Across the Pathways of Space (Par les Chemins de l'Espace) is a collection of short stories in the French comic book (or bande dessinée) science fiction series Valérian and Laureline created by writer Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières. They first appeared in Super Pocket Pilote, a quarterly, digest-sized offshoot of Pilote magazine, between 1969 and 1970. The stories The Great Collector (Le Grand Collectionneur) First published in Super Pocket Pilote, Issue 3 (3 April 1969) Valérian is returning from a mission in the Arcturus system when his astroship malfunctions and comes to a dead stop. Spacewalking outside the ship in an attempt to make repairs, he finds an Arcturian floating outside in space. The Arcturian tells him his ship is caught in a magnetic trap and is falling towards a nearby asteroid. He tells Valérian to bring his magnetic field generator with him when next they meet and then he falls away towards the asteroid. Sure enough, as the Arcturian told him, Valérian's ship crashes on the asteroid in a graveyard of spaceships. Going in search of the cause of his problems, he comes upon what looks like a labyrinth. Exploring, he finds a cage containing two bird-men from Deneb. They tell him that they have been captured by the Great Collector and are part of his menagerie. Searching for the Arcturians, he meets more captive aliens and finally finds the Arcturian who now looks old and wizened. The Arcturian tells Valérian that what he saw outside his ship was just a projection of his mind. He goes on to say that he believes he can reverse the magnetic field that draws spaceships to the planet and keeps the cages locked using the magnetic field generator Valérian has brought although the process will kill him. Reluctantly, Valérian connects the Arcturian to the device and his body lights up. The magnetic field is deactivated and the specimens flee their cages. They are pursued by the Great Collector – a giant spider-like creature – who manages to kill some of his prey but most manage to get to their ships and blast-off. Valérian, at last, manages to get to his ship as well from which he broadcasts a message warning all from approaching the asteroid and the Great Collector. The Fflumgluff of Friendship (Le Fflumgluff de l'Amitie) First published in Super Pocket Pilote, Issue 8 (25 June 1970) Valérian is waiting