Jean de la Hire

Jean de La Hire (pseudonym of Adolphe d'Espie de La Hire) (1878-1956) was the prolific French author of numerous popular adventure novels, which generally contained science fiction or fantasy elements.

Overview

Jean de La Hire is mostly remembered today for having created one of the first literary superheroes in pulp fiction: The Nyctalope. The Nyctalope made his first appearance in "L'Homme Qui Peut Vivre dans l'Eau" (The Man Who Could Live Underwater) (1908) and continued to delight audiences until the mid-1950s, when its books were reprinted by La Hire's son-in-law in rewritten editions.

The Nyctalope's adventures were pure, unbridled science fiction: In "L'Homme Qui Peut Vivre dans l'Eau", mad scientist Oxus grafted a shark’s gills onto a man, enabling him to breathe underwater. In "Le Mystère des XV" (The Mystery Of The XV) (1911), Oxus tried to conquer the planet Mars. In "Lucifer" (1920), the villainous Glo von Warteck tried to rule the world using “Omega Rays” to enslave mankind. In "Le Roi de la Nuit" [The King Of The Night] (1923), the Nyctalope flew to Rhea, an unknown satellite of Earth, etc.

La Hire was also the author of "La Roue Fulgurante" (The Fiery Wheel) (1908), a classic space opera in which five Earthmen are abducted in the eponymous “fiery wheel” (a flying saucer) and taken to Mercury by aliens who look like columns of light.

La Hire's other works included "Le Corsaire Sous-Marin" (The Underwater Corsair) (1912-13), a 79-issue feuilleton derivative of Jules Verne, "Joe Rollon, l'Autre Homme Invisible" (Joe Rollon, The Other Invisible Man) (1919), a variation on H.G. Wells' story and "Les Grandes Aventures d'un Boy Scout" (The Great Adventures Of A Boy-Scout) (30 issues, 1926), an unbridled serial that features the adventures of boy scout Franc-Hardi in underground realms, other planets, etc.

elected bibliography (excluding the Nyctalope)

* "La Roue Fulgurante" (The Fiery Wheel) (1908)
* "Le Corsaire Sous-Marin" (The Underwater Corsair) (79 issues, 1912-13)
* "Au-Delà des Ténèbres" (Beyond Darkness) (1916)
* "Joe Rollon, l'Autre Homme Invisible" (Joe Rollon, The Other Invisible Man) (wtitten under the pseudonym of Edmond Cazal) (1919)
* "Le Labyrinthe Rouge (The Red Labyrinth) (1920)
* "Raca" (1922)
* "La Prisonnière du Dragon Rouge" (The Prisoner Of The Red Dragon) (1923)
* "Les Dompteurs de Forces" (The Tamers Of Forces) (1924)
* "La Captive du Soleil d'Or" (The Captive Of The Golden Sun) (1926)
* "Les Grandes Aventures d'un Boy Scout" (The Great Adventures Of A Boy-Scout) (30 issues, 1926)
* "Le Zankador" (1927)
* "Les Aventures de Paul Ardent" (The Adventures Of Paul Ardent) (6 issues, 1927-28)
* "Les Ravageurs du Monde" (The Ravagers Of The World) (1929)
* "L'Oeil de la Déesse" (The Eye Of The Goddess) (1929)
* " Le Roi des Catacombes" (The King Of The Catacombs) (1929)
* "Les Hommes Sans Yeux" [The Eyeless Men] (1930)
* "Le Cercueuil de Nacre" (The Mother-Of-Pearl Coffin) (1930)
* "Kaitar" (1930)
* "Les Amazones" (1930)
* "Le Fils du Soleil" (The Son Of The Sun) (1931)
* "Sous l'Oeil de Dieu" (Under God's Eye) (1932)
* "Les Chasseurs de Mystères" (The Hunters Of Mysteries) (1933)
* "Le Secret des Torelwoch" (The Secret Of Torelwoch) (1934)
* "Le Maître du Monde" (The Master Of The World) (1934)
* "Le Regard Qui Tue" (The Killing Eyes) (1934)
* "La Mort de Sardanapale" (1935)
* "L'Énigme de l'Oeil Sanglant" (The Mystery Of The Bloody Eye) (1935)
* "Le Volcan Artificiel" (The Artificial Volcano) (1936)
* "Le Mort-Vivant" (The Living Dead) (1936)
* "L'Antre aux Cent Démons" (The Lair Of A Hundred Demons) (1935)
* "Les Envoûtées" (The Spellbound) (1935)
* "Le Démon de la Nuit" (The Night Demon) (1937)
* "Le Million des Scouts" (22 issues, 1937-38)
* "La Guerre! La Guerre!" (War! War!) (written as Commandant Cazal) (5 issues, 1939)