Valérian

With Valérian, Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin reinvented the codes of French space opera. Published in Pilote from 1967 onwards, the series moved away from futuristic technologies and the conquest of space, instead focusing on political, ecological, and social issues. Album after album, the duo developed a coherent universe populated by hundreds of alien species, original civilizations, and planets with powerful visual identities, all brought to life through a remarkable sense of staging. The series also stands as a pioneering series thanks to its heroine Laureline. Originally intended to appear only once, she established herself through her intelligence, independence, and determination, becoming one of the rare female characters to hold a role equal to that of her male counterpart. The series is also distinguished by Mézières’ highly cinematic artwork. His precise and dynamic linework is equally capable of depicting breathtaking futuristic architecture and extraterrestrial creatures of extraordinary visual inventiveness, influencing generations of readers and artists.