Science Fiction and Fantastique

French BD's approach to science fiction and fantasy differs markedly from Anglo-American traditions. Rather than focusing on action or world-building for their own sake, French SF/fantasy BD often uses genre elements to explore philosophical questions or create poetic atmospheres.

Moebius (Jean Giraud) revolutionized SF comics with works like "The Incal" (with Alejandro Jodorowsky) and "Arzach." His organic, surrealist approach to futurity influenced visual culture globally, from comics to cinema. Moebius demonstrated that SF could be contemplative, ambiguous, and formally experimental while maintaining narrative engagement.

The "fantastique" tradition – distinct from Anglo-American fantasy – creates uncanny atmospheres where reality's boundaries blur. Schuiten and Peeters' "Les Cités obscures" (Cities of the Fantastic) exemplifies this approach, creating parallel worlds that comment obliquely on our own through architectural metaphors and philosophical speculation.

Contemporary SF/fantasy BD continues pushing boundaries. Mathieu Bablet's "Carbone & Silicium" explores AI consciousness through centuries-spanning narrative. Marion Montaigne's "Dans la combi de Thomas Pesquet" uses humor to make hard science accessible. The genre's diversity demonstrates BD's refusal to subordinate imagination to formula.