Jean-Claude Mézières was a French comic book artist, best known for co-creating the iconic science fiction series Valérian and Laureline. Born on September 23, 1938, in Paris, he began his career in the 1960s, contributing to various magazines and developing his unique artistic style. Mézières' work on Valérian and Laureline significantly influenced the science fiction genre in comics and inspired many filmmakers, including Luc Besson, who adapted the series into the 2017 film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Mézières passed away on January 23, 2022, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of graphic novels.