VALÉRIAN – ARTIST’S EDITIONS
Valérian et Laureline, spationtemporal agents
Do we really need to present Valerian & Laureline? Created at the end of the 60s by two geniuses of the comic genre, Pierre Christin (writing) and Jean-Claude Mézières (art), Valerian is regarded as the epitome of science-fiction sagas. Millions of books were sold, the stories in them fascinating several generations of readers, but the universe of Valerian didn’t stay just on paper: an anime (Japanese cartoon) was made in 2007 and a movie has been released in 2017, directed by the amazing Luc Besson!
The adventure… in its original version and in large format!
With its collection Retour aux Sources (literally: Back to the Roots), the Caurette Editions wants its readers to be able to fathom the arcane world of mythic comic albums. Thanks to the precious help of Pierre Christin, Jean-Claude Mézières and many collectors across Europe, we found 90% of the original boards, 40 years after their creation! These boards have been through a four-color digitalization in order to preserve all the details usually erased during the printing of a “regular” comic: pencil lines, white-out corrections, pentimenti, patches… etc.
The boards that we unfortunately couldn’t retrieve have been reproduced based on black and white files from the “regular” comic and then recontextualized on the same paper used by the artist at the time. We’d like to acknowledge and thank the amazing work of Philippe POIRIER who deals with the comics layout and so much more! Thanks to him, the final graphic designs were more than everything we could hope for!
Exclusive Extras
We had the distinct privilege and pleasure to interview the authors. This rare opportunity has allowed us to add twelve pages describing the historical context of the story and provided many personal anecdotes regarding the creation process!
We also integrated amazing original documents (photographs, sketches, and more). Most of them are rare and have never been published before!
Finally, as the unexpected icing on the cake, Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin accepted to sign this exceptional work. One last detail that will delight all the true fans of Valérian and Laureline!
An exquisite offprint
In addition, there is an exceptional offprint: a four-color-printed facsimile of boards, left in the format drawn by the author (40×50 cm). This reproduction is as close to the original work as it was possible. It was originally made of two half-pages taped together by the artist himself!
Which one? Surprise!
Jean-Claude Mézières managed to retrieve the scenario of Châtelet Station Direction Cassiopeia which we decided to add as another facsimile!
Published:
Birds of the Master
Birds of the Master is the 5th volume of the Valerian series (later to be retitled Valerian and Laureline in 2007, on the 40th birthday of the saga). First published in Pilote in 1973, this volume is a turning point in the saga, with a distinct maturation in the graphics as well as in the narration content. Birds of the Master has a political background, echoing the events of the May 1968 social unrest; as a result of this influence the story is dark and almost frightening, far from the usual publications at the time that were made for “kids”.
Caracteristics
- Giant size book: 35 x 47 cm (13.7 x 18.5 inches)
- Hardcover, printed with metallic ink, gloss lamination
- Back canvas with silver hot stamping
- Cover pages with silver print-in perforation pattern
- Full color printing of the original pages
- Test pages of Jean-Claude Mézières in their original version
- 25 extra pages including 12 pages of an exclusive interview with the authors (in French)
- 80 pages printed on luxurious Fedrigoni 170g paper, signatures sewn with endband to provide structural reinforcement
- Includes the replica print of an original size page (40 x 50 cm)
- Limited edition of 499 copies, numbered and signed by the authors
- Package designed specifically to shield and protect the book
- Made in France
- ISBN : 979-10-96315-00-0
- Price : 180 €
Châtelet Station Direction Cassiopeia
Châtelet Station, Direction Cassiopeia is the 9th volume of the adventures of Valerian. Published in the French magazine Pilote Mensuel in 1980, it’s the beginning of a somptuous diptych where Pierre Christin will deploy all of his talent as a scriptwriter to take us from the Earth to the Moon to Cassiopeia through a complex and delightful plot. It’s also the first volume of the series where the action is taking place exactly at the same period as it was written: the 80’s; this allows us to all the more appreciate Jean-Claude Mézières’ incredible talent for the art of narration and drawing. Halfway between the end of the 30-year post-war boom and the problems on planet Zomuk, the Adventure is back, for our greatest pleasure!
Caracteristics
- Giant-sized book: 35 x 47 cm! (13.7 x 18.5 inches
- Limited edition of 499 copies, numbered and signed by the authors
- Hardcover, printed with metallic ink and gloss lamination
- Back canvas with silver hot stamping
- Cover pages with silver print-in perforation pattern
- Full color printing of the original pages
- 25 extra pages, including 12 pages full of exclusive pictures, a bonus interview with the authors (in French) and many panels never published before
- 80 pages printed on luxurious Fedrigoni 170g paper, signatures sewn with an endband to reinforce the structural integrity of the spine
- Comes with a real-sized replica print (40 x 50 cm) of an original page
- Protective package designed specifically to shield and protect the book
- ISBN : 979-10-96315-04-8
- Price: 195 €
Brooklyn Station Terminus Cosmos
Brooklyn Station Terminus Cosmos is the 10th installment of the Valerian Saga. Pre published in the monthly magazine Pilote in 1981, we’re following Valérian and Laureline in their journey, right where we left them off in Metro Châtelet Direction Cassiopeia. This 2nd book is the end of an earth-centered diptych where the quality of the scenario by Pierre Christin is at its finest. Our two heroes being separated has allowed the writer to reveal more of their own personalities. Mezières and his graphic prowesses, on the other hand, managed to introduce a kind of mystery to this chapter split between outer space and 1980’s Paris with its perfectly reproduced Centre Pompidou.
Caracteristics
- Giant size book: 35 x 47 cm (13.7 x 18.5 inches)
- Hardcover, printed with metallic ink, gloss lamination
- Back canvas with silver hot stamping
- Cover pages with silver print-in perforation pattern
- Full color printing of the original pages
- Test pages of Jean-Claude Mézières in their original version
- 27 extra pages including 8 pages of an exclusive interview with the authors (in French)
- 80 pages printed on luxurious Fedrigoni 170g paper, signatures sewn with endband to provide structural reinforcement
- Includes the replica print of an original size page (40 x 50 cm)
- Limited edition of 499 copies, numbered and signed by the authors
- Package designed specifically to shield and protect the book
- Made in France
- ISBN: 979-23-82890-00-4
- Price: 195 €
Our last words…
Au cours des 50 dernières années, les planches des albums de Valérian ont été offertes, vendues, échangées, prêtées, perdues …. et il est parfois très difficiles de remettre la main dessus ! Nous cherchons donc inlassablement à les retrouver de façon à offrir à nos lecteurs une expérience au plus près de l’œuvre originale. Si vous possédez vous-même, ou connaissez des collectionneurs qui détiennent ces trésors, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter, nous en serions ravis (et reconnaissants :)) !
