Pierre Christin: Co-Creator of Valerian

By August Tales

The Passing of a Comics Stalwart

It’s a somber day for the comic world, as we bid farewell to prolific writer Pierre Christin. This French mastermind, sadly, breathed his last on October 3, marking the end of his 86-year journey. Christin will forever be remembered for his extraordinary creation, the sci-fi adventure series Valérian and Laureline. He and artist Jean-Claude Mézières successfully ran the series for an impressive 23-volume stint between 1967 and 2019.

Christin’s Life: An Inspiring Journey

Born in 1938, within the bustling heart of Paris, Christin was a gifted individual. Aside from his flair for comic creation, he was also a novelist, journalist, and academic. Christin first crossed paths with Mézières, who would later become his long-time collaborator, during the twilight of World War II, in an air-raid shelter – a humble setting for what would later develop into a legendary partnership.

Despite the war-torn scenery, Christin was not one for art and comics. Instead, he was drawn towards politics and literature. He also developed a fondness for American culture. Naturally, he pursued journalism, studying at the esteemed Paris Institute of Political Studies and Sorbonne University. The pursuit of his interests led him to the US, where he taught French literature at the University of Utah in the 1960s.

The Birth of Valérian and Laureline

In an unexpected twist, while Christin was in Utah, he encountered Mézières who was backpacking in the States. This reunion lit the spark of a creative journey that would forever change the world of comics. As Christin returned to France to teach at the University of Bordeaux, he continued to work with Mézières which eventually led to the birth of Valérian and Laureline – an iconic addition to the Pilote magazine.

Their creation, an adventure series revolving around a 28th-century “spatio-temporal” agent, and an 11th-century peasant girl he recruits, became a beacon in the Franco-Belgian comic scene. But its influence stretched far beyond, captivating industry talents like Star Wars concept artist Doug Chiang. The series was so well-received that it was adapted into an animated series in 2007, followed by a live-action film in 2017.

A Legacy Beyond Comics

Christin’s contribution to the comic world wasn’t restricted to Valérian and Laureline alone. He penned several comics by Enki Bilal, notable ones being 1979’s historical thriller The Black Order Brigade, Annie Goetzinger (The Hardy Agency), and André Juillard (Lena). His 2021 masterpiece, the biography Orwell (penciled by Sébastien Verdier), further added to his legacy.

Moreover, Christin broke the barrier between comics and cinema, as he marked his territory in Bilal’s 1989 film Bunker Palace Hôtel, and in the 2017 opera La Citadelle de Verre. Beyond his creative pursuits, Christin co-founded IBJA (Journalism Institute of Bordeaux Aquitaine), underlining his dedication to journalism and academics.

The comic author earned several accolades throughout his life, such as the 1976 Angoulême prize for Best French Author and a medal from the Order of Arts and Letters in 2015. His passing comes three years after Mézières, who departed this world on January 23, 2022, aged 83. Christin’s final project, the Valérian and Laureline spin-off Where Stories Are Born, created in collaboration with illustrator Virginie Augustin, turned out to be a touching tribute to the characters he so warmly brought to life.