This volume is a very special issue, not only because Vernania is celebrating its tenth anniversary, but also because it marks the beginning of some new and very promising developments. You are no doubt familiar with the rich trajectory of Vernania's annual issues, which you might have discovered by reading its previous editorials.

These ten volumes have been published thanks to the confluence of research efforts from different parts of the world, and which together have permitted Vernian studies to flourish [1]. At no time in the history of Vernian criticism has there been a more international and interdisciplinary perspective than that offered by Verniana [2]. These ten volumes of Verniana also highlight the diversification of approaches not only in their temporal dimension, but also in their spatial [3]. Verniana enriches the information we can consult on our screens, often at no cost [4]. It allows us to access the pure pleasure of immersing ourselves in the adventure of exploring Verne's living heritage [5].

Beginning with this volume, this legacy will expand, becoming more accessible to non-francophone and non-anglophone readers. During Jules Verne's lifetime, his works were translated into many languages and now these translations are the base of abundant research in different countries.

In 2008, Daniel Compère presented Verniana as “a truly international journal. Articles will be published in multiple languages, English and French at first, perhaps others later on” [6], and in 2013 William Butcher stated that one feature which distinguished this journal from other publications was its bilingualism [7]. Today Verniana becomes quadrilingual with two languages represented: Portuguese and Spanish.

For the first time, Verniana is publishing in this issue an article in Portuguese. Augusto de Campos [8], renowed Brazilian writer, poet and literary critic, offers a comparative study « Dados os dados : Mallarmé, Verne ». De Campos invites us to discover the relationship between these two contemporary writers, using his native Portuguese language, which Jules Verne also used in numerous words and expressions in his novel The Jangada: Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon (1881). The fact that a writer like Augusto de Campos—whose prestige in the Brazilian literay world is enormous—finds himself attracted to Verne proves that Verne is an author who continues to stimulate great interest today.

This study also shows that the work of Verne can be approached from very different points of view and with perspectives that are very rich. On January 23, 1867, in the Jornal do Brazil, Brazilian readers first discovered Verne's writings in their own language with the serialization of his Aventuras do Capitão Hateras, Os inglezes no polo norte (The English at the North Pole, Adventures of Captain Hatteras, 1864-1865). A few years later, in 1873, the publishing house of Baptiste-Louis Garnier published in Brazil the first novel in Portuguese, Viagem ao centro da Terra (Journey to the Center of the Earth).

William Butcher wondered in his editorial how to envision the future of Vernian studies. He emphasized the importance of seeking a path toward unconditional acceptance by the literary world and by the university [9]. With this volume of Verniana, such a double trajectory is evident: in the literary world, thanks to Augusto de Campos and in the university world, thanks to the numerous researchers working on Jules Verne.

So far the editorials of Verniana have been published exclusively in English and French but this volume introduces Spanish. Since 2007, a group of university researchers (T3AxEL) has been working to spread the enormous heritage of Jules Verne's life and work in Spanish and Portuguese.

This contemporary research has made it possible to establish and publicize the fact that already in the nineteenth century different Spanish publishing houses marketed Verne translations and that Spanish newspapers printed them in serialized form. Some examples demonstraing the importance of these early editions of novels and short stories published during the author's lifetime include the first work of Jules Verne translated into Spanish South America. Historical Sudies. The First Ships of the Mexican Navy (1851) which appeared with the title América del Sur. Las primeras naves of the mejicana marina in 1852 in the Madrid periodical Museo de las Familias in Madrid, signed JV. Six different publishing houses also published Viaje al centro de la Tierra (Journey to the Center of the Earth, 1864) between 1867 and 1886 [10]. The first Spanish translation, the version with forty-three chapters, was published in serial format in La Correspondencia de España by the publisher D. Hilarión de Zuloaga. Immediately after, the modified text with forty-five chapters was offered to the public.

The Spanish readers of the time were interested in more than just Verne's fiction. Local newspapers also regularly disseminated information related to the author's life: his purchase of a boat, an ocean crossing, a tourist visit, health problems, etc. The news media also connected actions described in novels with events happening in reality, like the trip around the world of Nellie Bly.

By analyzing the editorials of the nine previous volumes we can perceive the history of Verniana. Today, the journal is experiencing very promising developments with its diversification of languages and its connections to literary and university research. But what are the challenges to be faced in the future for the journal to continue its development?

The vitality of Verniana is real, and this no doubt constitutes an immense satisfaction for all the specialists and fans who are currently collaborating in its success. But there is a key issue for the future. The growth of all scholarly journals, both digital and paper, depends on the interest they arouse not only among new readers or enthusiasts, but also among future contributors. Today, publishing not only involves the dissemination of one's research, ideas or discoveries; it also involves an understanding of the past and present boundaries of the field and one's place within them.

Verniana's future remains bright because of the authority it has garnered in the field of Vernian studies. However, it will always be necessary to remain open to new authors, to all those who wish to investigate and write about Jules Verne and also require that their articles be visible in their professional careers.

This is the challenge that Verniana must meet in order to benefit younger researchers and new scholars as they work to ensure the future of Vernian studies.

 

NOTES

1. Jean-Michel Margot, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 4, 2011-2012, p. iii. ^
2. Terry Harpold, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 3, 2010-2011, p. x. ^
3. Volker Dehs, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 2, 2009-2010, p. i. ^
4. Garmt de Vries-Uiterweerd, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 7, 2014-2015, p. vi. ^
5. Marie-Hélène Huet, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 8, 2015-2016, p. vi. ^
6. Daniel Compère, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 1, 2008-2009, p. vi. ^
7. William Butcher, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 6, 2013-2014, p. v. ^
8. To know more about Augusto de Campos, you can consult the following websites: :
   http://www2.uol.com.br/augustodecampos/home.htm (personal page)
   https://vimeo.com/243275243
   https://editoraperspectiva.blog/2017/10/04/augusto-de-campos-janus-pannonius-grand-prize-for-poetry/
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_de_Campos (in English)
   https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_de_Campos (in Spanish)
   https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_de_Campos (in French)
   https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_de_Campos (in Portuguese) ^
9. William Butcher, « Editorial », Verniana, vol. 6, 2013-2014, p. vii. ^
10. n 1886, MM J. Hetzel & Cie transferred to the publishing house of Agustin Jubera the right of translation and publication in Spain of the works that Verne would now publish. The contract of cession of October 30, 1897 grants the absolute and perpetual property of the right of publication in Spanish language of the said works not only for Spain as before, but also for all the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America. However, there was a very specific previous contract, signed on June 7, 1875, between the publisher Hetzel and the director of the Jornal de Ultramar to translate and publish The Mysterious Island in Spanish.
    The contracts can be consulted in the Hachette archives, at the Institut Mémoires de l’Edition Contemporaine (IMEC). ^