Earlier this month, French publisher Morgen made a splash with the announcement of a six-figure global book deal with Eisner-nominated comics writer Ram V, along with artists Anand Radhakrishnan and Evan Cagle, for a new graphic novel series.

As part of the deal, the venerable Image Comics acquired English language rights to the series, which Morgen called “a blend of epic sci-fi and urban fantasy.” Eric Harburn of Tiny Onion has signed on to edit, with the first volume launching in fall 2026.

A deal like this begs the question: Who is Morgen and what are their plans in the global market? It turns out the new imprint has a deep pedigree in publishing and ambitions to bring together the markets for comics, bande dessinée, and manga.

According to the company, Morgen is part of Les Nouveaux Éditeurs, a new publishing group founded by Arnaud Nourry, former CEO of Hachette Livre, the second largest book publisher in the world. Morgen is the group’s bande dessinée and comics division, and is headed by president and co–editor-in-chief Sullivan Rouaud and Thomas Ragon, who was one of the most influential editors at Dargaud for more than 20 years.

Prior to Morgen, Rouaud worked at Hachette, where he created the American comics imprint HiComics, followed by the launch of Mangetsu, a manga label which published Junji Ito and many other major Japanese creators.

Les Nouveaux Éditeurs is controlled by Nourry’s family and supported by Kering, the global luxury group behind brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and Christie’s. They are also supported by Gallimard for manufacturing and by Flammarion for distribution.

“What makes Morgen special is that everyone involved brings many years of publishing experience, yet we all share the desire for a new challenge—starting from scratch on a more independent scale,” said Rouaud in an email interview.

Rouaud says Morgen aims to publish around one new title per month. “We won’t publish a hundred titles per year, but we will fully support and stand behind every project we choose,” he said.

This year, the fledgling press will focus on new releases, starting with Adrien Demont’s new adaptation of Kenji Miyazaki’s Night on the Galactic Railroad (Train de Nuit dans la voie lactée) followed by Terre ou Lune by Jade Khoo, which he describes as “an absolute masterpiece that should soon be adapted into the American market.”

Morgen will also bring American works to francophone audiences, including the first French-language edition of Paul Pope’s Total TBH, Michael Sweat’s series Everything Sucks, and Clara & the Devil by Olivie Blake and Little Chmura.

Rouaud says the company is focused on quality book design and values the medium of comics, but is also looking to explore media and licensing deals, as well as multi-book series like the new project announced with Ram V and his collaborators.

“Quite simply, Ram represents the best of his generation—a new British invasion in and of himself—and is one of the most important voices in comics today,” said Rouaud.