Sometimes life takes you on unexpected adventures, like the time we at Fauns raised nearly a million euros in 2016 and decided to create our own IPs. Our ambitions were grand: we wanted to craft fictions and expand universes through transmedia storytelling, which led us to develop the magazine Carbone. Little did I know that this would become one of the most exhilarating and enriching experiences of my life.
Our first step was to bring together the perfect team to make Carbone a reality. I joined forces with Jérôme Dittmar, a cinema critic and vice-champion in café aéro-presse. Together, we built an international team of talented creators, writers, and pop-culture journalists. Each person brought their unique perspective and expertise to the table, and we quickly formed a strong, creative bond.
Carbone was more than just a magazine; it was an expression of our passion for storytelling and pop culture. Our website and social media platforms were constantly buzzing with activity, as we produced over 20 YouTube video analyses and shared articles and news daily. Curiosity, sharing, and serendipity became the guiding principles that shaped our content and our approach to storytelling.
As our journey with Carbone progressed, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in our visual identity, tone, and the community we built. We published more than 400 articles and capsules, and 3 issues filled with 240 pages of comics, novels, articles, and illustrations. Our collaboration with fantastic publishers and featuring the works of brilliant writers, like Mathieu Gaborit, Laurent Queyssi, Maelle Fierpied, Neil Gaiman, and Sabrina Calvo, gave us the opportunity to showcase the best of pop culture.
Our team grew rapidly, expanding to 40 members, and we celebrated our success with memorable events like Angoulême 2018 and a fantastic party on a boat in Lyon, France. These events not only allowed us to share our achievements with our community but also helped to solidify the relationships we had built with other creatives in the industry.
Carbone’s success was undeniable. In just a year and a half, we sold 30,000 books, a testament to our commitment to creating engaging content and our ability to resonate with our audience. The experience was exhilarating, enriching, and filled with generosity, showing us just how powerful and rewarding storytelling can be.
During this incredible chapter of my life, I learned invaluable lessons in writing, conceiving, pitching, and editing. More importantly, I met some of the most amazing people in the industry, who continue to inspire me to this day. Carbone was, without a doubt, an extraordinary journey, one that has left an indelible mark on my life and career.