[The Pioneers of Hope]
 
 
Writer: Roger Lecureux (1925-1999)
Artist: Raymond Poïvet (1910-1999)
 
In the origin story, the Pioneers are a team of astronauts sent aboard the rocketship Espérance [Hope] towards the mysterious planet Radias, which threatens Earth.  Eventually, the cast narrows down to four main characters: Tangha, Maud, Rodion and Tsin-Lu, who become fearless space explorers and adventurers into the unknown.
 

The Stories

from "Vaillant/Pif" Magazine
[Note on Page Count: The page count of eps. 1-14 is indicatdd as follows: (42 p. = 42 pages); episodes 15 to 50 are 12-pages long; episodes 51-81 are 20-pages long.] 
 
1947 
1. Les Pionniers de l'Espérance [The Pioneers of Hope] (52 p.) (a.k.a. Vers l'Ourang Mystérieux [Towards Mysterious Ourang] and Radia, La Planète aux 1000 Secrets [Radia, The Planet Of 1000 Secrets]) (VA 45-96, 1945-47; rep. in Futuropolis 1, 1984) 
 
1948 
2. La Cité de Bangra [The City Of Bangra] (42 p.) (VA 97-138, 1947-48) (rep. in Futuropolis 1, 1984) 
3. Le Désert Blanc [The White Desert] (12 p.) (VA 139-151, 1948) (rep. in Futuropolis 2, 1984) 
 
1949 
4. Kataraz la Maudite [Kataraz The Accursed] (55 p.) (VA 152-206, 1948-49) (rep. in Futuropolis 2, 1984) 
5. Les Pionniers de l'Espérance [The Pioneers of Hope] (a.k.a. 500,000 Ans Avant [500,000 Years Before] and C'était il y a 50.000 Ans [It Was 50.000 Years Ago]) (25 p.) (VA 207-230, 1949) (rep. in Futuropolis 2, 1984) 
 
1951 
6. Aquatide, la Cité des Ondes [Aquatide - The City Of Waves] (47 p.) (VA 255-301, 1950-51) (rep. in Futuropolis 3, 1984) 
7. Le Secret de Jacques Ferrand [The Secret Of Jacques Ferrand] (a.k.a. On a volé les Plans du Satellite Artificiel [They Stole The Artificial Satellite's Blueprints]) (25 p.) (VA 302-326, 1951) (rep. in Futuropolis 3, 1984) 
 
1952 
8. Le Prof. Marvel a Disparu [Prof. Marvel Has Vanished] (27 p.) (VA 335-362, 1951-52) (rep. in Futuropolis 3, 1984) 
 
1953 
9. L'Étang des Solitudes [The Pond Of Loneliness] (a.k.a. Le Jardin Fantastique [The Fantastic Garden] (50 p.) (VA 363-412, 1952-53) (rep. in Futuropolis 4, 1988) 
 
1958 
10. Les Hommes aux Yeux d'Or [The Men With Golden Eyes] (a.k.a. Caluda) (63 p.) (VA 622-684, 1957-58) (rep. in Futuropolis 4, 1988) 
 
1959 
11. Échec aux Zions [The Zions In Check] (80 p.) (VA 685-764, 1958-59) (rep. in Futuropolis 5, 1989) 
 
1960 
12. Inaccessible 7 [Unreachable 7] (36 p.) (VA 767-802, 1960) (rep. in Futuropolis 5, 1989) 
 
1961 
13. Nibor (49 p.) (VA 803-851, 1960-61) 
 
1963 
14. Les Forbans de l'Espace [The Space Pirates] (55 p.) (VA 879-933, 1962-63) 
 
1965 
15. Il n'est Jamais Trop Tard [It's Never Too Late] (VA 1053) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
16. L'Otage des Profondeurs [The Hostage Of The Deep] (VA 1058) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
17. La Première Fugue [The First Flight] (VA 1063) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
18. La Terre Sautera Ce Soir [Earth Will Explode Tonight] (VA 1068) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
19. Les Buveurs de Mer [The Sea Drinkers] (VA 1073) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
 
1966 
20. Prisonniers du Temps [Prisoners Of Time] (VA 1079) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
21. Le Paradis du Prof. Danvers [The Paradise Of Prof. Danvers] (VA 1084) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
22. Les Naufragés de l'Espace [The Castaways Of Space] (VA 1088) (rep. in Soleil 6) 
23. Le Cas du Dr. Kitt [The Case Of Dr. Kitt] (VA 1094) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
24. 4 - 2 = 1 (VA 1100) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
25. Les Mirages d'Or [The Golden Mirages] (VA 1106) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
26. Destination Infini [Destination Infinity] (VA 1111) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
27. L'Étrange Fin du Capitaine Jork [The Strange End Of Captain Jork] (VA 1116) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
28. Une Chaude Affaire [A Hot Affair] (VA 1122) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
29. Une Conquête Silencieuse [A Silent Conquest] (VA 1128) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
 
1967 
30. L'Invulnerable X [The Invulnerable X] (VA 1133) (rep. in Soleil 7) 
31. L'Affaire des Héros [An Affair Of Heroes] (VA 1139) 
32. La Tête d'Épingle [The Head Of A Pin] (VA 1144) 
33. L'Homme de Chaire [The Man Of Fleshe] (VA 1146) 
34. Les Esclaves du Cosmos [The Cosmic Slaves] (VA 1150) 
35. Un Soleil a Disparu [A Sun Has Disappeared] (VA 1153) 
36. Les Hommes Papillons [The Butterfly Men] (VA 1156) 
37. La Mort de Thanga [The Death Of Thanga] (VA 1159)
38. La Planète Diamant [The Diamond Planet] (VA 1165) 
39. Les Grands Monstres [The Great Monsters] (VA 1171) 
40. L'Armada Fantôme [The Phantom Armada] (VA 1176) 
 
1968 
41. Les Oiseaux Poignards [The Dagger Birds] (VA 1182) 
42. Le Fléau d'Or [The Golden Plague] (VA 1188) 
43. Les Robinsons de la Planète X [The Robinsons Of Planet X] (VA 1193) 
44. Le Jour où la Terre se rendit [The Day Earth Surrendered] (VA 1199) 
45. Les Garrots Vivants [The Living Tourniquets] (VA 1203) 
46. L'Homme Poussière [The Man Of Dust] (VA 1209) 
47. Le Hérisson de Métal [The Metal Hedgehog] (VA 1215) 
48. Un Simple Cauchemar [A Simple Nightmare] (VA 1219) 
49. La Pierre de Joie [The Stone Of Joy] (VA 1224) 
50. La Créature du 2/10/2069 (VA 1229) 
 
1969 
51. Les Gladiateurs de Tarengo [The Gladiators Of Tarengo] (VA 1240) 
52. Ceux qui Prévoyaient tout [Those Who Predicted Everything] (VA 1248) 
53. Les Hommes d'En Bas [The Men From Below] (VA 1252) 
54. La Nuit des Horreurs [The Night Of Horrors] (VA 1259) 
55. Le Cerveau de Secours [The Spare Brain] (VA 1266) 
56. Commando sur l'EMC [Commando To EMC] (VA 1272) 
57. Les Hommes Squales [The Shark Men] (VA 1278) 
 
1970 
58. Le Tremblement de Fleurs [Flower Quake] (VA 1283) 
59. 17 Minutes à Vivre [17 Minutes To Live] (VA 1289) 
60. Le Sanctuaire de Glace [The Ice Sanctuary] (VA 1294) 
61. La Mousse Verte [The Green Froth] (VA 1300) 
62. L'Arche de Noé [Noah's Ark] (VA 1308) 
63. Les Voleurs de Pensée [The Mind Stealers] (VA 1318) 
64. Une Surprise de Taille [A Big Surprise] (VA 1324) 
65. Le Monstre Invisible [The Invisible Monster] (VA 1331) 
 
1971 
66. L'Éponge de l'Espace [The Space Sponge] (VA 1340) 
67. Station 67 (VA 1351) 
68. Les Mandraghommes [The Mandramen] (VA 1359) 
69. Les Creatures de Chahawa [The Creatures From Chahawa] (VA 1366) 
70. Le Sarcophage Zorien [The Zorian Sarcophagus] (VA 1374) 
71. Les Sept Derniers Jours [The Seven Last Days] (VA 1383) 
 
1972 
72. Angoisse à l'EMC [Terror At EMC] (VA 1392) 
73. Le Paradis du Diable [The Devil's Paradise] (VA 1403) 
74. La Désertion de Thanga [Thanga's Desertion] (VA 1411) 
75. Le Robot Invulnérable [The Invulnerable Robot] (VA 1418) 
76. Commando T (VA 1424) 
77. Les Bracelets G [The G Armbands] (VA 1435) 
 
1973 
78. Les Explorateurs du Temps [The Explorers Of Time] (VA 1444) 
79. Un Trou dans les Archives [A Hole In The Archives] (VA 1456) 
80. La Chute d'un Tyran [The Fall Of A Tyrant] (VA 1466) 
81. La Grande Sépulture [The Great Burial Site] (VA 1477)

TANGHA
 
 
 
MAUD
 
 
RODION
 
 
TSIN-LU
 
 
THE PROFESSOR

 

TOM
 
 
 

INACCESSIBLE 7
(1960) 
 
 

  
 
 

INACCESSIBLE 7
(1960) 

Publishing History

 
Les Pionniers de l'Espérance were originally serialized in "Vaillant" from 1945 to 1973.  Only the first six episodes were collected in the graphic novel format by "Vaillant"'s publishing house, as follows: 

- Ep. 1 (1947, rep. 1962) 
- Ep. 4 (1960) 
- Ep. 6 (1961) 
- Ep. 9 (1961, rep. 1968) 
- Ep. 5 (1961) 
- Eps. 7 & 8 (1962)

In 1974, Publisher Editions du Kangourou released Les Pionniers de l'Espérance contre les Robots [The Pioneers of Hope vs. The Robots]. 
 
Eps. 6 and 9 were reprinted in 1979 by the Editions du Fromage. 
 
Finally, the Pioneers' first twelve adventures were collected in a five-volume set by publisher Futuropolis between 1984 and 1989.  Two more volumes were then issued by publisher Soleil in  1994 and 1995.

 
 

The Authors

 
  Roger Lecureux (1925-1999) was a prolific writer who joined the editorial team of "Vaillant" in 1945 and later became its editor-in-chief from 1958 to 1963.  There, he created many adventure series, such as Les Pionniers de l'Espérance with Poïvet, Nasdine Hodja with Bastard, Teddy Ted with Gérald Forton, Lynx with Bob Sim, Fils de Chine with Gillon, Le Grêlé 7/13 with Christian Gaty, Rahan with Chéret, Les Robinsons de la Terre with Alfonso Font and many others.  During that time, Lecureux also contributed numerous stories to a variety of various digest-sized comics magazines, including the space opera, Galax. Lecureux passed away on December 31, 1999. 

 

 
 
  Raymond Poïvet (1910-1999) worked as a fashion artist in the 1940s and contributed to "Le Téméraire", before joining the editorial team of "Vaillant" in 1945 where he and Lecureux created the first modern French science fiction series, Les Pionniers de l'Espérance.  During that period, he also co-created Colonel X with Marijac in 1947 and a Tarzan-like series, Tumak, in 1948.  In 1961, he and Jean-Michel Charlier co-created Guy Lebleu for "Pilote."  In 1964, he collaborated to the short-lived magazine "Chouchou" with P'tit Gus.  With Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Poïvet created the remarkable fantasy Tiriel.  Poïvet passed away in July 1999.

Pionniers de l'Espérance © 2001 Poivet/Lecureux. All rights reserved.