Overview

HiComics is a French label dedicated to American comics, created by Bragelonne in 2017 and commercially launched in January 2018.

Its creation marked Bragelonne’s return to comics publishing following the earlier Milady Graphics imprint, which had notably published Locke & Key, Scott Pilgrim and works by Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis and Brian Wood in France.

To build this new editorial line, Bragelonne entrusted the project to Sullivan Rouaud, founder of Comicsblog.fr and the ARTS network. The aim was to create a catalog capable of appealing both to readers discovering comics and to audiences already familiar with the American market.

From its launch, HiComics relied on two major licenses: Rick & Morty and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They quickly became two pillars of the catalog.

Alongside them, the publisher developed a line of independent comics with titles such as The Few, Invisible Republic, I Kill Giants, These Savage Shores, Blue in Green and Dawnrunner, while also reissuing several works previously published by Milady Graphics.

The current catalog continues to combine major licenses, independent stories and heritage or collected editions, with particular attention paid to the physical production of the books.

History

2017 — Creation of HiComics

HiComics was created in 2017 within Bragelonne.

The project represented a return to American comics for a publishing group that had already developed this field through Milady Graphics.

That earlier imprint had built a catalog including Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley and several works by Warren Ellis.

To relaunch its comics activity under a new identity, Bragelonne selected Sullivan Rouaud to lead HiComics and define its editorial direction.

Two licenses were identified as especially important for the launch: Rick & Morty and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

January 2018 — Rick & Morty opens the catalog

The first HiComics publications appeared in January 2018.

The first volume of the Rick & Morty comic accompanied the launch of the label alongside The Few, a post-apocalyptic story by Sean Lewis and Hayden Sherman.

Choosing Rick & Morty allowed HiComics to build on a license already highly popular thanks to the animated series while offering French readers original stories created specifically for comics.

The launch proved highly successful: HiComics later stated that this first volume reached nearly 50,000 copies sold, making it the label’s strongest launch and best-selling title at the time.

This success immediately established Rick & Morty as one of HiComics’ key properties.

2018 — The return of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in comics

A few months later, HiComics developed its other major launch license with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The label notably began publishing in French the modern series developed by IDW Publishing, which revisited the universe created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird by combining historic characters, new storylines and a long-running continuity.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gradually became one of the most important parts of the HiComics catalog.

Publication did not stop with the main series: spin-offs, special stories, events, reissues of classic comics and projects such as The Last Ronin allowed the label to cover several eras of the franchise.

An independent line from the beginning

HiComics did not intend to rely solely on television-related licenses or already established franchises.

From its launch, The Few demonstrated the existence of a line devoted to independent American works.

Invisible Republic, by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, later joined the catalog, as did I Kill Giants, by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura.

Over the years, this direction allowed the label to publish creators and works with very different universes, ranging from science fiction and fantasy to intimate drama, thrillers and horror.

Creators such as Ram V, Zoe Thorogood, Joe Kelly, Ken Niimura and James Tynion IV became part of this dimension of the catalog.

Keeping the Milady Graphics legacy alive

HiComics also inherited part of the comics catalog previously published by Milady Graphics.

Locke & Key, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, therefore regained an important place within the new catalog.

Works by Warren Ellis such as Black Summer, No Hero and Supergod were also reissued.

This continuity allowed Bragelonne to avoid starting entirely from scratch: HiComics combined new licenses and new creators with several titles that had already helped define the group’s earlier comics identity.

Collected editions and attention to the physical book

As the catalog expanded, HiComics gave increasing importance to collected editions and redesigned releases.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles notably received a chronological collection bringing together main series, one-shots, crossovers and event issues.

Rick & Morty was also republished in collected editions, while Locke & Key received a new Master Edition.

For the latter, HiComics even created in France a fourth volume unique to this configuration, bringing together several standalone stories and the crossover between Locke & Key and Sandman.

Work on formats, covers, embossing, varnishes and supplementary content therefore became a visible part of the label’s editorial identity.

2022 — Bragelonne joins Hachette Livre

In 2022, Hachette Livre completed its acquisition of Bragelonne.

HiComics therefore indirectly joined one of the world’s largest publishing groups while remaining a Bragelonne brand.

This change in ownership did not end its editorial identity or its main series.

The official website still identifies Hi Comics as a registered trademark of Bragelonne.

A catalog that remains active

In 2026, HiComics continues to publish new comics.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remain especially prominent, with the continuation of collected editions and events such as Armageddon Game and The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution.

Rick & Morty also remains one of the catalog’s major licenses, notably through collected editions and crossovers with Dungeons & Dragons.

At the same time, HiComics continues to publish independent works and renew its catalog beyond its two historic flagship franchises.

What sets it apart

Two particularly strong founding licenses

Rick & Morty and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are not simply two series among many at HiComics.

They were selected from the very beginning to support the launch of the label and have remained central parts of its catalog.

Rick & Morty allows HiComics to reach an audience coming from animation, while TMNT provides an extremely broad universe spanning several generations of comics.

This combination gives the label immediately recognizable licenses without preventing it from developing other editorial lines.

A genuine place for independent comics

HiComics does not define itself solely as a publisher of franchises.

Since The Few and Invisible Republic, the label has reserved an important place for independent creations and stories that do not necessarily rely on already familiar characters.

Titles such as I Kill Giants, These Savage Shores, Blue in Green and Dawnrunner illustrate this approach.

This line allows the catalog to alternate between highly accessible works and projects more strongly centered on their creators.

Continuity with Milady Graphics

The identity of HiComics also draws on a history that predates its own launch.

By bringing Locke & Key and several titles previously published by Milady Graphics into its catalog, the label maintains continuity with Bragelonne’s first major experience in comics publishing.

HiComics can therefore be viewed both as a new beginning and as the continuation of an older editorial policy.

Particular attention to French editions

The label does not systematically reproduce American editions identically.

New covers, collected editions designed for the French market, chronological organization, supplementary material and specific production choices may accompany its releases.

The fourth volume of the Locke & Key Master Edition, created specifically for France in this configuration, is a particularly clear example of this approach.

HiComics therefore seeks to give its French editions their own identity, even when the works already exist in other formats abroad.

A specialized label within a larger group

HiComics also benefits from a particular publishing environment.

It belongs to Bragelonne, a house historically specialized in fantasy, science fiction and supernatural fiction, itself part of Hachette Livre since 2022.

This background naturally connects the HiComics catalog to speculative and imaginative fiction while allowing it to retain a clear specialization in American comics.

Good to know

  • HiComics was created in 2017 within Bragelonne and launched its first publications in January 2018.
  • The label succeeded Milady Graphics within Bragelonne’s comics publishing activity.
  • Sullivan Rouaud, founder of Comicsblog.fr, was chosen to build the editorial line at launch.
  • Rick & Morty and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were the two licenses selected from the beginning to support the label.
  • Rick & Morty Volume 1, published in January 2018, was one of the first HiComics releases alongside The Few.
  • HiComics stated that the first Rick & Morty volume approached 50,000 copies sold, becoming its strongest launch to that point.
  • Locke & Key, previously published by Milady Graphics, joined the HiComics catalog and received several new editions.
  • The label also publishes independent comics such as I Kill Giants, These Savage Shores, Blue in Green, Invisible Republic and Dawnrunner.
  • HiComics develops several collected-edition lines for TMNT, Rick & Morty and Locke & Key.
  • The legal notices identify Hi Comics as a registered trademark of Bragelonne.
  • Bragelonne has belonged to Hachette Livre since 2022.
  • In 2026, HiComics remains active and continues to publish new titles, particularly around TMNT, Rick & Morty and independent creations.