND OF THE CITY
Shock-wing features music from Sag3baby & The Academy - with a track called COLL3CT & even Salem has a go on the mic!
You can't hear the song when you read the comic, yet...
So you can listen to COLL3CT on UTS!
...
or on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more... but we suggest UTS, because you can purchase the music directly from the young artist and support their future from as little as 1$ per download. (That's R20 if you're South African)
A Creative Legacy in Motion
Today, Salem Valuala represents what The Academy: University of the Streets stands for — discovery, mentorship, and creative freedom. From a school file of sketches to a fully produced comic on global platforms, Salem’s journey shows how far talent can go when given support and belief.
“I used to just draw for fun,” Salem says. “Now, my drawings tell stories that reach the world.”
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