A newly republished graphic novel chronicles the journey of an alien civilization fleeing the destruction of their home planet by an impending supernova. The story follows the Zors, a two-billion-strong species from the constellation Ursa Major, as they abandon their doomed world and embark on an intergalactic search for a new home.
Originally serialized in the early 1980s in the French magazine Métal Hurlant, the work, titled *The Children of Light*, has been brought together in a single volume with an English translation by Luke Burns. The reissue is facilitated by Tom Oldham of Breakdown Press in London. Created by Belgian cartoonist Jean Pleyers, now in his 80s, the graphic novel combines vivid, psychedelic artwork with a storyline that melds retro sci-fi motifs—such as glass elevators and monorails—with contemporary themes related to space exploration.
In the narrative, the Zors transform their moon into a colossal spaceship by hollowing it out and installing a 1,000-kilometer-long engine guided by a squid-like supercomputer. However, their exodus is complicated by internal and external threats. A Zorian engineer named Ylo, who has dedicated decades to finding a new planet, is attacked and robbed of his research by a revolutionary faction known as the Troikas. This group intends to seize control of the moon-ship’s supercomputer to claim the vessel for their own purposes. Additionally, a more powerful alien race named the Gogs interferes with the Zors’ efforts, introducing further conflict to their quest.
The alien species featured exhibit a range of imaginative designs: the Zors are green-skinned humanoids dressed in clothing reminiscent of East Asian styles, the Gogs are distinguished by broad grins, and another faction, the Lactarians, have exposed brains, reflecting classic sci-fi inspirations. Pleyers’s art is characterized by precise linework with dynamic energy, influenced by artists like Hergé, and his depictions of space scenes and spacecraft have been praised for their creativity and visual impact.
Beyond its visual and narrative elements, the novel incorporates themes regarding societal challenges and survival. Upon reaching a planet they hope to inhabit, the Zors encounter a species strikingly similar to humans, engaged in self-destructive conflict. This moment casts doubt on the future viability of space-faring civilizations prone to internal divisions.
Pleyers has asserted that *The Children of Light* is based on true events, claiming he was contacted telepathically by the aliens who dictated their story to him. While these claims remain unverified and invite skepticism, they add a unique dimension to the novel’s mystique.
Despite a fast-paced and, at times, uneven narrative, with plot resolutions occasionally relying on deus ex machina elements, the graphic novel remains a striking and enduring example of imaginative science fiction. It offers a thought-provoking exploration of interstellar migration and the hurdles—both internal and external—that shape the fate of civilizations venturing into the cosmos.