If the Angoulême International Comics Festival is any indication, comic art in Europe, especially France, is having a moment. Last year’s festival drew record crowds and a cameo from French president Emmanuel Macron, and celebrated a surge of political reporting in the form of bandes dessinées, or comics. And, of course, there’s Japan, where the graphic novel has reigned supreme since the 18th century. But in the U.S., the golden age of comics—from Charlie Brown to the Marvel series—is a thing of the past. Philippe Labaune is seeking to change this with a new gallery focusing solely on comic art and illustration. First up: a group exhibition paying tribute to Akira, the 1982 manga series by the Japanese artist Katsuhiro Otomo, whose post-apocalyptic, cyber-punk story has sold more than seven million copies. —J.V.