For this week, I reviewed
the "Valerian, New Future Trilogy," by Jean-Claude Mezieres
& Pierre Christin. An epic science fiction adventure that centers around
two radically different, yet very family character archetypes told in new ways.
Our main male character, Valérian, a spatio-temporal agent, who fills the role
of the broad shouldered, perfect square jawed hero, who travels the galaxy
along his lovely female companion and lover, Laureline, an attractive redhead. But about here is where the
stereotypes stop, as these characters are constantly being thrown at new
challenges, often around the morality of obedience to government and other left
wing ideals. The art is fantastic, constantly brimming with divisive colors and
interesting silhouettes, making sure you know whose human, whose alien, and
whose REALLY alien. The main purpose of the science fiction setting I found was
more as an authoritative mouthpiece to display ideals about heroism, but not
from a typical, combat or glory-centered point of view. Yes, there are plenty
of lasers and explosions, but many a time it comes down to Valérian’s personal conflictions about un-questionably following
orders, much to the dismay of Laureline
on their adventures. Laureline represents, in many instances, much more than
simply sex appeal, but a free spirit and thinker who isn’t afraid to tell you
when something bothers her. If she disagrees with Valerian, she’ll not only
speak out but take action against it, (though often indirectly), and isn’t the
typical damsel in distress whose sole purpose is to be something for the male
hero to save. A science fiction staple that’s been noted for decades and will
continue to live on in future retellings of the same ideals, “Valerian, The New Future Trilogy," is a story that presents
everything we already know in ways we never thought of prior.
1. My initial reaction to the text I read was sadness followed by acceptance, while certainly a MUCH darker overall tone that ANY golden age Superman story, this joint collaboration by Alan Moore, Curt Swan, George Perez, and Kurt Schaffenberger, is a damn near perfect end to this "run" of the Superman story. Focusing on the dramatic end of Superman, the story throws all of his most, and a few of his lesser, memorable villains and allies at him at once, a sort of collage of the entire Alan Moore run with the character. As Batman later describes it, "like walking through fragments of a legend." This comic celebrates everything that built Superman, from his allies and backstory, to his bitter enemies and emotional struggles; it ties up and ends practically every loose end previously left open in previous issues of the Superman story, while also providing one massive, yet satisfying cliffhanger at the story's end. 2. I grew up loosely following various versions ...
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