Les Mondes D Aldebaran

A serie of Franco-Belgian comics, created by the Brazilian artist Leo, consisting of three main cycles of albums, plus a spin-off one, published by Dargaud. Each of the mains is name after a separate planet colonised by humans and set on it.

Quite "hard" science-fiction, with attention given to the technology of the colonists and the native life of each planet; a few breaks such as FTL and perhaps the powers of the mysterious "Mantrisse".

Each series follows a handful of characters as they face problems both personal and affecting the entire planet. Tends to have a tragic tone, with many of the problems arising from "the follies of humanity". The partial regression of technology among the colonists gives it a visual Space Western feel.

The serie is constituted so far of
 * Aldébaran cycle:
 * La Catastrophe (The Catastrophe-1994)
 * La Blonde (The Blond-1995)
 * La Photo (The Photo-1996)
 * Le Groupe (The Group-1997)
 * La Créature (The Creature-1998)
 * Bételgeuse cycle:
 * La Planète (The Betelgeuse Planet-2000)
 * Les Survivants (The Survivors-2001)
 * L'Expédition (The Expedition-2002)
 * Les Cavernes (The Caves-2003)
 * L'Autre (The Other-2005)
 * Antarès cycle:
 * Episode 1 (2007)
 * Episode 2 (2009)
 * Episode 3(2010)
 * Episode 4 (2011)
 * Survivants - Anomalies quantique (Survivors - Quantum anomalies) spin-off cycle:
 * Episode 1(2011)

Les Mondes d'Aldebaran provides examples of:

 * Absent Aliens: While each world has its own native life (And how!), there are no intelligent aliens; except, perhaps, the Mantrisse.
 * Averted by the last volume of the Betelgeuse cycle:.
 * Averted also by the iums, a semi-sentients species.
 * Also averted in the spin-off serie Survivants: the planet where the heroes crash had some sentient aliens.
 * Action Girl: Kim Keller, after being the Tagalong Kid in the first albums, become The Hero of the serie.
 * All There in the Flyleaf: Many informations about the planets or events from the first space colonization are done out of the narration.
 * Bizarre Alien Biology: One of the main appeal of the serie is the various and strange alien fauna.
 * Cool Old Guy and Lovable Rogue: Monsieur Pad.
 * Corrupt Church: Aldebaran itself (the first colonised planet) became a theocracy shortly after colonisation. The series describes itself as "humanistic".
 * More obvious with the third serie, Antares, with the heroes regularly clashing with the extremely religious colonists they are supposed to help.
 * Doomed Hometown: The first series starts with a stranger coming to the heroes' village, warning them of the imminent arrival of a massive, incredibly dangerous sea creature which will cause the annihilation of their village. And of course, the villagers don't trust him...
 * Eldritch Abomination: The Mantrisse appears as this. It is certainly has no ill-will towards humans, it simply doesn't realise they are any different from other forms of life.
 * Generic Cuteness: You have to take the characters' word about who is more attractive.
 * Green Aesop
 * Half-Human Hybrid:.
 * Idiot Hero: Marc Sorensen, in the first cycle.
 * No Biochemical Barriers:
 * Numbered Homeworld: Aldebaran-4, Betelgeuse-6 and Antares-5 respectively, though for the sake of convenience, the number is dropped in everyday conversation, when it's clear that one means the planet and not the star.
 * Pandaing to the Audience: The iums
 * Phlebotinum Breakdown: The FTL communication with Earth breaks down after landing on Aldebaran and is not up again a hundred years later, when its series is set.
 * Single Biome Planet: Aldebaran-4 is mostly ocean with a few scattered islands, Betelgeuse-6 is a desert world with most of the vegetation confined to deep river canyons. Averted with Antares-5 which has a varied biosphere.
 * So Beautiful It's a Curse: Kim Keller have trouble dealing with it once grown up, mostly because of her chest.
 * Time Travel: Quantum FTL jump do that. Each planet is placed in a different "place" on the timeline and FTL jump jump in time according to that position.
 * Touched by Vorlons:
 * Wham! Episode: Aldebaran Cycle, "La Photo" (The Picture), third album in the series. Specifically, the last page.