Collection Télé Junior is a comic book series published by Junior Production, S.A. in France. The series commenced in 1978 through till 1982 with 18 editions published containing varying comic book characters including the Phantom, Buck Rogers, Mightor, Super Jamie, Spectreman, Black Prince, Galactica and more. The album style comic books often reprinted content from the popular weekly and monthly ‘Télé Junior’ magazines also published by Junior Productions, S.A.
Junior Production, S.A. was a French publishing house active primarily from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, known for its strategic focus on transforming popular television shows into comic book series and magazines. This approach capitalized on the burgeoning influence of TV on young audiences, allowing Junior Production, S.A. to adapt both French and international hits into comic strip format. Their flagship publication, the monthly (and later weekly) Télé Junior magazine, featured a diverse array of content. This included adaptations of American animated series like Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones, Japanese anime such as Goldorak (Grendizer) and San-Ku-Kaï, and occasionally even live-action TV shows. Beyond these adaptations, the magazines also showcased original French comic strips by local artists and writers, alongside engaging ancillary content like games, posters, and articles about popular TV personalities.
In addition to the popular Télé Junior magazine, the publisher also released the Collection Télé Junior, a series of standalone comic albums. These albums often compiled stories previously featured in the magazines, offering dedicated volumes for specific TV series. The company’s broader catalog also encompassed other titles such as Télé B.D., Télé Parade, Les Fous du volant (Wacky Races), and comics based on French children’s shows like Les Visiteurs du mercredi. By tapping into the widespread appeal of television, Junior Production, S.A. effectively provided an accessible entry point to the world of comics for a broad segment of French youth.
Junior Production, S.A.’s unique business model, centered on licensing and adapting popular media, cemented its place in French comic book history during its operational years. While the exact circumstances of its eventual decline are not widely documented, like many publishers in a dynamic industry, it likely faced challenges from evolving media consumption habits and competition. Nonetheless, its publications remain a cherished part of the nostalgia for many who grew up in France during that vibrant era, fondly remembering the fusion of their favorite TV characters with the engaging world of comic strips.
Collection Télé Junior edition number 3 published in 1982 features the Phantom. This album style edition contains 52 color pages measuring 21cm x 28 with French text published within. Three Phantom comic strip stories are published, all written by Lee Falk and illustrated by Sy Barry. The story titles are Strangers at Keela-Wee, The Super-Jet Gang and The Hijackers. The front and back cover can be seen below.
In essence, the Collection Télé Junior comic books were a way for Junior Production, S.A. to capitalize on the success of their regular Télé Junior magazines by offering collected editions of their comic strip and illustrated story content.
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