You’ve probably seen the movie. Maybe you loved the neon visuals or maybe you found the lead actors a bit wooden. But honestly? If you only know the 2017 film, you’re missing out on the actual soul of the story. The Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, originally titled Valérian and Laureline, is the reason Star Wars looks the way it does. It's the reason The Fifth Element exists. Created by writer Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières in 1967, this series didn't just predict the future; it designed it.
It's weird. It’s political. It’s surprisingly funny.
Most people assume it’s just another space opera about a guy saving the universe. That’s wrong. It’s actually a story about a competent woman doing all the work while her partner takes the credit, set against a backdrop of crumbling bureaucracies and psychedelic aliens. If you want to understand why this French masterpiece is the "Granddaddy of Sci-Fi," we need to look at what's actually on those ink-stained pages.
The 1960s French Revolution You Never Heard Of
When Christin and Mézières started working on the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, France was in a state of flux. The duo were childhood friends who had recently spent time in the American West working as cowboys. No, really. Mézières was literally herding cattle in Utah before he came back to Paris to draw spaceships. That rugged, "frontier" feeling leaked into the comics.
Unlike the squeaky-clean rockets of Flash Gordon, Valerian’s world was lived-in. Grimy.
They introduced the concept of "spatio-temporal agents." Valerian and Laureline weren't just soldiers; they were basically time-traveling cops working for Galaxity, the capital of a future Earth empire. But here's the twist: the comic is deeply cynical about authority. While American comics of the time were often patriotic, the French creators were questioning the Vietnam War and the nature of colonialism through the lens of alien planets.
It’s easy to forget how radical this was. In the first few volumes, like The City of Shifting Waters or Empire of a Thousand Planets, you see a version of the future that isn't a utopia. It's a mess of red tape and weird creatures just trying to get by.
Laureline: The Real Hero of the Story
We have to talk about Laureline. In the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, she is the undisputed MVP. When she first appears in The City of Shifting Waters, she’s a peasant girl from 11th-century France who outsmarts Valerian and forces him to take her back to the future.
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She isn't a "damsel." She isn't a "strong female character" trope.
She is just smarter than Valerian. While Valerian is a "company man" who follows orders to a fault, Laureline is the moral compass. She’s the one who questions the ethics of their missions. Fans often point to the album Ambassador of the Shadows as the peak of her character—Valerian gets kidnapped almost immediately, and Laureline has to navigate the massive space station of Point Central (the "City of a Thousand Planets") all by herself to save him. She negotiates with grifting aliens, manages intergalactic politics, and keeps her cool when everything goes sideways.
The Star Wars "Inspiration" (Or Theft?)
There is a massive elephant in the room when discussing the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic. That elephant’s name is George Lucas.
If you look at the concept art for Star Wars, the similarities are... uncomfortable.
- The Millennium Falcon looks suspiciously like Valerian’s XB-27 ship.
- Han Solo being frozen in carbonite? There’s a scene in Empire of a Thousand Planets (1971) where Valerian is encased in liquid plastic.
- Leia’s slave outfit in Return of the Jedi? Laureline wore something nearly identical years earlier in World Without Stars.
Jean-Claude Mézières famously wasn't happy about it. He even drew a cheeky strip for Pilote magazine where Valerian and Laureline are sitting in a space-bar next to Luke and Leia. Laureline says, "Funny to see you here!" and Leia replies, "Oh, we’ve been hanging around here for a long time."
Despite the lack of credit, the comic’s influence is undeniable. It moved sci-fi away from "man vs. monster" and toward "man vs. society," a shift that paved the way for every major franchise we love today.
The World-Building of Point Central
The "City of a Thousand Planets" isn't actually a planet. In the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, it’s known as Point Central. It’s a giant, ever-growing space station where every alien race attaches their own module. It’s a diplomatic nightmare.
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The detail Mézières put into these environments is staggering. You have the Shingouz—three small, bird-like creatures who sell secrets and smell like old socks. You have the Grumpy Converter, a tiny hedgehog-looking thing that poops out duplicates of anything it eats (usually pearls or currency).
This wasn't just "cool art." It was an ecosystem.
The comic explored how these species interacted economically. It wasn't about who had the biggest laser; it was about who had the best trade agreement. This level of complexity is why the series ran for over 40 years, finally ending in 2010 with The Memories of Futures.
Why the 2017 Movie Felt "Off"
Luc Besson’s film was a passion project. He grew up reading these comics. He even hired Mézières to do concept art for The Fifth Element back in the 90s. But the movie struggled because it tried to cram 40 years of nuance into two hours.
The comic is episodic and leisurely. It lets you breathe in the alien atmosphere.
In the books, the relationship between Valerian and Laureline isn't a "will-they-won't-they" romantic comedy. They are a committed couple. They are partners. They trust each other implicitly. By making the movie about Valerian trying to "win" Laureline's heart, Besson missed the fundamental dynamic that made the comic special. In the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, their love isn't the plot—it's the foundation that allows them to survive the madness of the universe.
How to Actually Start Reading the Comic
If you’re looking to dive in, don't just grab the first volume and hope for the best. The early stuff is a bit dated. Here is how you should actually approach it:
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- Start with "Ambassador of the Shadows." This is the definitive Valerian story. It’s where the "City of a Thousand Planets" concept is most vibrant. It’s also where Laureline is at her absolute best.
- Move to "The Empire of a Thousand Planets." This gives you that classic space opera feel but with the weird French twist. You'll see all the stuff Lucas "borrowed" here.
- Check out "Birds of the Master." This one is a bit more psychedelic and philosophical. It deals with a planet controlled by a mysterious entity that uses birds to keep the population in check. It’s weird, dark, and brilliant.
- Avoid the animated series for now. Stick to the oversized albums published by Cinebook. The art is the star of the show, and you need to see it in high resolution to appreciate the line work.
The Enduring Legacy of Galaxity
We live in an era of "gritty" reboots and "dark" sci-fi. Everything is a multiverse or a prequel. The Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic feels refreshing because it’s so unashamedly imaginative. It doesn't care about "canon" as much as it cares about the feeling of discovery.
It reminds us that the future doesn't have to be a sterile Apple Store in space. It can be a chaotic, colorful, slightly confusing place where you might have to haggle with a three-headed creature for a map of the galaxy.
The comic also tackled environmentalism long before it was a buzzword. In Welcome to Alflolol, the protagonists help an indigenous species reclaim their planet from industrial colonists. It’s a story about land rights and the cost of "progress." Again, this was published in the early 70s. The foresight of Christin and Mézières is frankly terrifying.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to experience the real Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comic, stop watching the trailers and start looking for the Cinebook English translations. They have released the entire run in "Valerian: The Complete Collection" volumes. These are hefty hardcovers that include interviews and behind-the-scenes sketches.
Read one. Just one.
Start with Volume 6 or the standalone Ambassador of the Shadows. Look at the way the panels flow. Notice how Laureline's expressions tell more of the story than Valerian's dialogue. Once you see the DNA of modern sci-fi on these pages, you’ll never look at a blockbuster movie the same way again.
The comic isn't just a piece of history. It’s a blueprint for how to tell stories that are both massive in scale and deeply human in heart. It’s about two people just trying to do their jobs while the universe spins out of control around them. And honestly? That’s a lot more relatable than any superhero movie coming out this year.
Go find a copy at your local comic shop or library. Support the medium. The City of a Thousand Planets is waiting, and it’s way more interesting than the movie ever showed you.