SF Space Opera Graphic Novels - Recommendations?

[DeltaV]

I'm finishing up the Aldebaran-Betelgeuse-Antares series by Leo, which I am enjoying. I've also
read Segments by Malka & Gimenez (interesting premise but the series ended prematurely) and have
just got Metabarons by Jodorowsky and Siberia 56 by Bec & Sentenac. I also have a few of the
Valerian books.

I've been poking around on some French SF sites and found these recommendations:

Universal War One
Guerre Eternelle
Sillage
Orbital by Pelle et Runberg
Metronom
Chant des Stryges
Les Hydres d'Ares

These all look interesting.

Any other recommendations? I'm good with either English or French.

 

[hitmouse]

French: Les Jardins de Aedena, and the John di Fool stories, both by Moebius. In fact most Moebius is worth checking out. For alt French SF see if you can get hold of any editions of Metal Hurlant (can be pricey.)

TBH if you are interested in bandes desinees there are great shops in most French and Belgian cities, and notable
BD museums in Angouleme and Brussels. One day, when the pandemc has passed.

Otherwise recommend the collected Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog, Nemesis the Warlock, and Ballad of Halo Jones, all originally from 2000AD

 

[DeltaV]

I had a long look at Moebius' works. The Incal keeps coming up on top 10 lists. Hmmm, the description of The Incal doesn't line up 100% with what I'm looking for but I think that I should read something from Moebius just to get a feel for his writing. And I see that the the Metabaron first appeared in The Incal. Interesting.

There certainly is a lot of good SF Space Opera from writers and artists in France and Belgium (as well as a lot of other excellent graphic novels; I'm a long-time fan of Thorgal).

I did not know about 2000AD. Too bad the Ballad of Halo Jones never got finished and published as a graphic novel.

Finally, I found a similar post in this forum many years ago (2007), and the poster listed (amongst others):

2001 Nights by Yukinobo Hoshino, and Planetes by Makoto Yukimara. According to Wikipedia, these are both hard science fiction manga series. These look good. Any opinions on them?

 

[hitmouse]

Halo Jones is available in 3 collections from Amazon.

 

[DeltaV]

I read the Wikipedia article on Halo Jones, and the idea of the story (following the life of one character) is interesting. It said that

"Originally, Halo Jones was planned to run to nine books, chronicling Halo's life from adolescence through old age. However, the series was discontinued after three books due to a dispute between Moore and Fleetway, the magazine's publishers ..."

Too bad it ended after three books.

Something similar happened with Segments. The writer dropped the idea after three volumes, and I understand (from what I've read online) that the writer had originally planned one volume per planet (there are 7 in the Segments background, each one representing a trait of humanity). There was an 'epilogue' published on the publishers website to wrap up the plot, but it looks rushed with a very deus ex machina feel to it.

 

[DeltaV]

I just finished reading Planetes by Makoto Yukimura. Quite enjoyed it. It follows the adventures of a space debris removal team, in around 2075.
A little different reading from back to front, and right to left, but I got used to it. I'm looking forward to reading volume 2.

 

[.matthew.]

There's the half sci-fi/half fantasy Saga which hits many of the space opera notes.