A French language Graphic Novel about a mystery of the 1966 Indy 500 to be published

[Indyote]

Now, this caught my attention!

I don't know if this is the proper forum for it. If not, mod's move it to the appropriate place.

Over here in Europe, one of the better known Comic book series (Graphic Novel series) is of French origine, about racing driver Michel Vaillant. The serie already started in the late 50s.

From what I have figured out, only the very first album has been available in an English translation and that is an adventure taking place in 1958 and included the Indy 500!
The 11th album of the series also had an Indianapolis adventure and that was taking place in 1965.

Recently, the publisher announced a new kind of sidestep series from the original series that would deal with research on racing history.
The very first album within this series is dealing with the mystery of what really happened during the 1966 Indy 500.

Apart from the confusion about "did Clark loose a lap and if so when" I can't think about another mystery during the 1966 Indy 500 worth extensive research resutling into a Graphic Novel.

But, anyway, I have something to look forward to to be added to my library.
I doubt there will be many out here who have an understanding of any other European languages than English, otherwise you might be able to do the same.

Anyway, I felt this upcoming Indy related graphic novel curious enough to at least share the news about it with you. If appreciated, I will provide updates if there is moer info and/or details to be told.

[SteveK51]

The Michel Valliant angle is the part that confuses me a little. Isn't the story normally fictional and centered on the rivalry between the Valliant team and the Leader team?

There was a Michel Valliant movie made that centered on the 2002 running of Le Mans, and DAMS entered two camera car entries in the actual race. Similar to Days of Thunder though, the movie version of the race had their entries dueling for the win rather than Joest, Oreca, and so on.

[Indyote]

The Michel Valliant angle is the part that confuses me a little. Isn't the story normally fictional and centered on the rivalry between the Valliant team and the Leader team?

There was a Michel Valliant movie made that centered on the 2002 running of Le Mans, and DAMS entered two camera car entries in the actual race. Similar to Days of Thunder though, the movie version of the race had their entries dueling for the win rather than Joest, Oreca, and so on.

This story is part of what is said to become a new sequence of stories, based on the racing as it happened. But trying to explain and/or reveal the truth behind some curious events.
I have seen two tantalizing drawings that supposedly appear in the album and one of them is showing the IMS Main entry Gate, in pooring rain. I think it resembles quite well how the real situation was at that time. The second drawing featured a Vaillante car and it is of the same type that was used in the 1965 adventure (Suspense en Indianapolis") , but with another number this time.
Like you, I am very curious to see how the final results will look but it is for sure remarakable that what is announced to become a new subseries starts with an Indy 500. And then one of the races in what many believe to be one of the most interesting decades of them all.

It seems having nothing to do with the more familiar opposition by either the "Leader" or the infamous criminal creeps of the "Texas Driver's Club" but with






Doing some more google I ran into this page in English which has some details about the upcoming book mentioned though definitely not the main topic of the story

the roaring return of Michel Vaillant - US Sports (lookcharms.com)

And in that piece it is indicated that there is still much more of a side story after all.

So time will tell what we will see appear in print.

[Jamski]

Not connected in any way unless you read a lot of racing fiction: Bob Judd has a whole series of novels about a racer named Forrest Evers, at least one of which is set in Indy. I've read a couple and they're fun.

[Indyote]

Thriller writer Alistar McLean (of Guns of Navarone fame) also wrote one novel involving the F1 world: "the way to dusty death"

[1987Carzan]

I've read a few of Bob Judd's books and they are indeed fun, that Forrest Evers sure finds his way into some real scrapes. For some reason, in my mind I picture him looking like a young Eddie Cheever.

If that Alistair MacLean book is anything like Guns Of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare then I'll definitely be checking that out too.

[FormulaFox]

Apart from the confusion about "did Clark loose a lap and if so when" I can't think about another mystery during the 1966 Indy 500 worth extensive research resutling into a Graphic Novel.

There's also some assertion that Gordon Johncock actually won the race, and I recall some controversy in practice over a car of questionable legality - but I'm not sure if that was in 66 or not(might've been 65 or 67), and I doubt it would be worth doing anything "investigative" on since it didn't qualify anyway.

[Norman J Crump]

Has Ralph Mulford staked a claim yet?

[happyscrappy-t]

Just checked my library website, several Michel Vaillant graphic novels are available in English translation via Hoopla. No luck finding a place to stream the '03 film, sounds like it was terrible, but...Diane Kruger...so there is that.

[Indyote]

Just checked my library website, several Michel Vaillant graphic novels are available in English translation via Hoopla. No luck finding a place to stream the '03 film, sounds like it was terrible, but...Diane Kruger...so there is that.

I have googled on these "Hoopla'ed translations" .

From what I found, these editions are the more recent adventures that supposedly took place in recent years. I did not run into older Pre 2000 published albums except one that was a new printing of old stories and combined into a new edition. But that would be the one I would recommand to go for if you would like to give one a try.

Personally, I like the older stuff, up to say about 1990 the best of all since these still have the `feeling` that belongs to the genuine Michel Vaillant series.
The upcoming 1966 adventure should at least fit within this range of older publications timewise and in `feeling`.

I have seen the 2003 movie.
You haven't missed much. It is as terrible for Endurance racing PR as Driven was for Indycars.

[SteveK51]

Just checked my library website, several Michel Vaillant graphic novels are available in English translation via Hoopla. No luck finding a place to stream the '03 film, sounds like it was terrible, but...Diane Kruger...so there is that.

I haven't watched the movie in 20 years and I think the best I found was English subtitles over French. The Leader team kidnaps Valliant's dad and tell him to drive the Leader car? Or he has to lose the race in the Valliant car?

[ensign14]

Thriller writer Alistar McLean (of Guns of Navarone fame) also wrote one novel involving the F1 world: "the way to dusty death"

At one point Maclean wrote about the headlights on the cars...

[Indyote]

At one point Maclean wrote about the headlights on the cars...

Could be, I've read that book so many years ago that I forgot details and only remember the outlines of the story.
Which in itself might tell you something

[Gurney36]

At one point Maclean wrote about the headlights on the cars...

My recollection is the sun light reflecting off of the Weber carbs on a Cosworth DFV. I read someplace that he wrote it so that a movie would be made from it with Jackie Stewart being enticed into retirement to star in it. They were friends and MacLean was afraid for Stewart.