Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Lupin, lupin the 3rd

Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Thief Gets New Edition from Magnetic Press

Published Thu, 20 Jan 2022 20:02:07 -0600

Created by Maurice Leblanc, the adventures of gentleman thief Arsène Lupin first began in serialized form in the French magazine Je sais tout issue #6, dated July 15, 1905. A popular science magazine, Je sais tout had been launched earlier that year. From this beginning 115 years ago, Lupin has become a significant global pop culture phenomenon across media including books, film, television, animation, comics, and more, plus the recent Lupin series on Netflix and the legendary Lupin the 3rd anime and manga. Now comes word that Magnetic Press will release a new, illustrated edition of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Thief on Kickstarter, which consists of the original Lupin saga (consisting of the first 9 Je sais tout shorts from 1905-1907, which were then published in a stand-alone collected volume in 1907), newly illustrated by artist Vincent Mallie. Magnetic Press intends to follow up that release this summer with 50 Animated Years of Lupin the 3rd, a coffee table art book done in cooperation with TMS Entertainment.

Magnetic Press to Release New Edition of Classic ARSENE LUPIN, GENTLEMAN THIEF with Kickstarter Campaign

Maurice Leblanc's Classic Debonair Burglar is Reintroduced in a Lushly Illustrated New Edition

CHICAGO, IL (January 19, 2022) — Acclaimed publisher of award-winning graphic novels and art books Magnetic Press has announced the May release of ARSENE LUPIN, GENTLEMAN THIEF, a brand new, illustrated edition of the classic 1907 crime novella by Maurice Leblanc. Newly illustrated by celebrated artist Vincent Mallie, the book re-introduces readers to the charming master thief Arsene Lupin whose brilliant capers have inspired a century's worth of film, television, comic books, and animation hits that continue to this very day, including the recent live-action LUPIN series on Netflix and the beloved anime series LUPIN THE 3rd (which itself celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year).

To herald this new release, Magnetic will be offering limited, campaign-exclusive bonus items for pre-ordering during a Kickstarter campaign scheduled to launch on Tuesday, January 25th at 10am CST. The campaign will offer not only the book itself, but a limited, campaign-exclusive "Cipher" Edition Bundle that includes a pocket notebook, gold foil bookmark, a metal Cipher Coin of Fate, a Seven of Hearts Key card, a 3" clear window cling, and a handful of hidden puzzles to solve. This special themed bundle will only be made available through this campaign, along with a number of exclusive, limited edition linen cardstock prints of some of the beautiful artwork featured within. Fans are encouraged to visit http://www.magnetic-press.com/early-access-arsene-lupin/ to pre-register to receive an exclusive print added to their pledge for free, with another free exclusive added if they pledge on Day 1.

"Arsene Lupin is the original charming scoundrel who has, directly or indirectly, influenced generations of popular characters since he first appeared over 100 years ago," says Mike Kennedy, Magnetic Press's Publisher. "We've been in love with him for decades — his legacy holds a special part of our heart, and this new edition perfectly captures his brilliance. Vincent Mallie's gorgeous watercolors evoke a Studio Ghibli-like quality that feels perfectly suited considering Hayao Miyazaki's first directorial feature was LUPIN THE 3rd: THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO, filled with direct nods to Leblanc's original tales."

Debuting in 1905, Arsene Lupin was created at the request of Maurice Leblanc's editor in response to the popular literary sensation of the time, Sherlock Holmes. By combining the same detective dynamic with a mysterious and engaging anti-hero, Lupin provided a counterpoint to the "stuffy and moody" Holmes, even matching his brilliance in a handful of cross-over capers (originally under the name "Herlock Sholmes" for early copyright reasons). Their first encounter is included in this new edition.

ARSENE LUPIN, GENTLEMAN THIEF will be only the first Lupin-themed product coming from Magnetic Press this year, with the release of 50 Animated Years of LUPIN THE 3rd, a coffee table art book celebrating the 50 years of the beloved anime series coming this summer in partnership with TMS Entertainment, the prolific Japanese animation studio behind the popular series. Backers of the ARSENE LUPIN Kickstarter will have first access to pre-order this 200-page Anniversary Art Book as an add-on to that campaign. A separate pre-orders website for the Anniversary Art Book will open shortly thereafter, with the book scheduled for release in June. In the meantime, fans are encouraged to register for Lupin the 3rd news and notification at www.lupin-3-rpg.com. (Note: The ARSENE LUPIN book is being independently produced and is not affiliated with TMS Entertainment or Monkey Punch Studios.)

Fans can bookmark the Kickstarter campaign to be notified of launch by visiting https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neurobellum/arsene-lupin-gentleman-thief.

More info about Magnetic Press is available on Facebook, Twitter, and the official website, www.magnetic-press.com.

For TMS Entertainment's latest announcements regarding LUPIN THE 3rd and other anime titles, be sure to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

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