Lion Forge Comics
Lion Forge Entertainment is an Academy Award-winning, Black-owned animation and live action studio producing diverse content for major streaming platforms and networks, including the Oscar-winning short Hair Love and NAACP-nominated series Iyanu.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lion Forge Comics does
Lion Forge Entertainment is an Academy Award-winning, Black-owned animation and live action studio that produces content centered on diverse storytelling and underrepresented voices. The studio's portfolio includes the Oscar-winning animated short Hair Love (Best Animated Short Film, 2022), the animated series Iyanu (with three NAACP Image Award nominations), the YouTube-derived series Lostlings, the animated feature A Dozen Tough Jobs (produced with George R.R. Martin), and the film adaptation Best Wishes. Content is produced under first-look deals and licensing arrangements and distributed primarily through major streaming platforms and television networks, including HBO Max, Netflix, and Nickelodeon Animation.
The company operates as a content production studio with a B2B revenue model anchored in licensing royalties, production deals, and content partnerships. It maintains first-look deals with talent such as creator Roye Okupe (Iyanu) and a strategic first-look arrangement with Nickelodeon Animation for animated series and features. Additional GTM vectors include a content partnership with media agency dentsu for branded content opportunities and a strategic alliance with Scouting America for original content development. The studio holds no patents and relies on creative talent and IP rather than proprietary technology platforms for its differentiation.
The studio raised $30 million in 2025 led by HarbourView Equity Partners, bringing total disclosed funding to $30 million. The company is privately held, operates with 11–50 employees, and is headquartered at 2018 S Westgate Ave in Los Angeles, California. It is led by Founder and CEO David Steward II and President/Chief Content Officer Stephanie Sperber. No public revenue figures are disclosed, and ownership remains concentrated in the founders and HarbourView.
Lion Forge Comics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lion Forge Comics
- Legal name
- Lion Forge Entertainment
- Website
- https://lionforge.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lion Forge Entertainment is an Academy Award-winning, Black-owned animation and live action studio producing diverse content for major streaming platforms and networks, including the Oscar-winning short Hair Love and NAACP-nominated series Iyanu.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lion Forge Comics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animation and Live-Action Production
- NAICS
- Books Printing (323117), Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Western Comic Books Publishing (Superhero, Indie) (MPAJAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Webtoon & Digital Comics Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAK), Content & Creative Studio for Creators (Concepting/Production) (MPAAAHAD), Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAI)
Keywords
Where Lion Forge Comics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lion Forge Comics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Content Production and Licensing: Lion Forge Entertainment produces animated and live action content for distribution through major streaming platforms and networks, generating revenue through production deals, licensing agreements, and content sales.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Lion Forge Comics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lion Forge Comics operates as a transmedia studio that publishes comics for all age groups and produces animated and live-action content featuring diverse stories. Through its Lion Forge Entertainment arm, the studio develops, produces, and licenses original IP and adaptations to streaming platforms (HBO Max, Netflix), television networks (Nickelodeon), and theatrical distributors. Core output includes flagship animated series such as Iyanu, the Oscar-winning short Hair Love, and an active development slate.
Product overview
Lion Forge Entertainment is an Academy Award-winning, Black-owned animation and live action studio specializing in diverse storytelling. The studio operates as a content production company with multiple animated series and films in development, including the flagship series Iyanu (with a first-look deal with creator Roye Okupe), the Oscar-winning short Hair Love, TV adaptation Lostlings, animated feature A Dozen Tough Jobs (with George R.R. Martin), and film adaptation Best Wishes. The company has established first-look deals with Nickelodeon Animation and produces content in partnership with various organizations including Scouting America and dentsu.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Iyanu Animated series based on Nigerian creator Roye Okupe's work, featuring Yoruba culture and superhero elements. The series has earned three NAACP Image Award nominations and is licensed to HBO Max.
- Hair Love Oscar-winning animated short film about an African American father learning to do his daughter's hair for the first time. The studio's signature work that established their Academy Award recognition, distributed via Netflix.
- Lostlings Long-form TV adaptation of a popular YouTube YA series set in Shadowbrook, described as having a hint of Stranger Things. Targeted at young adult audiences.
- A Dozen Tough Jobs Animated feature film produced in partnership with George R.R. Martin, an adaptation of Howard Waldrop's book reimagining the Greek classic of the 12 labors of Hercules.
- Best Wishes Film adaptation of Sarah Mlynowski's New York Times bestselling tween book series, with Eydie Faye attached as screenwriter. Targeted at tween/young family audiences.
Companies that use Lion Forge Comics
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lion Forge Comics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lion Forge Comics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Scouting AmericamajorLion Forge Entertainment formed a strategic partnership with Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) for the development of original content. The partnership focuses on creating diverse content for the Scouting audience.
- Nickelodeon AnimationmajorFirst-look deal covering animated series and features with a commitment to create content featuring diverse voices in front of and behind the camera. Represents a major GTM partnership for animated content.
- Roye OkupecoreAward-winning Nigerian creator and producer Roye Okupe signed a first-look deal with Lion Forge Entertainment. Creator of Iyanu series.
- DentsuminorContent partnership with media agency dentsu to create content for brands looking to build awareness and audience reach. Focuses on branded content opportunities.
- George R.R. MartinmajorRenowned author George R.R. Martin will produce animated feature 'A Dozen Tough Jobs' in partnership with Lion Forge Entertainment. Adaptation of Howard Waldrop's book reimagining Greek classic of the 12 labors.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lion Forge Comics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boom! Studios: Independent comics publisher with diverse IP portfolio (Irredeemable, Lumberjanes, Something is Killing the Children) and active TV/film development pipeline. Direct comparable on the comics-to-screen model.
- Reel FX Animation: Independent animation studio producing theatrical features (Free Birds, The Book of Life) and streaming content. Comparable as an independent animation studio operating across both feature and series formats.
- Tonko House: Independently-owned animation studio with explicit focus on diverse storytelling and authentic representation, founded by Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo. Closely comparable to Lion Forge on both business model (independent animation studio) and editorial positioning (culturally-specific storytelling).
- Powerhouse Animation: Animation studio known for Castlevania and Blood of Zeus on Netflix. Comparable as a mid-sized independent studio producing premium animated content for streaming platforms.
- Bento Box Entertainment: Independent animation studio producing animated series for streaming and broadcast (Bob's Burgers, The Great North). Comparable as an animation production partner for major platforms with a similar project-based licensing model.
- Locksmith Animation: UK-based independent animation studio producing CG-animated feature films (Ron's Gone Wrong). Comparable as an independent feature-animation studio with major distribution partnerships.
- Milestone Media: Black-owned comics publisher founded in 1993, known for diverse superhero IP including Static, Icon, and Hardware. Most direct comparable to Lion Forge's comic book origins and Black-owned, diverse-superhero positioning, though now operating under DC Comics.
- Hivemind: Transmedia entertainment studio specializing in fantasy and genre IP across film, TV, games, and publishing (The Witcher on Netflix). Comparable as a transmedia studio building franchises across multiple content formats.
Broad incumbents
- Skydance Animation: Major animation studio backed by Skydance Media producing theatrical animated features (Luck, Spellbound). Comparable as a premium animation production studio but operates at significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- World Events Productions: Independent production company known for Voltron: Legendary Defender and other diverse animated content. Comparable as an independent producer of diverse animated content for streaming platforms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lion Forge Comics social profiles
Digital presenceLion Forge Comics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lion Forge Comics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Lion Forge Comics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lion Forge Comics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lion Forge Comics
What does Lion Forge Comics do?
Lion Forge Comics operates as a transmedia studio that publishes comics for all age groups and produces animated and live-action content featuring diverse stories. Through its Lion Forge Entertainment arm, the studio develops, produces, and licenses original IP and adaptations to streaming platforms (HBO Max, Netflix), television networks (Nickelodeon), and theatrical distributors. Core output includes flagship animated series such as Iyanu, the Oscar-winning short Hair Love, and an active development slate.
Is Lion Forge Comics a public or private company?
Lion Forge Comics is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Lion Forge Comics founded?
Lion Forge Comics was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lion Forge Comics based?
Lion Forge Comics is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lion Forge Comics make money?
One revenue line is on record: content Production and Licensing.
Who are Lion Forge Comics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boom! Studios, Reel FX Animation, Tonko House, Powerhouse Animation, Bento Box Entertainment, Locksmith Animation, Milestone Media and Hivemind. Skydance Animation is listed as a broad incumbent. World Events Productions is listed as an emerging player.
Does Lion Forge Comics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lion Forge Comics.
What industry is Lion Forge Comics in?
Lion Forge Comics's product category is Animation and Live-Action Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAGAB, Western Comic Books Publishing (Superhero, Indie), with a secondary code of MPAJAMAK, Webtoon & Digital Comics Publishing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 323117 and its SIC code is 2731.