See the "Stretch Goal" section below for details!

Presenting a set of TWO SURREAL TALES OF LIFE, LOVE, and LOSS conjured from the extraordinary imagination of Award-winning wunderkind comic author Jim Bishop: 

On an idyllic island where humans and fish coexist on land, young Iode (short for Iodine) waits patiently for a letter he has been expecting, one that seems to be perpetually delayed. Suspecting it might have gotten lost, he takes a trip into town to inquire at the post office. Along the way, he meets a spirited hitchhiker who has been entrusted to deliver a mysterious package by the enigmatic underworld syndicate, “The Octopus. ”Their two missions intertwine leading not only to unexpected adventure, but deep personal realizations for both of them... The world is not what it seems, and the simple surreality of their little town may not be everything it seems to be.

Exploring the value of Family and Friendship amidst deep, personal doubts, LOST LETTERS is a deceptively powerful tale of emotional orphans coming to grips with the reality of their surroundings. Set in a surreal fantasy land populated by talking fish, this multi-layered adventure is filled with exciting action, beautiful palettes, startling imagination, and quiet dignity.

LOST LETTERS was first released in Europe in 2021, garnering multiple awards for newcomer creator JIM BISHOP:

Cléa, a young noblewoman, is groomed for a promising future with Berthier, the son of a Count. It should be a comfortable life, but is that what she truly wants...? Fate introduces her to Pierrot, a charming street magician who sweeps her off her feet and reveals what her sheltered life lacks. Fascinated by Pierrot, Cléa follows him to his hidden treehouse in the woods, where wonders unimaginable unfold. The boundaries of possibility expand before her, but is she really chasing freedom, or is she trapped in Pierrot’s spell...?

What begins as a fairy tale romance turns gradually into a fantasy thriller with dark twists and dangerous repercussions that will keep you turning the pages through to its deadly climax. This is not your typical storybook of whimsical witchcraft -- Jim Bishop deftly manipulates the tropes and reader expectations to explore the delicate line between devotion and independence.

These two tales are presented in multiple editions: Digital, Premium Softcover, Deluxe Hardcover, and a Limited Edition Slipcased Set.

Each feature-length graphic novel is available in premium softcover with heavy cardstock cover and curved corners on the cover and text block.

Each deluxe hardcover will feature a textured graining and spotUV on the cover, as well as Magnetic Press's signature curved corners. These deluxe hardcover editions will not be available in stores (except where the stores have purchased stock from this campaign)!

Exclusive to this campaign, these Limited-Edition Slipcase Sets collect both deluxe hardcover volumes in a lush translucent plastic slipcase box featuring screen printed design elements. Each set will also include a numbered bookplate provided exclusively for this campaign.

These slipcases will only be produced to meet the demand of this campaign and will not be sold in stores! The bookplate numbering will be based on the amount of copies necessary to fulfill campaign orders (rounded up to the nearest 50).

Born Julien Daniel Jacques Bicheux in 1985, Jim Bishop grew up inspired by the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Osamu Tezuka with the dream of someday making his own comics. The youngest of three siblings in a modest blended family, he kept and nourished that dream privately, taking normal jobs while drawing stories for his own self-exploration. Eventually, nearing the age of 30, he decided to pursue his dream for real, resulting in his first book Nubo, the Cloud Guardian published in 2015 under the pen name "Jim Bishop". This surreal adventure tale filled with adolescent gravitas drew the attention of Ankama Editions for whom he next wrote Jill and Sherlock with artist Yo One. That seemed to settle his professional concerns enough to focus on what would be his first widely celebrated opus, Lost Letters. Filled with a vibrant and engaging cast of characters occupying a dreamlike island community, like something out of a Miyazaki film, Lost Letters drew readers in with its inviting illustrations before hitting them over the head with some profound plot twists and an emotional, melancholic ending.

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

*Wholesale discounts are available for Retailers. Please pledge at any desired tier, which you can modify with desired products in the post-campaign pledge manager. We will then calculate and apply the appropriate wholesale discount before charging your payment method. Wholesale discount requires proof of retail 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.

You can supplement any Pledge Level with the following items to customize and build your own order package. (Note that physical add-ons do not include a digital copy; those are only included in Pledge Levels as discounted incentives.)

Should we exceed our initial goal, we will reveal a series of stretch goals that will unlock material improvements to the books and bonus items that will be added to various pledge tier levels for FREE.

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 4 lb order (~1 book plus extras) to be somewhere in these ballpark ranges:

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. Please note the Slipcases may weigh in at 8-10 lbs, pending determination during production.

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.

Both books are complete and in the final stages of production.  They 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 July 2024 so that we can begin fulfilling orders in August. 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!

Having successfully completed and fulfilled over 35 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.

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 36 successful crowdfunding campaigns, producing and shipping over 30,000 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.