Metal Hurlant Vol.2: Space Stares Back

Metal Hurlant

by Philippe Druillet, Mœbius (Writer / Artist), Jean-Pierre Dionnet

50 years after the debut of Metal Hurlant in France, the iconic and genre-defining publication is returning to English, with a bigger and bolder iteration than ever before: as a quarterly anthology published by Humanoids. Each volume of Metal Hurlant will feature 272+ pages of a one-of-a-kind, otherworldly, literary experience.

In 1974, fellow, rebellious bande dessinée creators Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet, and Mœbius wanted to push the boundaries of the comics medium to tell mature, cerebral, and often titillating stories that embraced a punk attitude.

Metal Hurlant was their brainchild, a cutting edge comics anthology published under their newly founded publishing house Les Humanoïdes Associés (Humanoids).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

see https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp...

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second issue of the Metal Hurlant/Heavy Metal reboot.

This issue was much better than the premier issue. That contained too much self-back slapping, which constrained the content. However, you can tell the editors are still groping their way forward toward the final look of the magazine.

The issue contains the advertised mulching of old and new pieces. The largest number are Martian related. These are a mixed bag. The science fiction/fact articles were OK, but need more work. They reminded me of very early Wired. However, the long graphic piece, and somewhat of an old chestnut, "Exterminator 17" by Jean-Pierre Dionnet was quite excellent. I vaguely remember its appearance in the legacy Heavy Metal. Its been split into two-parts and will be continued in the next issue.

So, getting better with a combination of old and new graphic works, some of which you'll like, others you won't, and at least one that will leave you trying to push the pieces of your asploding head back into place, until you read Part II in the next issue.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest reincarnation of Metal Hurlant continues to impress. With this second issue, more of the content is from new contributors, with only a handful of pieces reprinted from the original run of Metal Hurlant in the 1970's and 1980's. I think that's all to the good, and the future of this series looks bright in the light of new work from Richard Guérineau, Yang Weilin, Daria Schmitt, and many others who provide highly original visions addressing the "Space Stares Back" subtitle.

[Andy Cantrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still dig it

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent Reads: Metal Hurlant - Space Stares Back. More from the international graphic SF anthology. Much of this issue is Mars pessimism, reminiscent of 70s SF, mixed with satire. As always great art fills the hefty book, mixing new and reprint work. A message? There is no Planet B, only silent void.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the stories in this revolved around Mars. There were also quite a few text pieces which I ultimately skipped. I hate prose articles mixed with my comics. There were quite a few old stories mixed in as well. What I noticed about a lot of those old stories is that the lettering made my eyes bleed. The transfers weren't great and the lettering would be really light as if it came from an old typewriter or in a strange font that was impossible to read. Poor lettering instantly checks me out of a comic. Still overall, it's got a lot of the similar vibes as the old versions of the magazine.

[Luke John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of comics and this (and it's preceding volume) have been the best releases of the year. Filled with short, interesting stories with varying art styles, this has been great to pick up for ten minutes at a time. The early Hurlant reprints have also been very well selected and some of the artwork in these has been amongst the best I have ever seen, by true masters of the art form. If you have any interest in comics, you owe it to yourself to pick up both of the currently available volumes.

[Bertazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well curated. Almost every story is about something going terribly wrong, the most pessimistic (and maybe popular) aspect of sci-fi. The first stories are killers. As well Dionnet and Bilal's classic. But unfortunately this volume is poorly edited in terms of extra material. Of course, Metal Hurlant was praising itself on the first volume, hence the number of essays, but I was expecting more in this second one.

[Ander Biguri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this. Is it the best comics ever? No, of course not. But a magazine for new artist to write short topic-wise stories in graphic novel format is perfect. Super high quality and effort by all artist with very different vision of space sci-fi. Recommended read and buy, to support upcoming artists in this medium.

[Davide Pappalardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this second volume a little bit less than the first one, but I would say they are of the same quality overall. Many stories are quite abstract, not everything is interesting, but there are some really good moments, both in writing and art, especially with the classic strips.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some gorgeous artwork here, but most of the stories are thin and it gets a bit repetitive seeing so many stories about astronauts trudging across the Martian desert. I enjoyed the interview with Star Trek's science advisor though.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first issue of the 2025 reboot, a little too many Mars stories, but it still slaps.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its odd, the first volume there was like 2-3 that were pretty good and one that really stood out. In this volume i feel it had more average stories but nothing great🤷🏽

3.2✨