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Valérian and Laureline #18
Valerian & Laureline (english version) - Volume 18 - In Uncertain Times (Valerian et Laureline
The (false?) gods of Hypsis are once again interfering with Human history. Tired of their lower status among their peers, the trinity in charge of planet Earth opens communications with megacorporation Vivaxis at the end of the 20th century – an occurrence Valerian and Laureline's allies report to the two ex-agents. But to what end did the Hypsians initiate such a contact? And who is the mysterious Sat who, from the depths of Point Central, also endeavours to meddle with Human affairs?
64 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
6 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Pierre Christin
209 books117 followersPierre Christin was a French comics creator and writer.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 12, 2017
With only a handful of volumes to go before Mézières and Christin’s sci-fi epic draws to a close the scale of characters, places and situations that our two heroes have faced and overcome is considerable, and for even a casual reader perhaps a little daunting. Regardless, the creators take the bull by the horns with In Uncertain Times and plunge Valerian and Laureline back into the rich orchestration of previous tales as they once again face the meddling machinations of the gods of Hypsis and new threat from the bowels of Point Central.
Valerian’s clearly troubled by the loss of Earth, something Laureline is keen to distract him from, but the universe has a way of asserting itself upon their lives and they soon find themselves teased by some information of somebody or something tinkering with Earth’s 20th century history. Reasoning that they can interfere with the timeline because somebody already is, they naturally go to investigate.
Although this is most certainly not the book you should start with, there’s a helpful chronology at the beginning of this volume that explains the complicated timeline and Valerian and Laureline’s journey through it, accompanied by the covers to the books they’re referencing. Handy indeed.
For all it’s outstanding visuals, if they don’t make another Valerian movie you’re really not missing out. The scale of Mézières and Christin’s vision is demonstrated on the printed page and In Uncertain Times is the perfect example of just how well it works.
Valerian’s clearly troubled by the loss of Earth, something Laureline is keen to distract him from, but the universe has a way of asserting itself upon their lives and they soon find themselves teased by some information of somebody or something tinkering with Earth’s 20th century history. Reasoning that they can interfere with the timeline because somebody already is, they naturally go to investigate.
Although this is most certainly not the book you should start with, there’s a helpful chronology at the beginning of this volume that explains the complicated timeline and Valerian and Laureline’s journey through it, accompanied by the covers to the books they’re referencing. Handy indeed.
For all it’s outstanding visuals, if they don’t make another Valerian movie you’re really not missing out. The scale of Mézières and Christin’s vision is demonstrated on the printed page and In Uncertain Times is the perfect example of just how well it works.
December 17, 2021
English Cinebook Edition = 2016 = £8.99 / $15.95
->Cover = very deceptive = they're never in that situation
Story: ****
It's a bit too ambitious with too many settings and way too many characters in which there is never any sense of place or time and attempting to acclimate with the actions of everybody from the frequently separated duo to the ever-resourceful Albert, his big-business friend, the seedy Shingooz, a militant Sun Rae, goofy Shroeder, the brass of global business executives speaking pan-linguistically, an ingratiating secretary, "Sat"(an) with lackeys and an eminent lawyer, the gray-alien Siamese twins, cigar-smoking God, hollow-palmed Jesus and the boisterous Holy Spirit Machine is quite understandably hectic and ultimately confusing.
It's still an excellent read if you take your time and flip back here and there. Christin had to put his brain to work more than usual to orchestrate this tome that is designed to allow the reader better understanding of the spatio-temporal architecture stratifying the series rather than to disorient with distraction. It's revelatory, interesting, very exciting and plentifully action packed plus they published the premier "Valerian and Laureline" series chronology->across->both->open->pages which place all the English (+2 untranslated) books->by cover-> on a tiled three-tiered timeline.
Art: ****
I am in love with Laureline and doubtless her looks at all times but throughout the majority of the plot she is RAVISHING in her well-financed (the currency repeating toad-thingy) 2001 chic fashion which exhibits a femininity that her spacesuit little more than hints at. Her tight black ensemble of a collared and deep-plunge top, tight and revealing skirt, thin and reflectory hosiery all tottering on spikey and strappy heels in utterly entrancing.
Despite his brush's weakness in rendering faces with reliably fixed contours, the expressive, effervescent and effulgent emotion evoked by such wrist-flickery excuses the inexactitude.
Going back to before anything begins, you'll see his finest efforts displayed on another across->both->open->pages spread that splits top and bottom which are fully engorged engrossing environments that should be framed->for->all paintings because their expansive exposition, delirious detail, formattable fortitude and an intra<->enviro<->intimacy dedicatedly dominates the dome.
->Cover = very deceptive = they're never in that situation
Story: ****
It's a bit too ambitious with too many settings and way too many characters in which there is never any sense of place or time and attempting to acclimate with the actions of everybody from the frequently separated duo to the ever-resourceful Albert, his big-business friend, the seedy Shingooz, a militant Sun Rae, goofy Shroeder, the brass of global business executives speaking pan-linguistically, an ingratiating secretary, "Sat"(an) with lackeys and an eminent lawyer, the gray-alien Siamese twins, cigar-smoking God, hollow-palmed Jesus and the boisterous Holy Spirit Machine is quite understandably hectic and ultimately confusing.
It's still an excellent read if you take your time and flip back here and there. Christin had to put his brain to work more than usual to orchestrate this tome that is designed to allow the reader better understanding of the spatio-temporal architecture stratifying the series rather than to disorient with distraction. It's revelatory, interesting, very exciting and plentifully action packed plus they published the premier "Valerian and Laureline" series chronology->across->both->open->pages which place all the English (+2 untranslated) books->by cover-> on a tiled three-tiered timeline.
Art: ****
I am in love with Laureline and doubtless her looks at all times but throughout the majority of the plot she is RAVISHING in her well-financed (the currency repeating toad-thingy) 2001 chic fashion which exhibits a femininity that her spacesuit little more than hints at. Her tight black ensemble of a collared and deep-plunge top, tight and revealing skirt, thin and reflectory hosiery all tottering on spikey and strappy heels in utterly entrancing.
Despite his brush's weakness in rendering faces with reliably fixed contours, the expressive, effervescent and effulgent emotion evoked by such wrist-flickery excuses the inexactitude.
Going back to before anything begins, you'll see his finest efforts displayed on another across->both->open->pages spread that splits top and bottom which are fully engorged engrossing environments that should be framed->for->all paintings because their expansive exposition, delirious detail, formattable fortitude and an intra<->enviro<->intimacy dedicatedly dominates the dome.
August 29, 2020
This is volume 18 of the series Valerian & Laureline: Spatio-Temporal Agents. The Valerian series (for those who don’t know) is one of the longest running series ever in French-Belgium comic history. It started in 1967 and finished its final volume in 2010. This is not the place to begin reading the series, as it references at least 6 other volumes. However, for those who have read the series before, the art is above and beyond - it was always good, but this volume is better than most - and the story is fascinating.
Valerian and Laureline used to work for the Spatio-Temporal Service which protects the planets of the Terran Empire and its capital, Galaxity, in the 28th century. An event in 1986 where a disaster did or did not occur has wiped this timeline out of existence, stranding our two heroes in alternate time. They struggle to find what happened to their timeline and correct the fault.
In the 21st century a corporation is about to hit upon a discovery which would change mankind, absolute immortality. This attracts the gods of Hypsis who begin interfering with Human history. Tired of their lower status among their peers, the trinity in charge of planet Earth opens communications with megacorporation Vivaxis at the end of the 20th century – an occurrence Valerian and Laureline's allies report to the two ex-agents. Their struggles lead to valuable information on the Galaxity and set our heroes down the path of their final adventure.
Valerian and Laureline used to work for the Spatio-Temporal Service which protects the planets of the Terran Empire and its capital, Galaxity, in the 28th century. An event in 1986 where a disaster did or did not occur has wiped this timeline out of existence, stranding our two heroes in alternate time. They struggle to find what happened to their timeline and correct the fault.
In the 21st century a corporation is about to hit upon a discovery which would change mankind, absolute immortality. This attracts the gods of Hypsis who begin interfering with Human history. Tired of their lower status among their peers, the trinity in charge of planet Earth opens communications with megacorporation Vivaxis at the end of the 20th century – an occurrence Valerian and Laureline's allies report to the two ex-agents. Their struggles lead to valuable information on the Galaxity and set our heroes down the path of their final adventure.
August 8, 2017
Weird and uneven adventure, hardly science fiction at all. Several characters from earlier adventures are revisited, but I'm not sure why (cameos only for cameos' sake?). The gods / holy trinity of Hypsis are fascinatingly boring / non-sensical plot element, and I'm tempted to call this album a part of the Dork Age of this series.
Certainly not the best Valerian & Laureline adventure.
Certainly not the best Valerian & Laureline adventure.
November 19, 2017
Saaga lähenee loppuaan ja Valerian ja Laureline etsivät edelleen Maata ja Galaxitya kuumeisesti. Vanhoja tuttuja hahmoja on enemmän ja enemmän mukana tarinoissa ja ehkä vähän jo nostalgiaa/fauxtalgiaakin. Itse luin ensimmäisen Valerianin vasta tänä vuonna, joten ei ole sitä menneisyyden taakkaa, ja luen näitä ihan uusina. Ja kyllähän nämä toimii, tulee varmasti luettua uusikin kierros joskus tulevaisuudessa. Mutta nautitaan näistä viimeisistä nyt.
December 1, 2024
The dialogue seems to have parts missing, but maybe it's just lost in translation.
The story line is wanting too, bouncing along both too fast and too slow all at the same time.
Basically I'm reading these out of nostalgi and due to the setting being awesome and inspiring. Also rather original.
But the Hypsis part is plain silly as so much else in this series.
The story line is wanting too, bouncing along both too fast and too slow all at the same time.
Basically I'm reading these out of nostalgi and due to the setting being awesome and inspiring. Also rather original.
But the Hypsis part is plain silly as so much else in this series.
July 1, 2018
Valerian, Laureline, god, the devil, lawyers and scientists are all combined in a wacky timeline adventure. Great art and design as always with some new computer art style interspersed among the strips.
October 31, 2022
After 17 really good books, I suppose they'd earned the right to put out a duffer. This one has God and Satan fighting over a corporation that's creating clones of beautiful people. It's a boring mess.
October 14, 2017
Meh. Once again. Because Earth.
December 13, 2017
Hvad skete der i den store rum-middelalder, er treenigheden & djævelen virkelig på spil? Hr. Albert og visse andre gamle kendinge hjælper vore rumhelte på jorden i starten af det 21. århundrede...
June 23, 2018
It's not bad, I just didn't really like it.
August 4, 2018
Never read any Valerian, so picked this up. It was okay but not enough for me to check out the prior 17 parts.
April 6, 2019
J'aime beaucoup cette histoire, plusieurs ^personnages reviennent.
September 7, 2020
A mix of all the other series bringing the devil into the mix. I dont enjoy the Hypsis stories.
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July 23, 2012Par des temps incertains s'ouvre aux quatre coins du cosmos sur des �v�nements apparemment sans lien entre eux. En r�unissant les fils de l'intrigue, Val�rian et Laureline vont obtenir un d�but de r�ponse aux questions qu'ils se posent depuis la disparition de la Terre du futur, celle de Galaxity et du service spatio-temporel auquel ils appartenaient. Mais peut-on faire confiance � un personnage aussi inqui�tant que Sat, venu de l'enfer de Point Central sur notre monde d'aujourd'hui pour se lancer dans les affaires ? Peut-on accorder cr�dit aux businessmen de la multinationale Vivaxis, inconscients des risques qu'ils font courir au genre humain ? Peut-on avoir foi en une sainte Trinit� descendue de la plan�te Hypsis uniquement pour d�fendre son droit de propri�t� ? Une r�union � Paris, aussi houleuse qu'hilarante, prouvera en tout cas la nature proprement diabolique du capitalisme contemporain. Ce qui n'est pas rien...
October 14, 2017
Another freebie from Amazon otherwise I wouldn't have fooled with it.
Nothing is really going on. All I can figure out is God and the Devil are fighting over a company that is more respectful to shareholders than they are to deities. Laureline shops for a new wardrobe. Some clones are being manufactured. Then Valerian fires off a gun and that's all it takes to get everyone to calm down and work out a deal.
Nothing is really going on. All I can figure out is God and the Devil are fighting over a company that is more respectful to shareholders than they are to deities. Laureline shops for a new wardrobe. Some clones are being manufactured. Then Valerian fires off a gun and that's all it takes to get everyone to calm down and work out a deal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2023
Haverá esperança para a demanda dos nossos heróis?
April 13, 2017
I’m not the biggest fan of comic books, and today I decided to check out some of the comics I have around the house, I found the Valerian, apparently I have four of these, and at first sight it reminded me of Illuminae, because it seems to tell a story in the futuristic space, with that in mind I grabbed the four books and decided to give them a chance. The positive aspect are the drawings that I absolutely loved, however the downside is that action jumps around without much logic, and that’s one of the reason why I give it a really low classification, it failed to amaze me.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews