Note: This famed SF series lasted for nearly half a century (end of 1951 to January 1997). It boasts 2001 volumes, not including a few late reprints. The last book of the series, #2001, was aptly entitled L'odyssée de l'espèce, "A Species Odyssey". As from February 1997, it gave way to the "SF" series, which lasted until 1999.

• Dimensions :
  • First (black or "rocket") series : 18.5 to 19 x 12 cm, from 1951 to 1967. The last publication in this format is #330, Hallali cosmique.
  • Format changed to 17.5 x 11 cm, first occasionally as from the first trimester of 1966, in the so-called "Hors-Série" series created to accomodate the Perry Rhodan saga. This new format progressively extended to all "Anticipation" books, and became standard as from the last trimester of 1967.
• Numbering :
  • The books of this series were initially numbered at the bottom of the spine. The number moved to the top round the beginning of 1986 (somewhere between #1417 and #1424), but some late reprints showing a lower number (mainly, the "Compagnons des glaces" series) also have it on top.
  • With the new format associated with the "Hors-Série" series came a short span of double numbering, which lasted until the end of 1967 : thus, the first 24 books in the new format had a large figure at the top of the spine, and the regular series number at the bottom, with the exception of #1, Opération Astrée, precariously placed between regular #285 and #286, without the regular series number. This system stopped with #24 (= regular #337), Le retour des dieux, after the definitive abandon of the older format.
• Reprint policy :
  • Few titles were reprinted by Fleuve Noir in this particular pub series (but more in others, such as "Les maîtres français de la S.-F." or "Super luxe"). Reprints start appearing in December 1984 and mainly concern the early volumes of the popular "Compagnie des glaces" series by P.-J. Hérault, the first of which (La compagnie des glaces, #997) was re-issued at that date with the same cover, but with a sub-series number under the title, to conform with the look of the later volumes. Fleuve Noir created even later a special pub series for it, and moved these publications from the main Anticipation series. The volumes then received new covers and a new numbering system (see here). The same applies to the "Cal de Ter" series by the same author, reprinted and augmented as from September 1989. A few books by Serge Brussolo were also reprinted, roughly one year after their first publication, with the same series number.
  • Some authors like Julia Verlanger (as "Gilles Thomas"), Louis Thirion , G.-J. Arnaud, André Ruellan (as "Kurt Steiner"), Pierre Pelot (first as "Pierre Suragne") or Jean-Pierre Andrevon (first as "Alphonse Brutsche"), saw some of their books reprinted a few times as from 1988, but with different series numbers and covers (see here for instance).
• Cover illustrations :
  • René Brantonne illustrated the covers of this series from #1 to #273 (1951-1965); his signature, brantonne or br, is sometimes missing. He is also responsible for the little red rocket at the bottom of the spine, characteristic of the early publications. From #232 to #273, the iconic red rocket gave way to different types of spacecraft.
  • Although never credited, Gaston De Sainte-Croix is known for having illustrated covers from #274 to #561 (1965-1973). His signature never appears. He also did most inside illustrations during that period, and fathered the modernized grey rocket on spine, which eventually disappeared with the old format. The dominant colours of the new format were blue, grey, black and red on a white background.
  • René Brantonne made a comeback from #562 to #792 (1973-1977), with gaudily multicoloured cover illustrations.
  • From 1977 to the end of 1987, covers were illustrated with stock images of American or British origin, often having no relationship with the text. But it is to be noted, especially in the 1980s, that the publishers must have suggested to their authors to get some inspiration from the selected cover art, so as to have at least a few lines corresponding to it. These passages are easy to spot, as they are more or less skilfully integrated into the work.
  • As from the end of 1987 till the death of the series (#2001 in 1997), the original works of French illustrators progressively replaced the stock images. By 1989, the substitution was completed.
• Inside illustrations :
  • Although never credited, they are due to Gaston De Sainte-Croix, apart from a few rare exceptions. They were introduced during the first trimester of 1966 with #1 of the "Hors-Série" series, Opération Astrée, and were restricted to this new 17.5 x 11 cm format, which became the norm at the end of 1967. They consisted of two black-and-white unsigned illustrations, approximately situated at the first and second thirds of the book. This practice ceased during the first trimester 1972 with #494, L'empire du Baphomet.
• ISBN / ISSN : ISBN numbers came into use in January 1976. In addition to these, this publication series used ISSN 0768-3014 as it was (in France) also sold via the newsagents system.