Valerian and the History of French Science Fiction | NowThis Nerd

To celebrate the release of 'Valerian,' Mike Calabro is going to tell you about the comic it's based on and how it fits into the influential history of French science fiction.
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To a lot of American nerds, the name ‘Valerian’ might not mean all the much. But overseas, the French comic book ‘Valerian’ is some of the most important and influential scifi ever made. Everything from ‘Star Wars’ to ‘Independence Day’ owes a debt to ‘Valerian,’ and that’s just scratching the surface of the rich history of French science fiction.

The history of French scifi begins with Jules Verne, the author of classics like ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ and ‘From the Earth to the Moon.’ From there, French science fiction spilled out into the cinema, with New Wave filmmakers producing classics like Alphaville. But maybe the purest essence of French scifi comes from their comic books, especially Metal Hurlant.

Moebius is just one of the legendary artists and writers who contributed to the groundbreaking comic anthology. Whether you call it Metal Hurlant or Heavy Metal, the American title, the stories inside were beautiful and brutal, and they paved the way for a lot of what we see today. Moebius made a huge impact on the scifi genre, working on everything from ‘Jodorowsky’s Dune’ to ‘Space Jam,’ but ‘Metal Hurlant’ might be his greatest legacy.

Moebius isn’t the only French scifi creator Americans are familiar with. We end our tour with Luc Besson, director of ‘The Professional,’ ‘Nikita,’ ‘The Fifth Element,’ and funnily enough, ‘Valerian.’ It’s the project he’s dreamed of making since he was a kid reading the ‘Valerian’ comics and Metal Hurlant. France has a long tradition of science fiction, and it’s contributed a ton to the genre, so if you’re looking to expand your horizons with a little international flair, ‘Valerian’ might not be a bad bet.

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NowThis Nerd is your one stop shop for everything from movies and TV to games and comics. We’re committed to fueling the conversation about the nerd world and nerd culture. Join us every week as we geek out and explore topics such as sci-fi, aliens, monsters, superheroes and villains, comics, Marvel, DC, and so much more.