Magnetic Press is launching a Kickstarter campaign for FREAKS’ SQUEELE, the seven-volume comic series by French creator Florent Maudoux. The campaign includes all volumes of the series along with an artbook and a limited-edition “Dorm Footlocker” storage case.
Originally published in France by Ankama Éditions in 2008, FREAKS’ SQUEELE blends elements of superhero fiction, fantasy, and school drama. Set in a world where heroism is a licensed profession, the story follows three students at a university where aspiring heroes train through duels, tournaments, and coursework. Combat and popularity are equally important, and success comes with public scrutiny and real risk.
Magnetic’s release marks the series’ American debut, with over 1,000 pages collected across seven hardcover volumes. You can check out the covers below:
The campaign also includes a standalone artbook and collector’s box designed to resemble an in-universe dorm locker.
“Whether you’re into supernatural school drama, genre-bending art, or just want to see a werewolf fight a bear for dorm territory, FREAKS’ SQUEELE delivers the goods—with claws, swords, and sarcasm,” said Magnetic Press publisher Mike Kennedy, further describing the manga-inspired work: “Think Jujutsu Kaisen meets X-Men, by way of Scott Pilgrim and a heavy pour of French irreverence.”
Ahead of the campaign, Maudoux shared the following comment:
“What characterizes the wave of superhero popularity in the 2010s and 2020s is that hype and deconstruction coexisted in a jumbled fashion, a bit like if Sergio Leone’s twilight westerns had been contemporaneous with John Wayne’s films. In 2008, I already had the idea of exploring another aspect of heroism; today, I reread my earlier work and I’m happy to still find in it the gentleness and nuances of an Ursula Le Guin story. I’m incredibly proud and honored to see this series translated into the language that gave birth to a whole segment of pop culture that I still cherish today. I hope you’ll forgive my young age at the time; this comic was made with love, and it has the qualities of its flaws. But damn, was it ever cool to make!”
The Kickstarter pre-launch page is live now. Supporters can follow the project to be notified when the campaign officially goes live.
Source: Press Release
Participate In Discussions