Castle in the Stars: The Universe in 1875
by Alex ALICE
What if the conquest of the stars had been a century ahead of its time?
Castle in the Stars is a series, an entire universe imagined by Alex ALICE, who, as a child, dreamed of going to the Moon, in the company of Jules Verne’s characters. In two comic book series, published in great style by Rue de Sèvres, the author recounts the adventures of Séraphin and his father when, in the year 1868, they set out to explore the aether, unaware that an interplanetary odyssey fraught with pitfalls awaits them. Their discoveries set off an international race between the European powers, in which nothing is off-limits…
Alex Alice has been exploring this universe, teeming with undiscovered and as yet to be identified delights and novelties, for over ten years, through books, journals, models, costumes and accessories, major exhibitions and hundreds of drawings, paintings and watercolours.
Éditions Caurette is proud to present two splendid works that will immerse you in this universe and awaken your desire to explore the limits of our galaxy! Whether you are a long-time fan of Alex Alice’s work, or about to take your first steps into the Aether Age, these books are indispensable guides on your journey to the stars.
The Universe in 1875: the Project
The Castle in the Stars comics are magnificent (and captivating!) and, if you haven’t already done so, we highly recommend reading them 🙂 But this story is just the tip of the iceberg, and for years Alex Alice has been enriching his universe with sketches, plans, paintings and other gems that couldn’t possibly stay in boxes, hidden from the eyes of the rest of us…
Editions Caurette and Rue de Sèvres therefore joined forces to bring to life the crazy project of publishing the author’s archives in two magnificent books entitled The Universe in 1875 / L’univers en 1875 and Prototypes. These two books were presented at the end of 2022 through a highly successful crowdfunding campaign.
The Universe in 1875
Prototypes
The Books
The art book The Universe in 1875
The Universe in 1875 is a sumptuous artbook that opens the gates to the Castle of the Stars with over 200 breathtaking illustrations, immersive texts, travel tips and maps.
If you’re already a fan, you’ll love the dozens of new illustrations created especially for the occasion. And if these are your first steps into the world of the ether, this book, straight from the presses of the Castle in the Stars universe, is your guide.
The Sketchbook Prototypes
Prototypes takes you behind the scenes of the Castle in the Stars. Here, Alex Alice opens up his sketchbooks for the very first time, giving you a detailed insight into his creative process, from writing and design to world-building and the various stages involved in producing his illustrations. This bilingual (French and English) sketchbook includes both never-before-seen comic pages, as well as animation concepts, photos and, of course, hundreds of sketches, all for our enjoyment.
The Deluxe Version
The above two books are also available in a prestige boxed set! Dressed in dust jackets in the colors of Ludwig II’s Bavaria and housed in their own slipcase, each book is accompanied by a reprint of its cover.
Characteristics
Art book The Universe in 1875
• Format 310 x 280 mm
• Hardcover
• 224 pages
• 200 color illustrations, including 43 full-page illustrations and 6 maps
• ISBN:
978-2-38289-061-5 (English version)
978-2-81020-481-6 (French version)
• Price: 50 €
The art book is available in French from Éditions Rue de Sèvres,
and in English, from Éditions Caurette.
–Sketchbook Prototypes
• Format 310 x 280 mm
• Hardcover
• 224 pages
• 306 illustrations, including 7 full-page illustrations, 43 color illustrations,
97 monochrome sketches, 110 color sketches, 37 photos
and 12 never-before-seen comic strips!
• ISBN:
978-2-38289-062-2 (bilingual sketchbook EN/FR)
• Price: 50 €
Available from Éditions Caurette
Deluxe slipcase
• Format 335 x 292 x 66 mm
• 2 books, 224 pages each, in dust jackets, in their magnificent slipcase!
• 4,5 Kg !
• ISBN:
978-2-38289-064-6 (English slipcase : art book in English and bilingual sketchbook)
978-2-38289-063-9 (French slipcase : art book in French and bilingual sketchbook)
• Price: 100 €
Dive into The Universe in 1875 art book!
(here, a 24-page extract)
Discover the Prototypes sketchbook!
(here, a 30-page extract)
