A proudly South African comic book has taken a remarkable leap from page to screen, earning one of the world’s top science film honours and inspiring thousands along the way.
Johannesburg, South Africa (24 March 2026) – What started as a comic book featuring real South African scientists… and yes, even a small nod to Good Things Guy… has now become an internationally recognised, award-winning animated short film.
And it’s a big win for storytelling, for science, for education and for every young South African who has ever wondered where they fit into the future.
“SuperScientists – Origins” has just been awarded the 2025 Discovery Award by Rolls-Royce at the Goethe-Institut Science Film Festival, the largest science film festival in the world. Out of more than 1,500 films submitted from 100 countries, only 123 were selected and just 6 received awards. This proudly local production stood among the very best.
And when you get the background of what this project is about, you immediately understand why.
SuperScientists was developed to inspire young people and help them see themselves in the faces and life stories of scientists working today. It takes real South African scientists and reimagines them as superheroes, not by changing who they are, but by amplifying what they already do every single day.
“We’ve reached tens of thousands of young people with our materials, exhibits, and characters. SuperScientists makes learning hands-on and fun, while providing rich information about science and scientists to people young and old.”
It’s thinking that flips the narrative completely, because science suddenly isn’t something distant or intimidating… it becomes something human, relatable and even a little bit magical.
“We all love a good fictional superhero; they can shrink down to the quantum realm or jump over a building in a single bound. Real scientists, real people, have just as amazing powers! Scientists can see individual atoms within a molecule, read the DNA of a single cell in a tumour, and peer back in time to when black holes collided. They have saved millions of lives through their research and technological advances and are solving questions today that people have asked for millennia.”
The project, created by the South African non-profit CodeMakers, has already reached tens of thousands of young people through comics, museum exhibits, activity books and now animation. More than 3,000 copies of the comic were printed and distributed through the Maropeng museum, bringing science into spaces where curiosity is already alive and waiting.
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But the journey didn’t start with a big production. It started with a moment of realisation.
We sat down with Justin Yarrow, the founder of SuperScientists, to unpack how it all came together… and why it matters so much.
“I was teaching coding to learners in Cato Manor, Durban and wanted them to learn about South African scientists. I asked them to name a scientist and only a couple could. They said Einstein, no South Africans, no Black South Africans. I made a bulletin board of South African scientists but they completely ignored it. They loved making animations and video games with characters they saw on TV, like Dragon Ball Z. I realised that we need to meet learners where they are, in a world of characters and imagination and get scientists into their hands. Scientists truly have the closest thing to superpowers, and so it all came together to make SuperScientists trading cards. From there we’ve gone on to make comics, a museum exhibit, activity books, our animation short and we are now developing an animation series.”
That thinking has now travelled far beyond South Africa, with the animated short being dubbed into multiple languages and screened in over 10 countries. But what matters most isn’t just the reach… it’s the reaction.
“What’s great has been seeing all the questions it prompts – what’s it like to be a scientist? Where can I see those bones? Are they real superpowers? How did you become a scientist? That’s what we want – young people asking questions, figuring out the answers, and asking the next set of questions. Curiosity is incredibly powerful.”
The film itself follows a school trip to the Cradle of Humankind, where a curious teenager named Buhle stumbles into a cavern and accidentally unlocks something extraordinary… transforming real-life scientists into SuperScientists. It’s a story packed with adventure, discovery and just enough wonder to spark something lasting.
And those scientists are not fictional. They’re based on real South Africans like Dr Keneiloe Molopyane, Dr Tebogo Makhubela and Dr Silidokuhle Mavuso… people doing world-class work, now reimagined in a way that young audiences can connect with.
At a time when misinformation is everywhere and critical thinking feels more important than ever, telling these kinds of stories carries real weight.
“South African science is world-class in so many different fields, and we’re very happy that we can help these stories break through and advocate for the importance of science and research more generally,” Justin explains.
“STEM is critically important not just for the innovations and advancements that it creates but also for developing people who are able to cut through the noise and misinformation that is purposefully created. It’s part of the reason that the Trump administration has blocked and reduced science and science education funding. They know that it helps create critical thinkers, and that’s a threat. We’re lucky to live in a country that supports science, and the growing number of master’s and PhD-level scientists in South Africa and the continent is a really good news story. I want young South Africans who see this film to learn something about our incredible palaeontology heritage and discoveries, be entertained, and challenge their idea of what a scientist looks like. I want them to appreciate and see how cool science is and maybe some of them will go on to be scientists themselves.”
And then, in a moment that genuinely made us smile, Justin explained why Good Things Guy found its way into the comic.
“It was a great match, both SuperScientists and Good Things Guy promote the amazing people in South Africa and the impressive things that we get up to. I can only imagine that the next incredible discovery that the Cradle of Humankind uncovers will make it into Good Things Guy, and so it was only right that our fictional discovery did as well. There are many terrible things happening in the world but science is fundamentally about discovering the truth about how things work and opening our eyes to how incredible life and the Universe are. Along the way, some of that science gets turned into innovations that address problems… disease, climate change, etc. Science has its fair share of problems, but all in all, I think science stories are very positive and when young South African’s see us succeeding in science, it gives them great pride and can set them on a path to become the next scientist making a cool discovery that no one in the world has ever made before.”
From a classroom in Durban to an award stage on the global circuit, this is what happens when creativity, education and purpose collide. And somewhere out there, a kid is watching this film, seeing a scientist who looks like them and realising for the very first time… that they belong in that story too.
You can download the comic book for free from here!
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