Valerian and Laureline

You don't know it, but you actually owe your entire childhood to France.

Valérian and Laureline is one of the longest running science fiction comic book stories of all time, beginning its run in 1967 and continuing up to 2018. For some perspective on how long ago that was, when the first Valerian comic ran, Doctor Who was in season 4 (the ORIGINAL season 4) and was in black and white.

The series follows the adventures of a temporal agent named Valerian. On a mission to middle ages France, his life is saved by a peasant girl named Laureline, and (in brazen disregard for the butterfly effect) he takes her with him to the future. Depending on the storyline (as there are several) this is either no big deal or a VERY big deal. Either way, adventure ensues.

What's important is that the Valerian series invented most of what we now consider the modern sci-fi aesthetic (to differentiate from the Buck Rodgers look of silver screen sci-fi). George Lucas and Luc Besson are both admitted fans of the series. The alien ships from Independence Day? Valerian's timeship. The Ferengi from Star Trek? Shingouz with ears instead of wings. Leia's metal bikini? Laureline was rocking that look a decade earlier in Empire of a Thousand Planets. Basically every alien-filled bar ever? Valerian was there downing drinks in shady company years before your favorite literally-who...

Dramatis Personae

Valerian: A temporal agent from the 28th century, Valerian is the cliche heroic man of action. He falls somewhere between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in terms of competence and machismo. Varies from merely overconfident to occasionally downright boneheaded and stubborn depending on the story. But he's generally a levelheaded lawful-good with his eyes on the objective.

Laureline: A peasant girl from 11th century France, with fiery red hair (Normans? Normans) and a physique to match. Laureline provides much of the energy that makes the franchise work, fluctuating between neutral-good and true neutral depending on the story. Compared to Valerian, she's basically amoral, willing to lie, cheat, steal, and use sex appeal to manipulate. But also compared to Valerian, she's far more compassionate, and goes out of her way to champion the downtrodden. Her main flaw played for comedy is that she cannot be trusted with any quantity of money, and will resort to busking in the street for coins when Valerian is being miserly.

The Shingouz: Specifically three particular Shingouz. Basically just winged Ferengi. The three shingouz act as Valerian and Laureline's main information contact in stories involving Central Point Station. On the station, they have their snouts in every crooked deal and shady enterprise; if they don't know, then they know somebody who knows. One of them is smitten with Laureline and consistently falls for her lopsided deals for help or information.

Mr. Albert: An older, well connected gentleman living in 20th century France; implied to be a semi-retired senior temporal agent. For stories set in contemporary Earth, he is Valerian's main contact, possibly even his field handler.

Grumpy Transmuter: A tiny alien armadillo that eats radiation and craps money. Literally and unironically. Laureline's pet in the stories he shows up in, the Grumpy is a brazen deus ex machina to deal with Laureline's non-existent budgeting skills by giving her infinite money.