Originally Posted at Bleeding Cool on May 21, 2021 by Adi Tantimedh | Original Article
Eisner-nominated and international award-winning graphic novel and art book publisher Magnetic Press has announced two extraordinary tales of speculative hard science-fiction by award-winning, visionary graphic novelist Mathieu Bablet in a new Kickstarter campaign launching this Tuesday May 25th, 2021, at 10 AM CST.
Author Mathieu Bablet‘s storytelling gained critical recognition for telling smart and deeply empathetic stories in line with INTERSTELLAR, THE ARRIVAL, and BLADE RUNNER. SHANGRI-LA won the Fauve d’Or Award for Best Graphic novel at the 2017 Angouleme Festival, and CARBON & SILICON most recently won the FNAC Award for Best Graphic Novel of 2020.
Magnetic Press is now offering both books in premium, oversized hardcover editions, along with an exclusive, sophisticated linen-and-foil slipcase set.
Magnetic Press’s Publisher Mike Kennedy says, “When I first saw SHANGRI-LA, I instantly became enamored with all of Mathieu’s work. The cinematic scope of that book is simply astounding, and when he followed that up with CARBON & SILICON, he firmly established himself as the Stanley Kubrick of comics, in my opinion. A smart, visionary storyteller who knows how to layer fascinating, probable high-concept science-fiction with relatable and endearing human pathos. He deserves all of the attention and accolades that his work has garnered so far, and a lot more.”
CARBON & SILICON is a 272-page tale that spans several centuries, starting in contemporary Silicon Valley and stretching to the farthest side of the dystopia we may be heading towards today. CARBON & SILICON tells a heartfelt story of the complex relationship between two androids who crisscross the planet for centuries in search of themselves and each other while civilization crumbles around them.
SHANGRI-LAÂ is a 224-page story about humanity’s relocation into space when the planet Earth becomes no longer livable. After generations of living onboard massive space stations, science is about to offer the inhabitants the next evolutionary step. Bablet wraps contemporary social issues of consumerism, racism, and transhumanism into a complex conspiracy tale that balances visceral action and commentary with gorgeous panoramic vistas set designs.
To launch their campaign, Magnetic Press is offering several FREE Linen Cardstock Prints for backers who pre-register at http://www.carbon-and-silicon.com and pledge to the campaign on Day 1:
Additional free bonus prints and exclusive collectible items will be revealed every week throughout the 24-day campaign.
Kickstarter backers will be able to choose between individual hardcover books, each with Spot UV and curved corners, or as an eye-catching set within a Limited-Edition linen-textured slipcase with metallic foil elements. Additional upgrades such as heavier paperweight, foil logo, and ribbon bookmark may be unlocked as stretch goals. All books will include bookplates signed by Mathieu Bablet.
A limited number of original sketches will be created by Mathieu Bablet for 30 backers.
This campaign will mark Magnetic Press’s twelfth Kickstarter campaign following eleven previous successes. Visit http://www.carbon-and-silicon.com for more information.
About CARBON & SILICON:
Carbon and Silicon are the first of a new generation of empathetic Artificial Intelligence meant to care for the aging human population. Raised in the protective cocoon of a laboratory, they are eager to discover the outside world but are dramatically separated during an escape attempt. Lost and alone, they will gather three centuries’ worth of experiences, observing the last gasps of humanity facing the ecological, economic, and social disasters that mankind itself has created. Faced with this declining world, will Carbon and Silicon manage to find their place?
About SHANGRI-LA:
A few hundred years in the future, humans live in a space station far from Earth governed by a cultured multinational corporation. On the surface, everyone seems to be satisfied with this “perfect society,” and they are set on pushing their own limitations to become equal to gods. They are near to setting up a program aimed at creating life from scratch on Shangri-La, one of the most hospitable regions of Titan, where they intend to rewrite “Genesis” in their own way. But as tends to happen, mankind’s hubris gets in the way…