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The Cassegrain Collection - four graphic novels by Didier Cassegrain

The Cassegrain Collection - four graphic novels by Didier Cassegrain

Twisty murder mysteries, mind-bending sci-fi, and mythical fantasy graphic novels by the incomparable and Eisner-nominated illustrator Didier Cassegrain!
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$31,455 🎉
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STRETCH GOALS!

With our initial goal well behind us, we will reveal stretch goals that can be unlocked as bonus items that will be added to various pledge tier levels for FREE! The first stretch goal is already unlocked: A set of stickers included free with all physical pledges! NEXT UP: a SECOND linen cardstock postcard print will be added to each title!



As this is a short campaign, let's see what we can unlock before the closing bell this Friday, December 15th at 5pm PST!
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Introduction




Presenting a collection of four cinematic graphic novels illustrated by Eisner Award-nominated artist DIDIER CASSEGRAIN:




DON'T LET GO 


Reunion Island is a runaway paradise for rich vacationers and a faraway hideout for those who wish to disappear. When a young mother disappears without a trace from the upscale Hotel Alamanda, an investigation uncovers a wealth of unanswerable questions, with all suspicions leading to her husband. When that suspect then disappears with their daughter in tow, the chase begins to save the girl and locate the wife. But this suspect has a lot more historical knowledge of this island than anyone is aware of...

Based on the best-selling mystery thriller by novelist MICHEL BUSSI, this taught tale adapted by artist DIDIER CASSEGRAIN and writer FRED DUVAL will keep the reader guessing as they piece together an intricate tale of passion and revenge.



BLACK WATER LILIES

The quaint village of Giverny, where Monet painted his legendary Water Lilies, is awakened by a murder. Three women are tied to the victim: the first one wicked, the second a liar, the third selfish. All three sought to leave the village, a grand and beautiful garden prison, like a painting that could never escape its frame. But the murder on the first day of tourist season leads to another on the last. Which of the women do you think managed to escape?

A masterful adaptation of MICHEL BUSSI’s celebrated crime novel adapted by CASSEGRAIN and DUVAL, with an ending that will encourage an immediate re-reading to see all the pieces perfectly set up for the unexpected finale. Nominated for a 2020 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic as well as earning Didier a nomination for Best Painter/Digital Artist.




TRAPPED ON ZARKASS

The planet Zarkass is a vivid wasteland of strange alien flora and fauna settled by a colonial trading post run by the matriarchal Terran forces. Threatened by mysterious triangular warships, two Terran agents are sent into the jungle under the guise of “ecological study,” but are in fact after the wreckage of one of the triangular ships. These two agents are as dissimilar as they are incompatible: Louis, a delicate and refined scientific officer, and her security escort, Marcel, a scrapper as tough they come. Guided by a crew of indigenous aliens, the two young women are quick to suspect that each might be hiding a secret agenda with personal reasons for taking this unglamorous assignment...

Based on the classic sci-fi novel by celebrated author STEFAN WUL and adapted by writer YANN and artist DIDIER CASSEGRAIN.


TAO BANG

The trading port of Xarnath is the leading destination for pirates, profiteers, and scoundrels. Ruled with an iron fist by the Dragon Sheikh Ad Arphax, it's an uphill climb for any ambitious businessman (or woman) to get a leg up on the competition... especially when that competition is Ad Arphax himself. Lady Ellora has an idea to boost her brothel's business by recruiting some Sirens from the Island of Mermaids but to find this island, she'll need the help of a down-on-their-luck trio of adventurers and the notorious pirate Tao Bang! Can she trust this crew? And can they survive pursuit when Ad Arphax finds out about this scheme?

A high fantasy adventure and one of Didier Cassegrain's first hit graphic novels setting his career on its celebrated trajectory. Written by the legendary OLIVIER VATINE and DANIEL PECQUEUR, this tale has all the thrills and excitement you could ask for!
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The Collection

Four unique tales, as thrilling as they are different from each other, each brought to spectacular visual life through the incomparable artwork of fan-favorite illustrator DIDIER CASSEGRAIN. Through his singular cinematic lens, these four stories unfold like feature films in print. Whether you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, big budget sci-fi blockbusters, or high fantasy pirate adventures, you will be captivated by the unexpected twists and surprise endings, leading to eager re-reading. 

DON'T LET GO

The latest release by the artist, DON'T LET GO comes as a reunion of sorts to team behind the award-winning BLACK WATER LILIES. While the stories are completely unrelated and standalone thrillers, the duo of Cassegrain and Fred Duval adapting another best seller by novelist Michel Bussi is a formula for excellence. You'll be theorizing what's going on from beginning to the exciting climax, unsure who to trust or believe.





BLACK WATER LILIES

They said that Michel Bussi’s award-winning 2011 novel Nympheas Noirs was un-adaptable (for reasons that become evident after reading), but Cassegrain and writer Fred Duval pull off the task with masterful aplomb. The graphic novel adaptation has been celebrated worldwide and was even nominated for a 2020 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic (also earning Didier a nomination for Best Painter/Digital Artist).






TRAPPED ON ZARKASS

Loosely adapted from Stefan Wul’s 1958 sci-fi novel Piege sur Zarkass by prolific and popular comic writer Yann, this madcap adventure has all of the hallmarks of a blockbuster buddy film: a colorful cast of characters, sharp-witted dialogue, high-concept plot devices, explosive action sequences, and beneath it all, genuine heart. Capping off this perfect combination of elements is an array of environment and creature designs by Didier Cassegrain, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It has been described as APOCALYPSE NOW through the jungles of James Cameron’s AVATAR with a cast of foul-mouthed scoundrels and heroes straight out of TANK GIRL.






TAO BANG

Just as DON'T LET GO marks Didier's most recent work, TAO BANG represents his first foray into the world of comics. Fresh from training at the famed Gobelins Cartooning School in Paris, he met the legendary Olivier Vatine while working at Disney Studios, who encouraged the young artist to try his hand at comics... and the result was the eye-popping pirate fantasy TAO BANG! His unique style and dynamic flair quickly brought him wide recognition which you can see grown through the other titles in this collection.



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About the Artist

DIDIER CASSEGRAIN 

Instagram: @cassegrain.didier

Didier Cassegrain was born in December 1966, in Chateaudun, a commune southwest of Paris. His interest in art led him to study technical drawing for a career in advertising, but feeling creatively dissatisfied, he turned to animation, training at the Gobelin’s school for two years before starting a career at France Animation and Disney Studios. It was during a stint at the Story Company that he met Fred Blanchard and Olivier Vatine who convinced him to try his hand at comics. His first published series was Tao Bang, written by Vatine, followed by Code McCallum, written by Fred Duval. Projects continued to follow him, including Spyder, The Hour of the Gargoyle, and the cartoony Larh-Don, Son of the Beast Age, before landing on the adaptation of Stefan Wul’s Trapped on Zarkass with prolific writer Yann. The success of that 3-part series (collected into the single volume offered in this campaign) led to Black Water Lilies with Fred Duval, then Conan the Cimmerian: Red Nails. Black Water Lilies was such a runaway hit that the creative team came together again to tackle Bussi's best selling novel Don't Let Go.

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Pledge Levels

The target goal of this campaign is meant to cover the costs of the campaign exclusives being offered, such as the campaign-exclusive, limited-edition postcard prints. Books may be ordered individually or you can create your own customized bundle by selecting a specific title Pledge Level and then adding other titles as Add-ons. (Note: Add-on hardcovers do not include digital copies; those are tier-specific incentive bundles.) 

The COMPLETE COLLECTION is the best value -- $164 of items for only $98.99!



*Wholesale discount available for Retailers. Please pledge at any desired tier, which you can then add desired product to in the post- campaign pledge manager. We will then calculate and apply a wholesale discount there. Requires proof of wholesale qualification.

In addition to your pledge tier rewards, ALL BACKERS WILL RECEIVE AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF AMBASSADOR POINTS AS THEIR TOTAL PLEDGE VALUE. If you aren't familiar with our Ambassador Point program, visit our webstore for more information.
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Add-ons

Available to supplement your pledge:

$5: Set of two full-color diecut bookmarks illustrated by Didier Cassegrain.

Additional Addons may be unlocked during the campaign!
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Shipping



This project ships worldwide. That means Customs-friendly delivery with VAT accounted for prior to shipping.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The pledge prices listed DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING OR VAT, which will be calculated and applied when you fill out the final survey after the campaign. This helps us ensure sufficient postage is collected without overcharging you with unspecific estimates upfront. Trust us – with shipping rates fluctuating as rapidly as they have for the last 2 years, this is best for everyone!

Final rates will be calculated based on actual weights and current postage rates AT THE TIME OF CAMPAIGN CLOSURE, but as of today's estimates, you can expect a 5-6lb order (~2 books plus extras) to be somewhere in these ballpark ranges:

  • DOMESTIC UNITED STATES: $16-19 
  • EU/UK: $28-46
  • CANADA: $24-30 
  • AUSTRALIA: $30-40 
  • CHINA/MACAO/HK: $36-42 
  • NORWAY/SWITZERLAND:$35-42 

Lesser weights may come in a bit lower, and heavier packages may come in higher, but we will do our best to offer the most reasonable rates available at the time of fulfillment.



Global Shipping conditions continue to make international shipping rates and delivery times somewhat unpredictable. While we have built our schedule with what should be ample padding for unforeseen delays, things happen. We will do our best to be prepared for anything that could impact our shipping estimates.

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Timeline

DON'T LET GO is in the final stages of production and will be delivered to the printer before the campaign is over. The campaign-exclusive bonus items will be ordered immediately following the campaign. We aim to have all items in our hands by the end of March 2024 so that we can begin fulfilling orders in April. This estimate includes what we hope will be sufficient padding for any unexpected shipping delays that might arise. Who knows -- if things go well, we might even be able to start shipping sooner!

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Risks and Challenges

Having successfully completed and fulfilled over 30 crowdfunding campaigns over the years, we're quite experienced at delivering everything as offered. With over 200 published titles, Magnetic Press is ready to continue that expectation with this particular title. Aside from Force Majeure surprises (pandemics, natural disasters, significant global or domestic shipping disruptions, etc), this should be extremely straightforward. The books themselves are print-ready, and additional production work brought about for this campaign such as stretch goal production and ancillary items will be completed in a timely fashion for a late April 2024 release.

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About Magnetic Press

Magnetic Press publishes graphic novels, art books, and tabletop games curated with a focus on internationally recognized content and talent presented with premium production value. The Magnetic brand was founded by writer and video game producer Mike Kennedy in 2013 featuring creators both new and established from around the world, sharing their stories with an English-language audience often for the first time. Their award-winning library includes numerous celebrated titles such as the Love series of wordless wildlife graphic novels, The Collected Toppi artbook series, and several titles by multiple-Eisner Award nominee Tony Sandoval. Magnetic has earned a total of 29 Eisner Award nominations in each year of eligibility since their debut. Magnetic also won the Gold Medal of Excellence in the graphic novel category of the 2015 Independent Publisher Awards for Love: The Fox.

Since 2020, Magnetic Press (under the production account Neurobellum Inc) has launched and fulfilled 30 successful crowdfunding campaigns, producing and shipping over 28,000 pledge packages to satisfied, returning backers. The premium quality of their exclusive boxed sets and deluxe slipcase editions have set the bar for collectible editions.



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