Supa Strikas

Supa Strikas is a pan-African association football-themed comic,[1] about the titular football team dubbed "the world's greatest". Despite their enormous talent, the players must adapt in a game where being the best is only the beginning, and where the opposition is always full of surprises. The Supa Strikas comic prints 1.4 million copies per month in 16 countries. Supa Strikas also appeared on Caltex and Texaco as an ad. As of 2019, the franchise is currently owned by Moonbug Entertainment.

For the animated series, see Supa Strikas (TV series).

Supa Strikas
Super Strikas (Latin America)

Country	Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia
Language	English, French, Spanish, Malay, Tagalog, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi Urdu and Kiswahili
Genre	football-themed comic
Published	2001-present

The comic's global headline sponsor is Chevron (the Caltex and Texaco brands appear on Supa Strikas’ match and training apparel), with other headline sponsors including VISA, Guaranty Trust Bank and Henkel. Partner sponsors also feature depending on region, including Grassroot Soccer, Metropolitan Life, Spur SteakRanches, VISA, South African National Roads Agency, and MTN amongst others.

Sponsors exposure includes perimeter boards in game scenes, product placement / engagement (e.g.: the team often eats at KFC in the South African edition) and full page advertisements. It is currently sponsored by KFC, Stimorol, Score Energy Drink, Checkicoast and Old Mutual in South Africa.

History and development

Supa Strikas was founded by Andrew Smith, Oliver Power and Lee Hartman.[2][3] The comic series was first published in South Africa in 2000, following the format of the British comic Roy of the Rovers. Afterwards publication spread to various sub-Saharan African countries.[4] By 2002 publications in the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda soon followed.[5]

The comic receives sponsorship from several companies, including Nike, Caltex, and other South African businesses. Consequently, the sponsoring firms have their product names placed on various panels.[1][6]

The series was based on the life of Thuthuka "Terry" Zwane, a boy from the Soweto area of Johannesburg.[5] With demand for the comic growing increasingly global, Supa Strikas’ core characters remained local but a more international cast grew around them, including characters of Asian, Latin American and European extraction.

Today, the comic is available across Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Reunion, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Egypt); Latin America (Colombia, El Salvador, Panama, Brazil, Honduras and Guatemala); Europe (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and Asia (Israel, Malaysia and the Philippines).[7]

The comic has also been adapted into an animated series by Animasia Studios.[8] The series debuted in 2009 with 47 episodes - each with approximately 22 minute of run-time - and aired in selected regions until 2010.

The titular soccer team adventure through the world of soccer in their bid to winning the Super League trophy in their country, dubbed in their stadium "Strikaland". On their way across the globe, the team explore the roots of the game (from Mexico to China), meet its greatest past and present players and confront the most unscrupulous coaches and players from their rival teams.

The story centres around the team's young striker, Shakes, whom many believe is the best striker in the world. Shakes and his teammates however considers the acclaim as a mere beginning. The game's global legacy and the players who dream of being crowned Super League champions mean Shakes must constantly challenge himself to remain in contention. As a result, he often finds himself spearheading the team's exploration of the unknown – be it a strange land, a strange opposition or a new soccer challenge.

The stories in Supa Strikas combine humour (often in the form of a character Spenza as the comic relief), action, technology and exploration in the context of a real soccer challenge. The stories are usually positive life messages that deal with self-actualization, fair play, teamwork and respect.

Characters

Shakes

• The youngest member and the star player of Supa Strikas, taking the position of striker. His strength is a lethal combination of skill and determination. He might not know what he's getting himself into, but he's always up for it. He is also capable of solving problems when they are on the edge of losing during half time. He inherits his No. 10 jersey from his father Jomo, who was deemed one of the greatest players in the team's history. Because of Jomo's reputation in the team, Shakes has some anxiety about of living up to his father's legacy. His desire to prove himself often spurs him into engaging in impulsive or reckless actions. His key move is the Knuckle Ball. Shakes' best friend is Spenza.

El Matador (Fighter)

• The team's attacker from Spain, wearing the number 20. He is the most expensive player in the Super League. He tends to be melodramatic in character and he is often seen wearing aqua sunglasses. He is also known as a fighter. Most of the time El Matador is self-absorbed as he is also the richest player in the team. He owns a Lamborghini. He likes to live an expensive lifestyle. He thinks he's better than Shakes.

Klaus - Real Name: Klaus Von Shietekat

• He wears the number 2 jersey and plays the striker position. He is the player who is well versed in passing techniques. His strength is coming on as a super sub and terrorising tired defences, hence he is often referred to by the name "super sub". He puts on a vulnerable and comical facade as to lower the opponents' expectations of him in his playing yet he is dead serious when it comes to scoring goals. Klaus tends to sneeze when in a nervous situation. His favourite food is strudel. He also buys his aunt Hilda a present from every city Supa Strikas tour to. He comes from Germany, as his name suggests.

He is addicted to inspektor von spektor,And the BUTLER is always guilty.

Dancing Rasta - Real Name: Fabian Skhosana

• The Jamaican captain of Supa Strikas and a well seasoned mountaineer. He wears the number 9. His captaincy skills are tested whenever there is someone like, Dooma or Johann Uber from other teams. He is very polite and can not harm anyone without or even with a cause. Most fans believe he is the greatest captain in the Super League. He is very motivational.

Big Bo - Real Name: Bongani Bonani

• The vice-captain of Supa Strikas, wears the number 01 on it. He is known as the greatest goalkeeper, as he can get better than De Los Santos, in the Super League. He is from Middleton, Texas in United States. Supa strikas is his 3rd team.

Twisting Tiger

• Twisting Tiger is a right-footed winger and midfielder. His previously played for Nakama FC. He is a Japanese-born player who wears jersey number 16. He has very accurate shooting and is known to be one of the best players in Supa Strikas. Twisting Tornado is his signature move and it will blow you away. Twisting Tiger learned the Japanese football style from his former coach Ura Giri. His former teammate Miko Chen (from Nakama FC) is like a brother to him. Tiger is known to be the quickest player on the field. His father (James Tiger) is Australian. His main enemies are Hydra and Iron Tank. He also played football in France where the Super League was founded. His football is ultimate when he zooms past all of the players. He believes that his lucky charm helps them through their matches.

Cool Joe - Real Name: Joseph Maseko

• He is known as the "king of crossing" as his well esteemed crosses and their technique have helped the team score many goals. He also has a flair for disco music, crediting one record for giving his "groove" on the game and also owning a disco club known as Cool Joe's. He wears the number 7 jersey. He has his four signature spins that are unpredictable in the field. The fifth spin " the corkscrew" is very different from the rest it was developed by a table tennis champion, Chill John.

North Shaw

• An Australian player who is a first choice defender with Blok. He wears the amazing number 8. He is the player whose personality is described as a surfer type, owning a beach shop and riding 'gnarly' waves. He has a blonde afro, eyebrows and moustache. His key move is 'The Slide'. He also has a frenemies relationship with Liquido.

Blok - Real Name: Jozef Rybár

• He is nicknamed as such for being able to "block" the ball very well. He is also a capable striker and a very good defender, but is only able to speak his native language. He understands English though. He is from Brislovia (named after Bratislava and Slovakia). His number is 55.

Eagle Eye

• A defender that can see anything from a mile away and thus able to score goals from a distance, hence the nickname. He appears in some episodes. He wears the number 4.

Rizo

• Substitute defender to Blok or Eagle Eye. He wears the number 3.

Lankey

• Substitute striker for El Matador. He is very tall and skinny. He wears the number 23.

Griz

• Substitute defender for North Shaw. Has a tendency to vomit out of fear or nervousness in matches of a tense environment. He has orange hair and sometimes wears a headband. He wears the number 6.

Noah Murdoch

• He is the backup goalkeeper for Big Bo, He wears number 13.

Aldo

• Backup midfielder. He wears the number 19. Aldo is like a brother to Riano from Barka FC.

Coach - Real Name: David Ledige

• The Kenyan national Ghost Mulee, deemed to be the greatest coach in the Super League. He is also considered the greatest player of all time for Supa Strikas, wearing the number 11 jersey in his time. His name is included in the Museum of Soccer with two of the other greatest players Edwin and Golare. He is known for his tactical strategies.

Spenza: (Real name Olamide)

• Shakes' best friend and a superfan of Supa Strikas. As a private investigator, he often helps the Supa Strikas solving their problems on the field, particularly on sabotages coming from rival teams. He is always seen wearing a white hat and with a magnifying glass at hand, and he loves eating. He has been best friends with Shakes since they were children.

Albert

• Albert is Big Bo's loyal butler. He makes a minor appearance in "Big Bo Lockdown", but in "Big Bo to Go" and "Scare Tactics", he makes a major appearance where he helps the protagonist.

Supa Fran - Real Name: Francheska

• Supa Fran is a supporting character in two episodes. She appears to be a huge fan of El Matador, Dancing Rasta, and also seems to be the girlfriend of Spenza. She only appears in the episodes "El Sound of Silencio" and "The 12th Man", but she has a major role in each episode. Her real name is Francheska.

Mac

• Mac is an Argentinan Commentator for the soccer games. He usually acts crazy and immature, and is a big fan of Supa strikas. He appears in all the episodes.

Brenda

• Mac's co-commentator who is level minded but also joins in the craziness from time to time. She appears in all the episodes from season 2.

Formation

Supa Strikas play with 10 men relevant on the team with the eleven one unknown. Their formation is 3-3-1-2.

The Supa Strikas formation is as follows: 1.Big Bo (Goalkeeper) 4.Eagle Eye (Defender, Right back) 55.Blok (Defender, Left back) 8.North Shaw (Defender, Centre Back) 7.Cool Joe (Midfielder, Left Winger) 16.Twisting Tiger (Midfielder, Right Winger) 9. Dancing Rasta (Midfielder, Captain) 2.Klaus (Attacking Midfielder) 10.Shakes (Striker) 20.El Matador (Striker)

Substitutes

23.Lankey (Striker) 3.Rizo (Defender) 6.Griz (Defender) 13.Noah Murdoch (Goalkeeper) 19.Aldo (Midfielder)

Episodes

(NOTE: These episodes are related to T.V. series)

Season 1

1 "Dancing Rasta On Ice"

Wearing the captain's armband is a great honour for Dancing Rasta, but after a fall in the Himalayas, he is concerned about his leadership abilities. A kind monk nurses Rasta back to health, and teaches him the importance of leading with the mind as well as the body.

2 "Cool Joe Looses His Groove"

Funky Cool Joe gets into the rhythm before every game with his favourite song. But when the evil Toni Vern switches his record, the star player can't understand why he's useless on the field! Shakes puts his friend on the case, but will Spenza PI solve the mystery in time?

3 "The Lost Star"

On a trip to Rio to play Brazilian masters-of-flair, Clube Palmentieri, Supa Strikas are demolished in a "friendly" beach game. The only person who can help them is a legend of the game... who has been missing for thirty years: EDWIN! Would he with Supa Strikas coach have any plan to pay back this Brazilian team?

4 "Compound Compromised"

The beautiful cat burglar, Kat, is notoriously good at infiltrating high-tech buildings! Under orders from Strikas' arch-enemies, she plants a spy bug in the Secret Training Compound! How will the team be able to counter the cunning Invincible United in their upcoming game?

5 "Blasts From The Past"

Supa Strikas travel to Mexico to confront the biggest goalkeeper in the Super League. Shakes uncovers De Los Santos' past, and makes an amazing discovery in the big man's hometown: mysterious Aztec ruins... and the origins of the game itself!

6 "Between Friends"

As Supa Strikas face Twisting Tiger's old team, FC Nakama, but Nakama coach Ura Giri releases a DVD of all Tiger's secret moves and also told FC Nakama's captain Mikochan that Twisting Tiger had been unloyal to him he had revealed everything about his wounded leg and his old tean to Supa Strikas to punish Tiger for leaving the team. Now the famous midfielder needs to find new moves... and fast!

7 "Instinct Extinct"

Pressure is on as Supa Strikas arrive in Spain to play Barka FC and star striker, Riano. But Shakes gets some training from Riano's old Coach, Golare, which turns out to be less than helpful! Now, can Shakes forget everything he's learned to overcome Barka in the big game?

8 "Big Bo Lockdown"

Big Bo helps local prison inmates by training their soccer team. But Knuckles, a nasty convict, looks just like the great goalkeeper and switches places with Big Bo! How will he escape in time for Supa Strikas’ epic game against the mighty FC Colossus?

9 "The End Of Dreams"

After a mishap with the bumbling Professor, his coffee, and the state-of-the-art Match Measure Machine, things go horribly wrong with Shakes’ exercise plan! Though Coach warns him against it, Shakes steals the programme, only to get himself injured the night before Supa Strikas’ clash with the formidable Iron Tank!

10 "No El' in Team"

El Matador's selfish play causes headaches for Strikas. Coach sends him to Solinesia to learn the ancient football game that is all about teamwork. But hopes are dashed when he is banished from the country! Thank goodness for Khin, a monk who slips Chinlon scrolls into El Matador's bag!

11 "Wolf In Coach's Clothing"

Coach's stress levels have been steadily rising... time for some serious bed-rest and relaxation! But Supa Strikas' enemies Invincible United realise it's the perfect time to send in a saboteur: one who will coach Supa Strikas as BADLY as possible!

12 "Communication Blok"

The Blok, Supa Strikas’ solid defender, speaks only his native Brislovian. He relies on visual signals to communicate with his teammates. But evil opposition coach, Toni Vern, plots to exploit this, and ensure Supa Strikas will be playing blind at their next fixture!

13 "Ball Control"

The countdown to the Super League Final has begun! Supa Strikas will fight their old rivals Invincible United. But the deceitful Vince with the help of Toni Vern smuggles a remote-control ball into the stadium on match day! Supa Strikas will need the help of Spenza PI to get to the bottom of this trickery!

Season 2

14 "Led Steppin'"

To boost sales of Cool Joe's new line of boots, Supa Strikas must wear them for upcoming clashes. But Invincible United's Vince is up to his usual tricks. He swaps Cool Joe's boots with ones that get heavier as you play! Now, how will Supa Strikas beat their old rivals?

15 "Training Trap"

An Invincible United henchman bungles a reconnaissance mission into Strikas’ training compound, trapping Shakes and El Matador in a security lockdown! Little does Vince know, this is exactly what the two forwards need to find the weakness in their opponent's defensive wall... but how will they get to the game?

16 "Super Skarra"

Invincible United's unscrupulous striker, Skarra, kidnaps the Professor and forces the fitness genius to help him outdo his enemies. Now Supa Strikas come up against a frighteningly super-sized opponent! Shakes must have his wits about him to figure out how to overcome this giant!

17 "Spaceballs"

Supa Strikas are annihilated by Orion's amazing airborne moves. Coach takes them to a space facility to train in a magnetic levitation chamber. But Supa Strikas get more than they bargained for when an evil henchman blasts them into outer space on a shuttle test flight!

18 "El Sound Of Silencio"

Rival team, Invincible United, orchestrate a fan ban for upcoming Supa Strikas matches! El Matador doesn't think it's a big deal, but come crunch time, he cannot perform in the empty stadium! Will his biggest fan be able to save the day?

19 " Amal Three's a Crowd"

Supa Strikas get the fright of their lives upon hearing that Sultans have signed famed triplets, the Amal 3. They are said to have a psychic connection that cannot be beaten! Now it's up to Cool Joe to figure out whether the Amal 3's gift is fact... or fiction! Cool Joe found that Amal 3 do not have a psychic connection and only 1 of them control the other two.

20 "Bad Altitude"

Supa Strikas are to play the notorious Iron Tank at their stadium high in the Alps. Because of the altitude, Iron Tank remains unbeaten on home ground! To Coach's dismay, Shakes and North Shaw struggle to acclimatise, and are sent on a mountain adventure to adapt to the altitude! When they were training in the mountains, Iron Tank captain had stolen the GPS device and they are in big trouble. Will they be able to get out on time and reach for their match?

21 "Blok/Attak"

The Blok, Supa Strikas defender, speaks only his native Brislovian. Evil opposition coach, Toni Vern, unnerves him by recruiting his brother, Attack. But Vern invents a collar that allows Attak on-the-spot language translation! The plot thickens when Blok receives a similar device... which is secretly controlled by Vern!

22 "Tough Luck"

Things go horribly wrong en route to Hydra's floating stadium when Twisting Tiger's lucky charm is flung into the ocean! After a terrible game against Hydra, Supa Strikas set out to recover the charm. Beneath the stadium, they discover Hydra is hiding a big secret!

23 "Hypno-Test"

The most prized artifact in Supa Strikas' club history is the Secret Training Manual. The book travels to the Museum of the Beautiful Game in Los Angeles, where Supa Strikas are set to play FC Technicali. But Shakes uncovers a nefarious plot involving hypnosis... and their own training manual!

24 "Big Bo, To Go"

When Big Bo loses his memory in a nasty fall, opposition team, Cosmos, waste no time ensuring he won't make it to the upcoming match. Now Shakes must conquer Bo's incredible home training course to discover the big man's whereabouts!

25 "Beautiful Gaming"

Hack, a pro in the video game"Super League 3000X" has won the grand prize in the Super League 3000X competition----traveling with Supa Strikas to their next match in Japan with Nakama! In Japan, Supa Strikas' coach got kidnapped by Ura Giri, the Nakama's coach. While Hack ran away because Supa Strikas didn't really give him a good welcome. Now Supa Strikas have to find Hack back because he holds the key to beat Nakama.

26 "Bringing Down The House"

In a provocative move, Vince buys Shakes' childhood community centre! During a televised interview, Skarra impulsively agrees to play Shakes for the beloved grounds. But Supa Strikas aren't up against any old team. They now face a team of the Super League's best players... and The All Stars are unbeatable! Will there any chances Shakes could revenge Skaara to protect his old home with Aces?

Season 3

27 "Hot Shots"

The Supa Strikas got invited to film a TV show called"Strike Team" in the off season.They got so into it, that they believe they are really the best in the world. They refuse to listen to coach and just playing their own cool and style play. Being desolated by the team, coach decided to make them get used to the heat in the Middle East by going on foot to the Sultans` stadium.Which being kidnapped by the raiders in the desert.Can they escape just in time before the Sultans` game?

28 "Sky's the Limit"

From Toni Vern to Colonel Von Pushup, the Super League's greatest minds are perplexed by team Orion's mysterious new tactics. It seems they have all been trumped by Coach Black's otherworldly brain power. Unfortunately, Supa Strikas' own tactical genius, the Professor, has been fired! Can Shakes convince him to refocus on cracking the Orion Code?

29 "Own Ghoul"

Supa Strikas play the Supa League's mysterious new side at their creepy mountain-top stadium. But Big Bo's form takes a serious nosedive when he hears that a former Grimm FC captain haunts the stadium! Is Big Bo just superstitious or is there something more to the legend of Spike Dawson's ghost?

30 '"Suit Yourself"

When Klaus get pushed into the starting lineup just before a big game against Technicali, the pressure quickly gets to him. So, when he stumbles upon Toni Vern's latest invention, a soccer super-suit, he steals it for himself. Klaus must choose between being the main man and coming clean to his teammates.

31 "Sleight of Foot"

When Invincible United's foul play gets them in trouble with the Super League, Vince hires a magician to pull off the ultimate soccer illusion: how to foul and dive without being caught! Supa Strikas are used to Invincible United's dirty tricks, but can they handle their magic tricks?

32 "Cool Joe Loses His Groove Pt 2"

When Cool Joe gets signed by a big record label it's a dream come true for the Supa Strikas winger. But soon he gets caught up in show business - losing the groove in both his music and on the soccer field! With Supa Strikas dependent on him for a crucial Iron Tank match, will Cool Joe face the music about his newfound career?

33 "One Super League Under the Sea"

The Supa Strikas play against Hydra FC. Which have a new technique past every defence team. Coach has his men ready for the coincidence, but North Shaw only cares about his waves. So, he went surfing without having Coach noticing him. Which have been sabotaged by Liquido. Hydra's floating stadium is also sinking down because of the high swell. How will North Shaw get back to the stadium which is underneath him?

34 "How To Get a Header in the Super League"

Coach sends Shakes for some special training with an eccentric heading coach, nicknamed the Battering Ram! After dodging soccer balls fired from cannons and leaping off cliffs, will Shakes master the training before the big game against Barka? Scrap that... with training like this, will Shakes make it to the game at all?

35 "Suspended Animation"

Ahead of a big Technicali encounter, Shakes reveals his secret... The Zone. But Shakes finds himself in the twilight zone when Coach organises some virtual reality training to find the source of The Zone. As the training gets weirder and weirder, Shakes starts to suspect that things are not what they seem!

36 "Dribbler on the Roof"

Supa Strikas take their game to the next level as they play Sultans in Skyball Ultimate 5's - an action-packed tournament on top of the world's tallest building. What's more, the winner is decided by public vote. But, with the Sheikh pulling strings to make sure Sultans win, how will Supa Strikas finish on top?

37 "Cheese, Lies and Videotape"

When Shakes, Klaus and El Matador sneak out to an underground mall in Tokyo, the Nakama coach blows their cover! To evade crazy fans and rabid sewer rats the trio must use all their tactical and physical resources to get back to their training camp undetected by their Coach... and play a crucial game against Nakama!

38 "Shakes On a Train"

With a volcanic ash cloud grounding air travel, Supa Strikas take a luxury steam train back home for their Invincible United clash. But they soon find themselves embroiled in mystery when their high-tech training carriage disappears in the dead of night! Can the Men in Red solve the crime and win the game?

39 "Dooma`s Day"

Dooma, the Invincible United's new captain, has been hired by Vince. With Dooma's help, Invincible United had squeezed into the super league finals, against their rivals, Supa Strikas. But Skarra had been really mad at how Dooma took his place as captain. Because of that, he decided to uncover Dooma's past. While Shakes got ahead with his plan because of Spenza's curiosity. Shakes discovered Dooma's secret. But ruined by Skarra. Shakes got attacked by a psychiatrist, who had helped Dooma with his previous game. How would Shakes break free? Can Supa Strikas be the super league champion for the third time?

Season 4

40 "Field of Vision"

El Matador always wear his one-of-a-kind goggles when playing football. Toni Vern tries to sabotage El Matador using an identical goggles with virtual reality capabilities. The whole team thinks El Matador is losing it, when he starts talking to a magazine reporter that is not actually there, but the reporter is actually John.J.Johnson Junior playing around with the goggles.

41 "Dat Boot"

Supa Strikas are training to get ready against Iron Tank and their super goalkeeper, "The Mangler". Dancing Rasta finds a way to score a super fast goal but an interference by Iron Tank FC's U-boat causes him to lose his memory. Shakes must find out what Rasta learned while Rasta must fend off another deadly sabotage from Iron Tank.

42 "Live and Kicking"

Shakes and his fellow winners at a Super League Award show get invited to compete on Soccer Island, which is actually a reality TV show. Skarra becomes the villain of the show, sabotaging fellow contestants and boosting the show's ratings. El Matador snuck into the show because he wasn't invited, and creates problems for the TV production crew.

43 "Roblok Wars"

The Professor create a robot in the appearance of Blok as a tour guide for Supa Strikas' museum, but Toni Vern swaps the memory chip in Roblok using his robot's chip. Now Roblok is programmed to cause injury to other players on the field, while the real Blok is trapped at the local dump. Can Shakes figure out what is happening to his friend??

44 "Scare Tactics"

Spike Dawson is at it again. He frames Big Bo for the theft of Grimm FC's sacred book of tactics, while he tries to steal Big Bo's gloves to add to his collection. Big Bo must outsmart both Spike Dawson and the Super League investigators to clear his name.

45 "Cuju Be Loved"

Shakes is returning from nursing his injury after playing against Iron Tank, but he can't get past his fear of going against Uber who caused the injury. Coach talks Shakes into taking a trip abroad to clear his head, which leads Shakes to China where he learns the art of Cuju. Unfortunately, Iron Tank has been following him around and they kidnap Shakes' trainer to learn Cuju.

46 "Klaus Encounters of the Nerd Kind"

A strange light envelopes Orion's stadium, sparking rumours of aliens helping Orion to win their matches. A group of believers enlist Klaus to uncover the secrets behind the lights. El Matador freaks out when he thinks he ran into aliens outside the stadium.

47 "El Matador Finds Himself"

After El Matador bungles an easy shot during a match, he runs away from the team. Shakes and Klaus track him down at an abandoned cruise ship full of El Matador lookalikes who worship him. Klaus thinks that he traveled through time after seeing El Matador and his "future" selves.

48 "Spinner Takes All"

Cool Joe uses four football spins to pass the ball. When the team gets invited to a motion capture studio to put their moves in the next Super League game, Cool Joe's moves are discovered by Nakama's coach Ura Giri. Nakama manage to intercept his pass in the first half.Can he come up with a fifth spin before the second half ends??

49 "Stumble In The Jungle"

When North Shaw and Blok get dominated by Palmentieri's Don Aldo, their confidence hits rock bottom. So, Coach sends them to regroup at an isolated hotel in the Amazon, before the return leg in Rio. But when North realises they may be near a mythical lost Jungle Stadium, their confidence-building session becomes a perilous expedition!

50 "Worth His Weight in Goals"

Twisting Tiger and Liquido (from Hydra FC) are the fastest sprinters in the Super League. When Hydra wins at Strikaland using Liquido's speed, the team heads to the Floating Stadium for the return match, but not before undergoing Hydra's signature style underwater training. Tiger manages to increase his speed using the training, but Liquido then sets Tiger up for a friendly underwater game, only to trap him using heavy training weights. Shakes and North Shaw must help Tiger unlock the weights before Coach finds out and benches Tiger for the match.

51 "The 12th Man"

Sultans' coach has recently completed construction of the Super League's biggest stadium - The Goliath! It boasts a shopping mall, hotels and, unfortunately for rival teams, 150 000 home fans! Supa Strikas and their supporters head to Dubai only to discover there's more to The Goliath than meets the... ear!

52 "Return to the Pirate Tower"

Supa Strikas and Invincible United will once again be facing off in the Super League Final, but this time United have an unstoppable weapon, Automatic who uses throw-ins to help United score goals. Shakes recommends North Shaw and Blok to learn defensive headers from the Battering Ram, but they arrive only to see that the Pirate Tower is now a tourist attraction, and the Battering Ram's intense training is now used for entertaining children. Can the two defenders bring back the hardcore Battering Ram, and can they overcome Skarra's sabotage???

Season 5

53 "No Man's Island"

Supa Strikas head to a peaceful island for pre-season training to escape irritating media spokespersons when they are surprised to see Invincible United doing the same leading to a cross country football match to decide who deserves to stay in the island. Invincible United's captain Dooma devises a plan to deport Supa Strikas off the island . Will Supa strikas recognize Dooma's plans before its too late?

54 "Man in the Iron Tank Mask"

Iron Tank's Tactical Division recognizes Klaus as key man for supplying most of the goals scored by Shakes or El Matador and devises a plan to discourage Klaus by making him act in T.V Soap as "Catman". Now it is up to Shakes to open Klaus's eye.

55 "Depth Charge"

After a tour of Hydra's remarkable homeground, the Floating Stadium, North Shaw and Liquido's rivalry flares up, leading to an explosive underwater race. With the stadium stuck on the sea floor, can the rivals work together to raise the stadium before it fills with water... and before the fans ask for their money back?

56 "Last Action Figure"

El Matador's on top of the world – goals galore, adoring fans and his own line of (sold out!) El Matador action figures! But it all falls apart when his fans unexpectedly turn against him and his form takes a nose-dive. With two games against Invincible United coming up, the Latin maestro must win back his fans AND win the matches!

57 "Heels Over Head"

Beach soccer training in Brazil goes wrong for Twisting Tiger when he sprains his ankle in the sand. Banned from doing his signature move, the Twisting Tornado, he feels he is no longer himself. A Brazilian Capoeira master helps him turn his frown, and his move, upside down - but will it be enough to defeat the flamboyant Palmentieri FC?

58 "Icy Grip"

Supa Strikas are off to Iron Tank's Fortress Stadium for the coldest match of the season! Armed with state-of-the-art soccer kit, Coach puts the boys through some extreme mountain-top training before the game. But they're not the only ones doing special preparation. Their opponents have stumbled on a CHILLING advantage deep in the icy mountain!

59 "Ahead of the Game"

Supa Strikas take en route for match with Grimm FC. But this encounter is even stranger than usual: Grimm captain, Vladimir Savich, predicts Supa Strikas’ every move, knows where every pass is going and sees every goal before it happens. Savich claims he has psychic powers, but Dancing Rasta has another theory...

60 "License to Coach"

When Coach's coaching licence mysteriously expires just before a big match against Iron Tank, he is banned from Strikaland! He has to race against the clock to get it renewed before the final whistle. Will he make it or will Supa Strikas have to try get through the Tank's new defensive formation, The Iron Curtain, alone?

61 "The Determinator"

Shakes and El Matador are in such sublime form they are having their own private goal-scoring competition during games. But Technicali coach, Toni Vern, has created a crazy new soccer invention that will push even their skills to the limit: THE DETERMINATOR! Get ready for the ultimate battle of man versus machine.

62 "Cool Joe and The Comet"

The king of crossing - Cool Joe uses his signature move "The Corkscrew" to win the match against Barka FC. With their next match scheduled with the Orion FC, Coach Black moves the match date coinciding it with a date when the asteroid-237 has a flyby. Coach Black says it signifies as a tribute to the asteroid by playing the match on that date, but has other plans using the asteroid. Will Shakes and Cool Joe realise the real reason behind it?

63 "Cheer and Loafing in Las Vegas"

Supa Strikas are in glitzy Las Vegas to take on Cosmos FC. Coach soon becomes concerned that El Matador is being distracted by the big city lights, and moves the team into a cheap motel on the outskirts of town. Horrified, El Matador does a disappearing act on the eve of the big match. But in Las Vegas... all is NOT what it seems!

64 "Total Replay"

Days before the semi-final against Invincible United, Supa Strikas have been getting a new practice method by using Prof's latest machine, which brings you to a virtual reality world where you can battle the world's toughest soccer legends! But when Shakes uses it to battle the soccer legends, Skarra sabotages the machine, and Shakes it trapped in the virtual reality world. The only way to escape is by defeating the legends. Can Shakes and his team win, or will they be trapped in the virtual reality world forever?

65 "Fastest Gloves in the West"

It's the eve of the Super League final, and Ninja beats Big Bo in a cowboy-themed penalty shootout at Cosmos FC's Wild West World theme park. Big Bo suspects foul play and Supa Strikas' long-retired mascot, Lenny The Lightning bolt, rides into town to help solve the mystery. But will it be enough for Supa Strikas to succeed in hostile territory?!

Season 6

66 "The Brislovian Candidate"

After a Blok-solid defensive performance against Palmentieri, Supa Strikas are set to take on Iron Tank. To counter the defender-bros duo of North Shaw and Blok, Colonel Von Pushup and Ja Nein come up with a tech-savvy plan; combining Blok's love for Brislovian Techno, North Shaw's love for catchphrases, and very sneaky hypnosis. Can Cool Joe's musical education save Blok from the spell?

67 "Fly Hard"

After a frustrating draw against Sultans, Supa Strikas need to re-group before the return leg in Dubai. But waiting in the wings is a surprise: a first-class ticket on the Sheik's latest toy: the “Sky Palace”! It has everything you could want for a long-haul flight (including golden, diamond-encrusted toilets) but when Supa Strikas are repeatedly reminded to fasten their seatbelts, Shakes becomes suspicious of the Sheik's flight trajectory.....

68 "Living the El Life"

El Matador takes his celebrity to the next level when he launches his reality TV show – Living The El Life. But the flamboyant striker's thunder is soon stolen by Cosmos' Ninja, who launches his own show ahead of the teams' next fixture. Is glamourous Las Vegas a big enough stage for these superstar's escalating duel for ratings, and who will suffer the most as they scramble for fame?

69 "Sepak Attack"

After Klaus causes a messy (but delicious!) triple-choc marshmallow mishap on the Strika Jet, the team is grounded for hours on end. To escape the mindnumbing boredom, Shakes sneaks out and discovers an amazing sport - half footie, half volleyball... ALL-ACTION!

70 "Hot Property"

The men in red gather at Shakes' apartment to watch the newest Super League team, Cognito, battle against Iron Tank. Shakes can't shake his worry over Cognito's coach In-Yo and her masterful mindgames, but the rest of the guys won't let Shakes' tiny apartment ruin another game. At their insistence, he decides to get a new house, one that has way more features than he bargained for. Will his new stylish pad be a gamechanger, or will In-Yo's mindgames get the better of everyone?

71 "Pitch Imperfect"

What do you get when you cross El Matador's obsession with perfect lighting for his victory photos, Toni Vern's crazy quest for the ultimate grass pitch, and a gardening robot's unending dedication to perform his function? Another madcap game of monstrous proportions at The Hub - one that will test Dancing Rasta's leadership, and Supa Strika's teamwork.

72 "Broken Record"

The Supa Strikas are to take on Nakama FC in Tokyo, and the stakes couldn't be higher for Shakes - he's set to make history by breaking a record held by the legendary Edwin for years. It's on everyone's lips and minds, most of all Shakes, who is trying to keep away from the fanfare and focus on the game - but Ura Giri has other ideas for Shakes. Is there any chances to Coach and his players find any conclude for Shakes to focus on the match with Nakama F.C.?

73 "On Klaus Inspection"

Supa Strikas is ready to the match with Iron Tank F.C in the fortres stadium this weekend. But when they are choosing room to share, they had met 3 guys: Uber, Skaara and Tony Vern. When all teammates were sleeping, they saw El Matador is being poinsoned by his food. Klaus, who is call 'Von Spectre' , has asked the 3 guys and the butler but no evidence show up. Will Klaus can find any other solution to make the team beat Iron Tank?

74 "With Fans Like These"

Everyone knows Super Fran is dedicated to Supa Strikas for life - her name isn't Super Fran for nothing! So when the time comes for the Strikas to nominate their ultimate fan, the choice is easy. Then, a kid who told himself is Supa Strikas's fan and his football gave it to her. But Super Fran didn't known this kid is really Invincible United's fan and Skaara, Dingaan is behind to sign him for retrieval uncharacteristic for the disnominace plan with Vince. Are there any solution to protect Super Fran and her favorite team beat this discipled team, Invincible United?

75 "Greetings From Sunny Feratuvia"

With the Strika Jet grounded due to icy weather, the Men in Red take a bus trip to Feratuvia, the home ground of Grimm FC. On the way they realise that El Matador's live stream, Klaus's constant bathroom breaks, and a creepy Grimm FC gift shop are the least of their worries, as the forests of Feratuvia hold something much more terrifyng...

76. "Training Daze"

After Supa Strikas shock loss to Invincible United. Coach goes berserk. But when somebody hacks the secret training Centre and Toni Vern sets up a food stand, something doesn't taste right?

77. "Cool Aid"

Vince pays DJ Midas Touch to bring Cool Joe off his game. Shakes gets locked in the recording room. Klaus enters the music industry. Can Shakes help Cool Joe get back to his old self? And will Supa Strikas prevail against Invincible United?

78. "The Crunch"

It's the ultimate fixture pile-up! The Super League's supercomputer spits out a tall order for the Men in Red: 3 matches in 5 days - all of them away games. Coach has a plan that will test everything from their stomachs to their recovery, and ultimately Dancing Rasta's leadership. Of course, Invincible United's captain, Dooma, also has a plan, and neither team is letting the semi-final go down without an epic fight. Get ready for The Crunch!

Teams

These are the teams which represents each country from each continent in the Supa Strikas series. Teams include:

Supa Strikas: The main team which represents South Africa, though the team's player roster line-up is becoming more and more international. They are currently called the "Best Team in the World". Their lead strikers are Shakes and El Matador, their captain is Dancing Rasta, Their goalkeeper is Big Bo and their coach is Coach.

Invincible United: The main antagonists, the team also represents South Africa and is of Italian origins (which can be seen from the stadium designed like Colosseum in Rome). They are Supa Strikas rivals. They are the meanest, also of the best, strongest and the most dishonest team in the Super League. Their coach is Vince and their lead striker and captain is Skarra (who was once Shakes' best friend until Shakes qualified for Supa Strikas team while Skarra didn't). In season 3 episode 39 and from season 5 to now, Skarra is replaced by Dooma as the captain. Other named players of the team are Automatic who is known for his powerful throw-ins, Dingaan who's the main defender, Snake and their goalkeeper, the Web.The invincible united is also known for doing a dirty play.

Sa Ming United: The team representing China. They have a small appearance in some of the episodes and often considers to be among the weak teams. Their lead striker is Sa Ma Wee.

Sultans: The team representing the UAE. Their former lead striker's and star players were the 'Amal 3. Their current lead striker and captain is Zoom Zahir. Other players include Eduardo, Alam, Aziz, Erikson and their goalkeeper, Fast Farouk. Their coach is Sheikh Ali Zaman. The team is also known for often tricking people into unfair games and competition, though not common.

Colossus: The team representing Greece. Their coach is Nick Kickalopolous. Their main striker is Demitrius. Other players include Semus, Parseus, Hermes, Achilles and their goalkeeper, Titan. Their stadium is the Olympii Stadium.

Orion: The team representing France. Their lead striker is Andre Meda. Other players include Max and Stax Spacek, Ben Schwarma, Niell Sagan and their goalkeeper, D'etoile Phinus. The team's specialty is airborne play. Their coach, Professor Black, is crazy about space observation and exploration.

Hydra: The team which also represents France. Their stadium floats in the middle of the sea. Their coach is Coach Del Aqua. Their lead midfielder is Liquido. Their captain's name is Skipper. Their goalkeeper's name is The Plug. The team is also noted for using technologies on playing match, mostly to control the stadium to the corners it needs, thus qualified as cheating. Other known players of the team include Shane Fin, Ripple White and Joe Mamoa.

Lokomotiv: The team representing Russia. This team has been mentioned only one, during the match against Azul in 'Communication Blok'. This team is very much unknown and there are yet any episodes about Supa Strikas' meeting with this team.

Cosmos: The team representing Las Vegas, the United States. Their coach is Buddy Watkins. Their lead players are Ninja and Bolo. They are considered to be a medium team. Other known players of the team include Emilio the captain of the team, Scissors, Jag and their goalkeeper, Keller, Airborne, Scorpion. Their stadium is known as 'The Universe'.

Palmentieri: The team representing Brazil. Their lead striker and captain is Don Aldo. Their goalkeeper is Julio and other known players are Rick, Cruz, Melo and Felipe. Their legendary player is Edwin who in later episodes is seen as their coach.

Azul: The team representing Mexico. Their best player and captain is De Los Santos, the goalkeeper. Other players include Tomas, Santiago, Pablo, Estevez and Leonardo. Their manager is Honcho Gomez.

Barka FC: The team representing Spain. Their lead striker and captain is Riano, a fair and honest player. Their Stadium is in Barcelona. Their legendary players are Golare (named after Pep Guardiola) and El Ariete. Other known players of the team include Enrique, Jordi, Mendez, Paulo and their goalkeeper, El Barerra.

Iron Tank FC: The team representing Germany. The team is composed of former Bundeswehr members. Their coach is Colonel Von Pushup, their lead defender and captain is Johann Uber, their lead striker is Thor, their lead midfielder is Von Eye and their goalkeeper is ‘The Mangler’. Their stadium is located in the mountains. They are also tricky and very much cheating, and this team is the third strongest behind Supa Strikas and Invincible United.The other known players of the team includes Ja Nein who is a tech savvy and even tricks and hypnotizes his team-mates and Erin the substitute player for the team

Nakama FC: The team representing Japan. The team is composed of Karate, & Ninjutsu practitioners. Their coach is Ura Giri. Their lead striker is Miko Chen. This is also Twisting Tiger's former team. While the team is quite fair-play, their coach Ura Giri is a well known cheater. Other known players of the team include Yugiro, Shinji, Keita, Kylo and their goalkeeper, Kendo, Eddy Nakamura, Enzo Honda, Goji Ao.

FC Technicali: The team representing Los Angeles, the United States. Their coach is Toni Vern. Their lead striker and captain is Chuck T. Chipperson, John J. Johnson Jr. is their lead midfielder and Benedict B. Bradley is their goalkeeper. The team mostly uses technology in the game and are also one of the biggest cheaters in the Super League, second only to Invincible United. Other known players of the team includes Thaddeus Tarrington the Third, Kyle Kowalski and Rocky George.

Grimm FC: The team representing Romania Their coach is Coach Belmont. Their legend is Spike "Awesome" Dawson who is from the United States. Their lead midfielder and captain is Vladimir Savich who is from Serbia. This team is known to be one of the biggest cheaters in the league, and often uses Halloween tricks to scare the other teams. Other known players of the team include Scully Molder, Bones Jones, Rip Staples, Sloan Wolff and their goalkeeper, Franklin Stein.

FC Cognito: Their lead striker is Judge Caleb. Other players include Archie Tipp, Rory Shanks, Karl Young, Udi Pass and their goalkeeper, Pavlov Jashin. Their coach is In-Yo, the only team in the super league to have a female Coach, In-Yo has a bitter-sweet past experience with Supa Strikas' midfielder Twisting Tiger and his ex-teammate Miko Chen.s Their stadium is The Headquarters.

Littleton FC: Big Bo's old team. They only appeared in two episodes which are 'Big Bo To Go' and 'Own Ghoul'.

FC All Star: An all-star team consisting of all the lead players from the teams that the Supa Strikas has faced so far. Their team captain is Skarra. This team only appeared in the final episode of the series 2, Bringing Down the House.

PAPSI FC The team representing philippines,The PAPSI is one of the best team on the super league,their coach is COACH RICHTER,The PAPSI FC strikers is sebastian,farrid,and russ, and their best defender tristan,jibryl,jetB,the papsi's goalkeeper is cedrickC,the captain of PAPSI is john andes THE PAPSI'S subs. jed and tirso.

See also

• South African comics

References

1. Pilcher, Tim and Brad Brooks. (Foreword: Dave Gibbons). The Essential Guide to World Comics. Collins and Brown. 2005. 292-293.
2. Jager, Christelle De; Jager, Christelle De (December 11, 2003). "Strikas tooning up". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
4. "Supa Strikas to Hit Local Market." Africa-Asia Intelligence Wire/Africa News. Saturday 7 December 2002.
5. "Supa Strikas." Texaco. Accessed October 20, 2008.
6. Pilcher, Tim and Brad Brooks. (Foreword: Dave Gibbons). The Essential Guide to World Comics. Collins and Brown. 2005. 295.
7. "Komik melangkau sempadan" (in Malay). Kosmo!. December 9, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
8. "Animated Series." Supa Strikas. Accessed October 20, 2008.

External links

• Supa Strikas Kenya - Official Mobi Site
• Strika Entertainment Corporate Website
• Supa Strikas Malaysia Website