Editing Siderella (section)

== History ==
It was founded by Jean-Paul Appel-Guéry,{{sfn|Abgrall|1999|p=95}} known within the group as Appel Guery or Iso, Osi, or Io.{{sfn|Abgrall|1999|p=95}}{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}} His real name was Jean-Paul Appel.{{sfn|Vernette|1990|p=216}}{{sfn|Mauge|Clark|1990|p=115}}{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}} A [[contactee]], he claimed to receive messages from aliens.{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}}{{sfn|Vernette|1990|p=216}} Appel also claimed that he had been conceived by aliens, who had bestowed upon him "favorable chromosomal conjunctions", and that he had been "exceptionally gifted, programmed as he was by the cosmic powers".{{sfn|Abgrall|2000|p=63}}{{sfn|Drogou|1998|p=124}} He claimed that he had first been contacted by extraterrestrial forces at age 12, when a beam of light passed through his brain, which, he said, only activated six years later while he was "initiated by a spiritual master".{{sfn|Vernette|1990|p=216}}{{sfn|Abgrall|2000|p=63}} In 1966, the group was founded by Appel as Iso-Zen in [[Paris]], France.<ref name="LaBelle1991" /> They operated out of the Lowendal street in Paris for some time.{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}} 

Appel declared it under the name Iso-Zen in 1970.{{sfn|Drogou|1998|p=123}} It was part of the [[contactee]] movement in France, which was generally small.{{sfn|Mauge|Clark|1990|p=115}} He dissolved it again in 1978 and reestablished it under several different names.{{sfn|Drogou|1998|p=123}} They were popular during the [[hippie]] movement throughout the mid 1970s, and were sometimes viewed as more of an artist collective;<ref name="Marhic1997" /> the group had two notable comic book artists among its membership.<ref name="Marhic1997" /> Brazilian comic artist [[Sergio Macedo]] joined in 1980 while in France. Afterwards, he supposedly received visions of extraterrestrials, which would feature more prominently in his works from then on.{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}} The comic artist [[Jean Giraud]], known as Mœbius, was also a member of the group.<ref name="David1996" />{{sfn|Mauge|Clark|1990|p=115}} Appel was a great influence on his works,<ref>{{Cite news |last=O. |first=A. |date=1986-02-27 |title=Le mois prochain au Centre culturel neuchâtelois: Va y'avoir des bulles... |trans-title=Next month at the Neuchâtel Cultural Center: There's going to be some bubbles... |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=IMP19860227-01.2.126 |access-date=2025-06-01 |work=[[L'Impartial]] |location=La Chaux-de-Fonds |page=23 |language=fr-CH |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=33164 |issn=1053-3222}}</ref> and in the 1990s described Appel as "a man of superior intelligence".<ref name="David1996">{{Cite magazine |last=David |first=Marc |date=1996-01-10 |title=Jouret et Di Mambro la recommandaient: La BD qui annonçait le massacre |trans-title=Jouret and Di Mambro recommended: The comic book that foretold the massacre |url=https://scriptorium.ch/zoom/196663/view?page=26 |access-date=2024-09-05 |magazine=[[L'Illustré]] |location=Lausanne |pages=26–27 |language=fr-CH |via=[[Scriptorium (website)|Scriptorium]] |issn=1420-5165}}</ref> In 2015, Macedo expressed no regrets and praised Appel as "an extraordinary guide".{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}} Other members included the relatives of politicians and well-known fashion designers. Singer [[Michel Jonasz]] briefly expressed interest before believing Appel was unwilling to "share the spotlight".<ref name="Marhic1997" />

In 1980, they announced an impending apocalypse.{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}} In 1982, the group moved out of France and to [[Tahiti]]<ref name="David1996" /> in [[French Polynesia]], where they established a "study center".{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}}{{sfn|Drogou|1998|p=124}} Both Girard and Macedo moved with them to Tahiti.{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fleury |first=Pascal |date=1991-06-08 |title=Entretiens : "Docteur Mœbius et Mister Gir": La double vie de Jean Giraud |trans-title=Interviews: "Docteur Mœbius et Mister Gir": The double life of Jean Giraud |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=LLE19910608-01.2.233 |access-date=2025-06-01 |work=[[La Liberté (Switzerland)|La Liberté]] |location=Fribourg |page=41 |language=fr-CH |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=205 |issn=1660-2293}}</ref> Based on increasing visionary elements, that year Appel wrote ''[[Timeless Voyage]]'', a comic book, with illustrations from Macedo.{{sfn|Abgrall|1999|p=95}}{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}}{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=48}} This comic depicts the beliefs of the group,{{sfn|Mayer|1999|p=195}}{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=109}} and was claimed to be based on a real story experienced by members of the group.{{sfn|Silva|2017|p=108}} They received some attention for this when another UFO religion, the [[Order of the Solar Temple]], sold the comic; the Solar Temple committed [[1994 Solar Temple massacres|mass suicide in 1994]], which some commentators connected to the comic strip.<ref name="David1996" />{{sfn|Mayer|1999|pp=181, 195}} Appel denied any connection and called what happened tragic.<ref name="Laplau1996">{{Cite magazine |last=Laplau |first=Jacques |date=1996-02-21 |title=Mise au point |trans-title=Clarification |url=https://scriptorium.ch/zoom/196695/view?page=110 |access-date=2024-10-28 |magazine=[[L'Illustré]] |location=Lausanne |page=78 |language=fr-CH |via=[[Scriptorium (website)|Scriptorium]] |issn=1420-5165}}</ref> They later moved back to Europe, though they still regularly visited Tahiti.<ref name="Marhic1997" />{{sfn|Drogou|1998|p=124}}

Beginning in 1981 in a parliamentary cult report by [[Alain Vivien]],<ref name="Marhic1997" /> they were denounced as dangerous or as a cult by several sources. The French anti-cult group [[ADFI]] received several family complaints against them.{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}}<ref name="Marhic1996" /><ref name="Brunschwig1994" /> In 1992, the {{Lang|fr|[[Envoyé spécial]]}} program criticized them for allegedly abusive sexual practices.{{sfn|Marhic|Kerlidou|1996|p=47}} 1996, former member of the group, Isabelle Sebagh, denounced them for their behaviors and declared them a cult, calling Appel abusive, [[antisemitic]], and saying their behavior was sexually disturbed. She had joined the group at age 17. In 1996, she wrote the book {{Lang|fr|L'adepte, 7 ans dans l'enfer d'une secte}}, published by {{Ill|Le Comptoir|fr|Le Comptoir (éditeur)}}, containing these allegations.<ref name="S.1998" /><ref name="BULLES1996">{{Cite magazine |date=1996 |title=Sept ans de malheur: Une femme piégée par une secte apporte son témoignage |trans-title=Seven years of misery: A woman trapped by a cult gives her testimony |magazine=[[Bulletin de Liaison pour l'Etude des Sectes]] |language=fr-FR}} Originally published in the magazine ''[[Télérama]]'', also published in the magazine ''Le Résumé, Le Compte Rendu, La Synthèse''.</ref><ref name="Marhic1996">{{Cite magazine |last=Marhic |first=Renaud |author-link=Renaud Marhic |date=1996 |title=Lectures |magazine=Phénomèna |location=Aix-en-Provence |page=31 |language=fr-FR |issue=32 |issn=1157-4704}}</ref> They were also denounced as a cult in the 1993 book {{Lang|fr|Le grand décervelage: Enquête pour combattre les sectes}} by Bernard Fillaire.<ref name="Brunschwig1994" />

In the 1990s, they bought the Château de Jaugy in [[Gièvres]], at 18 hectares, for 1.89 million francs. It was made into their headquarters and was converted into a restaurant and hotel.<ref name="Marhic1997" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2002-09-18 |title=Les châteaux, un placement très prisé |trans-title=Castles, a highly prized investment |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/les-chateaux-un-placement-tres-prise_649355.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-06-01 |magazine=[[L'Express]] |location=Paris |language=fr-FR |issn=0014-5270}}</ref> By 2002, Appel had acquired a small fleet of boats based on his funds from the group.<ref name="Gaetner2002" />